About this project:
A documentary project by:
Yalda Yazdani
Christoph Wieland
This series of short documentary films revolve around the tradition of weaving carpets (ghali), as a strong symbol of nomadic cultures that connect various ethnicities in the east and west, through different countries and regions. Among these, persian carpets are the most famous and valued as an icon of colorful designs, sophisticated ornaments, and highly skilled crafts. And although their production has migrated more and more towards the cities, restructured into market-oriented companies, there are still a few traditional weavers, like the qashqai tribes, who have kept their roots alive for many centuries.
The making of the carpets has been genuinely in the domain of women. While tying the knots singing is an essential part of creating a carpet. The women sing rhythmic songs in harmony with the movements and sounds of their hands, transforming single woolen threads to an ensemble of visual art. The ornaments and symbols in the carpets tell stories about creation myths, ancient knowledge, historical events or personal stories of the women and their nomadic life. To explore the relations between music, crafts, and iconography yalda yazdani and christoph wieland have documented their encounter with the qashqai-women in their summer pastures in the south of iran. The recorded songs, portraits, and landscapes of the nomadic life today are presented as a mosaic of 6 short films.
Credits
Featured Singers: Azar Parsai, Khadijeh Jokar
Research And Filmmaking: Yalda Yazdani, Christoph Wieland
Scientific Advisor And Local Guide: Damoon Sheshbolooki
Camera, Sound And Editing: Christoph Wiel And Yalda Yazdani
Translation: Yalda Yazdani, Damoon Sheshbolooki
Sound Designers Website: Pantea & Maryam
You can watch the short documentary films at:
Algorhythms of Beauty: https://phase2.hermapartprojects.org/algorhythms-of-beauty
