Chant Avedissian (Lebanese, b. 1951)

In the present work created by Egyptian artist Chant Avedissian, the artist reflects on cultural traditions of his native culture. He was inspired by the tentmakers known as khiyamiyat, who have for centuries created similarly patterned large marquees providing the backdrop for many important events in Egyptian culture. His choice of hand dyed appliqu is a result of his collaboration with renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy who pioneered technology for building in Egypt, by working to re-establish the use of mud brick and traditional techniques as opposed to Western building designs. This collaboration greatly influenced Avedissian's works during the second half of the 1980s. In the present work, Avedissian creates a modern tribute to the indigenous architecture of Egypt, adopting strong geometrical patterns in earthy natural tones. A similar textile work from 1989 is currently in the permanent collection of the British Museum.