Mediterranean Memories- The Inspiration Behind

Imagine standing at the edge of the Mediterranean coast and watching the beautiful sunset. As the orange sun bathes the entire sea with its magical colors, a cool and comforting breeze reminds you that everything is real. The waves at the shore blend into a melancholic melody, soothing you down like a lullaby. Seems beautiful right? What if we tell you that it’s possible to bring this sight into your home?

In collaboration with an Italian-Australian designer, Mariella Ienna, Obeetee Carpets has come with a new set of hand-knotted and tufted rugs. Introducing the Mediterranean Memories collection.

Encapsulating Italy’s rich history, especially the southern part of the country touching the Mediterranean Sea. Each rug embraces a historic and cultural design on its durable canvas. Italy, known for its rich culture, tradition, churches, unique architecture, fine wines, and pasta is a land of versatility. From old-school confusing streets to the most advanced architecture, from fine high-end restaurants and churches to the ones with a vintage appeal, the land of sophistication has many layers.

Mariella has been working in India for the past 12 years. Her ideology behind the Mediterranean Memories was her nostalgia. Born and brought up in Australia, she is a woman of many cultures. However, after coming back to her native land where her forefathers resided, she was mesmerized by the longing beauty of the country. Her fascination with the architecture, culture, and tradition of the land can be seen in her modern interpretation of each rug from this collection.

The city (Land), Sea (water), nature, architecture, and mythology are 5 elements Mariella sought inspiration from while designing these rugs. Let's dive deep into each element and explore her research behind the collection.

1. Paese Citta(Land)- referring to ‘the city’ in English, out of many, a few rugs from the collection were designed by seeking inspiration from the city. As mentioned, Italy is a country of many layers. From traditional narrow streets to modern construction, everything is found here. Svincoli, Cretto, Largi, Viccoli and Heck carpets from the Mediterranean Memories are the rugs encapsulating the uniqueness of the country. Capturing the confusing sensation of narrow labyrinthine streets, the isolated societies in Palermo, and the map of deconstruction of the Sicilian hill not only add essence to the carpet canvas but lend it a story of authenticity and cultural importance.
   
2. Decorazione E Architetura- Talking about the decoration and architecture of the city inside its churches. The fading Baroque stucco and major ceramics in noble palazzi and churches astounded Mariella for their unkept grandeur and decadence. The undisturbed cultural art dating back centuries inspires the designs on the Giusta Peacock and Mezzapica carpets from the collection. The Abbey-02, Abbey-03, and Sciotolli carpets feature inspiration from the Arab/Norman architecture done on the roof walls of the old churches and palaces. These designs refer to the traces of wall etchings in church cloistres, decorative jewel-like mosaics in the Royal Normanni Cappella Palatina, and the river stone inlay in the paved courtyards of the Normann Palace, all of which date to circa 1200 AD.
   
3. Mare- Mare translates to ‘sea’ in the English language. The island of Ustica was the place where the designer often visited in her childhood and threw stones into the water. The after-effects of the ripples in the dark blue waters mesmerized Mariella and gave her the idea of bringing the same beauty to the carpet canvas. The waves, shining like glass, reflecting the sun’s rays not only look elegant in reality but also her designs. Encapsulating the true essence of reflection in water, the carpets from this collection showcase the same captivating beauty.
   
4. Natura- or nature. The Papiri carpet from the collection is inspired by nature. Capturing the essence of a strange mythical freshwater pond, with its tangled and swaying ‘papyrus plants’. According to the designer, legend has it that they were introduced from the Nile River in Egypt in 1000 AD. The twirling and tangled structure of the plants gave the pond a significant pattern on the water as a reflection. This pattern embedded on the carpet canvas of the Papiri encapsulates the historic flora of the country.
   
5. Mythology- As a student of Mythology, Mariela has always been drawn toward historical facts and references. The varieties of the Pitagora rug in this collection are a birth from this element of Mariella’s inspiration. Featuring the Pythagoras 90 degrees angle in the design, the colors and the entire make of the carpet refer to the Pythagora and his interesting resonance with Hindu practice. As per the designer, a little too many coincidences to transcribe here on the Pitgora carpet canvases.

While the elements of her native land played a major role in inspiring her designs, she was fascinated by Obeetee Carpets’ approach to hand-making rugs. With a dual blend of the best from both worlds, Italy’s architecture, and Indian craftsmanship, the Mediterranean memories are more than just a one-of-a-kind collection. Each carpet in the collection is a result of fine craftsmanship and a blend of international-grade materials. Made using the hand-tufting technique, the Mediterranean Memories collection embeds a layer of cultures on its canvas, just like the city of Palermo.

For more information about the Carpet collection, you can visit any of our stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Jaipur or the collection page on our e-commerce platform https://www.obeetee.in/collections/mariella-ienna.