One of my favorite vendors (and fellow designer friends) to visit is Tony Kitz Gallery. Tony Kitz Gallery offers a large selection of antique and contemporary carpets, custom made pillows, accessories that are always changing (he has small, knit Ethiopian children’s hats right now!) and one of a kind, fine art textiles that are works of art. Upon walking in the door, you immediately are met with this rich smell of earthy goodness…the old wools and threads of these nomadic pieces. I LOVE this smell….is that weird?
Tony always takes the time to talk to you about the origin of his carpets, pointing out interesting facts about non-descript illustrations on the carpets, “Oh, those are pomegranates? I had NO idea…”….. He literally is an encyclopedia of information and it is his delivery of this information that takes whatever insecurities you may have of not knowing exactly what makes an antique carpet a really GREAT antique carpet. He doesn’t care if you mistake a Sultanabad for an Oushak or a Tabriz for a Khotan.
and he rides scooters!
an example of a "new" Khotan made with antique wools...beautiful.
Resist-dyed indigo on cotton Ndop cloth from Cameroon, West Africa. Circa 1920-1930.
This were hung in huts as decoration, used as clothing or to demarcate royal ritual spaces. I think this would look fabulous framed and hung above a sofa in a really clean, slick, modern space.
rugs in spaces:
Gokhan Avcioglu shot by Erik Johnson.
Tony's pick for the soundtrack for this tribal visual, is the equally colorful and diverse:
Boy George ala Karma Chameleon, 'natch.
(all shots of TKG shot by moi)
