Noor O Soor - Banquet of Light 

 

 

This exhibition was MTM's inaugural exhibition. Adorning the walls since the opening of our Passage Museum in 2019, these magnificent textiles spent a longer-than-usual time on display due to the COVID pandemic.

 

An excerpt from the catalogue: 

 

"The exhibits on display are a combination of sequin and chain stitch embroidery inherent to Isfahan during the 18th and 19th century. The sequins are mainly made of brass alloy, covered with a fine layer of gold or silver.

In terms of their utility, the majority of exhibits are classified as “curtains”, commonly used either within doorways to separate rooms, or as wall hangings for the purpose of decorating spaces. Today, this practice is still alive in religious Ashura ceremonies and Shia Hosseiniyeh congregation halls, serving as a simple means by which the atmosphere of a space can be temporarily altered to suit a particular occasion. Sequin curtains were mainly used to decorate rooms for celebrations, particularly weddings: a close observation will reveal many symbols indicative of this joyful occasion.

The “Tree of Life” motif repeats itself in the curtains with the following pattern: from beneath an arch depicting a curtain pulled aside, a cypress tree reveals itself at the centre of the image. Grapevines climb across the entire background. The cypress grows from within a boat-shaped chalice, standing atop a mountain rising from the sea. Animals – peacocks, lions, goats, fish – are depicted in the shade of the tree. Festive essentials such as candles, lamps, pitchers, flower vases, and fruit bowls are at hand. The entire scene is enclosed by multiple frames."   

 

 

 

Taken down for a thorough cleaning, restoration and horizontal rest, these wall hangings were replaced by our current exhibition, "Human Figures in Iranian Textiles", in June 2024. 

 

Our efforts to shed light on the extraordinary design, production process, as well as the sociological dimensions of this extraordinary collection continue beyond their time on display. They include our two-day seminar (Noor-o-Soor, Banquet of Light), multiple tours organized on the occasion of International Museum Day, as well as the publication of MTM Design Book One, consisting of high-quality photographs printed next to detailed linearized designs of the embroidery patterns. 

 

Research by multiple textile experts and scholars is underway, resulting in an extensive publication in the near future. 

 

 

Exhibition Catalogue Download - PDF