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Contents
6 Foreword 9 A Note from Christopher Farr 12 Rugs 126 Wall 136 Bespoke 138 Wool 140 Rug Index 152 Timeline 156 Editions 158 Cloth 160 Care & Fair 162 Artists and Designers 164 Christopher Farr Partners 168 Thanks and Credits
N2, Michael Boyd, Sitting Room, Richard Nuetra Wirin House, 1949
Additional content at christopherfarr.com
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Christopher Farr was founded in London in 1988 with the purpose of re-establishing the contemporary rug as a fine art, pushing forward the idea of the floor as the fifth wall. A belief in the pursuit of beauty and harmony within design and uncompromised quality make Christopher Farr rugs desired and collected worldwide.
Herringbone Runner, Kate Blee, private residence, Toronto, MLK Studio
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Foreword
The contemporary design rug as we know it today is an idea that began with Christopher Farr in London more than 25 years ago. Design and handmade rugs have much in common: both thrive when form, colour and concept are captured and expressed through an understanding of quality, the techniques involved in production and how to select and source the best materials. Christopher Farr has demonstrated this from the outset and has built an enviable reputation as the world’s leading source for artist and designer hand knotted rugs. The company’s studio model has been much copied but never equalled, with artists and designers who embody the brand and the unique splendours of its rugs. Quality underpins everything Christopher Farr does and this pursuit of excellence has found a new form of expression, through which the spirit of the original artwork is vividly captured.
BEN EVANS | Editor, Hali and Cover magazines
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Red, Green Landscape, Ptolemy Mann, private residence, Palm Springs
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A Note from Christopher Farr
I was holding in my hands a pre-Columbian textile. It was the summer of 1975 and I was in the Cordillera Blanca in the heart of the Peruvian Andes. This ancient weaving was saturated in colour and as powerful and as aesthetically pleasing as a great Rothko. That was the moment when I understood how art can touch a human soul profoundly without words or explanation. I didn’t fully grasp it then, but this moment became a benchmark for all that followed. I wanted to touch people in the same way that I had been touched. And years later, I found the medium that I would use — the humble and relatively overlooked rug. Somerset House, central London, 38 years later: my business partner, Matthew Bourne, was showing me around an exhibition of rugs that he had curated, produced by our company and designed in the early 20th century by an artists collective known as the Omega Workshop (closely associated with the Bloomsbury Group). These rugs had something of the spirit of the pre-Columbian textiles that had made such an impression on me in my student days. These artists were seeking to throw off the stifling shackles of Edwardian society, in much the same way we were breathing new life into a tired tradition. To trace the 38 years between these two events is to understand why and how we have made such a significant contribution to contemporary rug design. After art school, I taught painting and drawing and worked part-time at David Black, a pioneering west London rug gallery. They had recently put on a groundbreaking exhibition, The Undiscovered Kilim, at London’s Whitechapel Art Gallery. Working with David Black meant I could learn by handling exquisite antique tribal rugs, which proved to be a great foundation when the time came to produce my own rugs. In 1984, I visited the weaving villages in western Anatolia and experienced firsthand the whole process of rug weaving, virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. This was a cathartic event provoking the thought, Could I bring new designs to traditional weavers?
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1 Bancou, Varanasi, India 2 Christopher Farr, Salon de Mobile, Milan, 1993 3 Flatweave rug, Konya, Turkey 4 Matthew Bourne and Asim Kaplan, Konya, Turkey, 1998 5 Christopher Farr and Matthew Bourne, Notting Hill, London, 2000 6 Monica, Michael Sodeau, Pucci International, New York 7 Christopher Farr, Joseph Rainsford and Matthew Bourne, Design Within Reach, New York, 2008 8 Christopher Farr and Maxime de la Falaise, Primrose Hill, London, 1994 9 Monika Stadler and Yael Aloni (daughters of Gunta Stölzl), Notting Hill, 1997 10 Hector Coombes, Chelsea, London, 2013 11 Matthew Bourne, Agnes Bourne and Christopher Farr, San Francisco, 1999 12 Pucci International, New York 13 Clive Rogers, Christopher Farr and Lady Victoria Waymouth, Primrose Hill, 1991 14 Gunta Stölzl exhibition, Pucci International, 2000 15 Romeo Gigli exhibition, Salon de Mobile, Milan, 1993 16 Christopher Farr, Konya, Turkey, 1989 17 Jennifer Moore 18 Claire Joseph, Konya, Turkey, 1992
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By the time Matthew and I opened our first gallery in Primrose Hill we had already produced a small stock of rugs from my designs. Before long, I had taken the celebrated London designers Sian Tucker and Kate Blee to visit our weavers. This led to an invitation from the Royal College of Art to create a project for the students to produce designs for rugs, the best of which were made and exhibited in a spectacularly successful show, Brave New Rugs, in 1991. Despite a gloomy economy, we sold the rugs quickly, and the press took it up extensively, giving us a launch pad for many more shows. Looking back, it’s clear we touched a nerve. Interior design was stuck with chintz and antiques for antiques’ sake, stuffy and directionless. There was a palpable hunger for contemporary design and colour. Our direction embraced the present without apology, whilst leaning on our understanding of traditional oriental weaving. A natural step for us was to work with the estates and foundations of significant artists. An invitation to produce the hitherto unrealized work of the director of weaving at the Bauhaus, Gunta Stölzl, was so successful that we were fortunate enough to then go on to work with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. All three of these great artists challenged our skills to the limit, giving us the experience to work with the most exacting artists, who have included Jorge Pardo, Gary Hume and the late Louise Bourgeois. Our business has been one of passion and risk taking that has been kept up over a quarter of a century. This has only been possible due to an outstanding team that shares the company’s aim and obsession to create new and beautiful works of art. In order to make beautiful work, you need a high level of skill to consistently achieve and realize the designer’s intentions. We have been privileged to work with craftspeople who have done just that, and we have every intention to keep challenging ourselves and our weavers well into the future.
