American Primitive
 
ichaelian & Kohlberg announces the introduction of a new collection of carpets called American Primitive. Inspirational to these carpet designs was a show of quilts made by rural African American women from Alabama, which was at the Whitney Museum in New York during the winter of 03.

Teddy Sumner who designed the carpet collection and is also president of Michaelian & Kohlberg says, " The Gee's Bend show at the Whitney changed the way I look at the separation between high art, craft, and decoration. By combining patterned areas with flat color and by adding strongly colored areas in unexpected ways the quilts that were on view rivaled any Twentieth century painting for strikingly beautiful composition."

Patchwork quilt making is a rich American tradition. Although often made by naïve or self taught craftspeople as opposed to professional artists the results were often stunning and sophisticated.

The rugs, like the quilts, are typified by bold asymmetrically arranged geometric blocks, some of which are patterned surprisingly with sub themes of floral, stripes, or checks. The effect of handspun yarns and vegetable dyed colors result in color variation or abrush, which creates interest within the open color areas and which makes each hand knotted rug unique and gives it presence. The collection consists of 18 designs hand woven in China and India and will be featured at Michaelian & Kohlbergs' showroom in San Francisco with a reception on January 30th In February of 04. The show will then travel to Chicago to the Michaelian & Kohlberg store and finally to the MK showroom in New York for the spring of 2004.