The art of the knot

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The intricate, ever-colourful Persian carpet should not be excluded from contemporary design schemes, insists Razi Miri of miri creations

Partly because they are so steeped in tradition, and partly because of their tendency to dominate a space, interior designers tend to shy away from Persian carpets, said Miri, who represents the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the carpet business.

Miri Creations has been responsible for leading a renaissance in traditional Persian carpet production, with Miri himself remaining committed to reviving and bolstering this varied and colourful craft.

“This belongs to the culture of the people and to the culture of the interior in Iran. When you see historical monuments in our country, you’ll see that walls were not prepared for paintings; we didn’t have paintings – they belong to the west,” Miri explained.

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“In the Iranian home, the most important object was the carpet. The carpet acted as furniture, it was a painting, it was something to sit on and to sleep on. The carpet was something that you could relate to. I always say that we are working on the fifth wall. Rooms have four walls, but in historical Persian culture, there was only one wall, and it was the floor.”

However, the intricate, colourful – and sometimes overwhelming – nature of Persian carpets means that they detract from other interior elements, making them difficult to incorporate into a contemporary context.

As a result, Persian carpet manufacturers are watering down their designs, a process that is diluting an ancient and important art form, Miri complained. “Carpet creators have been pushed to follow modernism and to remove many things, which impacts the authenticity and originality of the art. Nowadays you can see many different carpets that are design-less. Everybody says that these are ‘designer’ carpets, but I don’t see any design on them.”

The company is committed to creating ‘art of the knot’, rather than simple carpets, Miri, who is still heavily involved in the design of every piece, insisted.

“One is art of the knot, the other is a floor covering. Miri is a specialist in the art of the knot. To create a simple carpet is no problem for us, but I don’t call it art of the knot. It is a floor covering in Miri quality,” he said.

“There is also a difference between the words creation and production. I never use the word production when I am talking about a Miri Creation. We ‘create’ Miri artworks. You ‘produce’ a carpet,” he continued.

But this ancient art is at a perilous crossroads. “We haven’t lost everything, but we have lost many things. You have to keep these roots alive. If you don’t keep them, you will miss them. I always say that real art of the knot is a good ambassador of our culture. We communicate with people we have never seen, in their homes.

“Sometimes, people say that traditional design is not for young people and I always answer, young people will be old too in a few years! This is something that comes from the heart of the human. It cannot just stop.”