They say love is the rug (well Roxy Music do, at least), but this is an inspirational Instagram affirmation not as we know it. Italian-born artist Loredana Longo has etched this slightly trite, but not-quite-as-it-seems phrase onto a carpet created in the Middle East region. As such, it’s described as a “collective artwork” in that it unites the work of the artisan that created the rug initially with Longo’s concept. The artist created the lettering by fire-carving the upper layer of the woven fabrics with sentences by Western politicians; thus creating an extra layer of meaning in the unity of artist and artist, East and West. Longo worked by selecting each carpet, sentence and font; with each component reflecting the rugs’ unique rhythms and structures. The burning process means the text is forever wedded to the carpet—its upper layers are removed and can never be recovered. The piece is on show from 2 to 9 October as part of the Second Life show at luxury rug store Sahrai Milano in Mayfair, London. This is the first contemporary art event at their flagship store.
