A collage of textile techniques and a montage of embroidered forms are stitched onto an Afghan carpet, covering its entire surface, inspired by Afghan dress colours and textures. The carpet, a central pillar of home, family, and life, is reversed from its usual, unassuming position on the floor and is instead presented above the viewer. In doing so, the piece becomes an ode to how I see the carpet-not just as an object, but as a living, dynamic presence within my world. The work invites viewers to see it as I do, to enable us to revel in a celebration of its layered significance and intrinsic detail. The resulting piece embodies my deeply personal domestic landscape, with the carpet itself belonging to my bibi-jan. It incorporates traditional quilting, bead and sequin embroidery, broken tasbih beads, a mulberry-dyed trim, cut-up prayer mats, designs from other ornamental presences such as traditional brass teapots, and more-each element drawn from my deep, inextricable sense of family and home.
Bachelor of Visual Arts
Painting
Nigeen Ansari, New Contemporaries, 2024, installation Photo: Document Photography
Afghan rug, fabric, beads, sequins, quilt, prayer mat, appliqué, hand dyed wool (mulberry dye), tasbih beads.
Nigeen seeks to embrace the fluidity of the art-making process through a tactile, intuitive approach to her works. Motivated by a desire for genuine self-expression, Nigeen’s practice is deeply rooted in her spirituality, using art as a tool to affirm and strengthen her identity as an Afghan Muslim. She is endlessly inspired by her friends’ dedication to their craft and deeply appreciates all things crafty and cute.