Adventures among the Nomadic Tribes of Iran and Afghanistan
Searching for the woven art of the nomads
7 October 2020
Zoom lecture at 5 pm
My time spent in Iran and Afghanistan during the 1970s, began to foster a passion for the wonderful woven art produced by nomads on basic ground looms. My subsequent visits were spent travelling and searching amongst nomadic tribes for these exquisite 19th century weavings, which have become harder to find and have now virtually disappeared amongst the tribes themselves. This lecture illustrates the woven art of the nomads as they moved over the lands they have travelled for generations. The audience will have the opportunity of seeing their way of life and looking at the 19th century rugs and utilitarian weavings, similar to those which I discovered during my forays into the different tribal territories. The lecture also brings to life some of the unforgettable stories and adventures I experienced whilst looking for them
Lecturer: BRIAN MACDONALD
Brian has been a dealer and consultant in antique oriental rugs and carpets since 1979 after his return from Iran. He is the author of ‘Tribal Rugs – Treasures of the Black Tent’ which was originally published in October 1997; re-printed in April 2010 and a completely new up-dated edition in the summer of 2016. Brian is one of few western dealers to have lived and worked among tribal groups in remote areas of Iran and Afghanistan during the 1970s and then again, after the Iranian Revolution, in the 1990s. In 1990 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society for his work amongst the Persian tribes. He has lectured for The Arts Society since 1986