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1 Ink drawing, Christopher Farr, Los Angeles, 2012 2 Ralph Pucci, Christopher Farr, Margaret Russell, Los Angeles, 2002 3 Freya Rainsford, Los Angeles, 2012 4 Joseph Rainsford and Edward Wilkinson, Los Angeles, 2010 5 Varanasi, India, 2012 6 Collage, Christopher Farr, 2013 7 Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, New Haven, 2012 8 Matthew Bourne, Salon de Mobile, Milan, 2013 9 Christopher Farr with painting, Los Angeles, 2013 10 Marielle Bancou painting 11 Dominque Browning with Marielle Bancou, New York, 2012 12 Red Meander, Anni Albers, Salon de Mobile, Milan, 2013 13 Christopher Farr, studio, Santa Monica, 2011 14 Christopher Farr painting, Chelsea School of Art, 1973 15 Seven Animals, Claudio Silvestrin installation, Notting Hill, 2000 16 Christopher Farr, tapestry installation, Los Angeles, 2009 17 David Weeks, Joseph Rainsford and Ralph Pucci, New York, 2012 18 Miranda
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Rugs
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Untitled, Jorge Pardo Hand knotted silk 2.82 Ă— 3.06m (9'3" Ă— 10'1")
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Code 1, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Chan Chan, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
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Rafters, Tony Bevan Hand knotted wool 2.80 × 3.58m (9'2" × 11'9")
Fish, Cressida Bell Hand knotted wool 1.83 Ă— 2.74m (6' Ă— 9')
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Perhaps because he is an artist himself, Christopher Farr has been able to entice an unparalleled array of contemporary talent to work with him, expanding the boundaries of what is possible in rug design. And his informed love of art history has led him to startlingly beautiful revivals from Bloomsbury to the Bauhaus that make the past entirely of the moment. MICHAEL BOODRO | Editor-in-Chief, Elle Decor
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Brasilia, Christopher Farr, private residence, Palm Springs
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N1, Michael Boyd, living room, Wirin House, Richard Neutra
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Block, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Untitled, Josef Herman Hand knotted wool 2.00 Ă— 3.00m (6'6" Ă— 9'10")
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Chan Chan, Christopher Farr Hand knotted silk 2.44 Ă— 3.05m (8' Ă— 10')
Huaras, Christopher Farr Hand knotted silk 2.74 Ă— 3.66m (9' Ă— 12')
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Wyld, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Untitled, Rifat Ozbek Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
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CHRISTOPHER FARR trained as a fine artist at Chelsea School
of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art, both in London. A trip to Peru in the 1970s triggered an interest in pre-Columbian textiles that led to a passion for tribal weaving and the possibilities of combining this ancient art form with the artistic sensibilities of 20th-century painting.
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Less Travelled, Melissa Kirkpatrick Hand knotted silk 3.00 Ă— 4.00m (9'10" Ă— 13'2")
Untitled, Gunta Stölzl Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11")
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Latitude 6, Christopher Farr Flatweave 2.15 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Day Garden, Maxime de la Falaise Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
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Chalk, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Egg & Dart, Kit Kemp Hand knotted wool & jute 2.05 Ă— 3.20m (6'9" Ă— 10'6")
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KATE BLEE studied at Edinburgh College of Art between 1980
and 1984 and set up her studio in London in 1986. She has been involved in a wide range of art and design projects and has worked on exhibitions, installations and commissions with architects, designers and manufacturers, including architects Barbara Weiss, Sir Michael Hopkins, Space fiftyfour, Avanti, David Morley, BDP, Allies and Morrison and Wilkinson Eyre; and designers including Christopher Farr, Sir Paul Smith, Maureen Doherty, Jim Thompson and Donna Karan.
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Untitled, Gunta Stölzl Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.05m (10' × 10')
Untitled, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
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Skydive, Georgina von Etzdorf Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6' × 9'10")
Code Runner, Ptolemy Mann Flatweave 0.80 × 3.00m (2'7" × 9'10")
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Giraffe, Georgina von Etzdorf Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6” × 9'10”)
Untitled, Gunta Stölzl Flatweave 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
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Reverso, Bowles & Linares, private residence, Toronto, MLK Studio
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Knot, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Untitled, Rifat Ozbek Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
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M08, John Pawson Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Tapestry, Anni Albers Hand knotted wool & silk 1.83 × 3.05m (6' × 10')
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Smyrna Rug, Anni Albers Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Door Magnolia, Gary Hume Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
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ANNI ALBERS (1899–1994) was a textile designer, weaver, writer
and printmaker who inspired a reconsideration of fabrics as an art form, both in their functional roles and as wall hangings. Born Annelise Fleischmann, Anni Albers came to the Bauhaus a young student in 1922. Throughout her childhood in Berlin, she had been fascinated by the visual world, and her parents had encouraged her to study drawing and painting. Having been brought up in an affluent household where she was expected simply to continue living the sort of comfortable social life enjoyed by her mother, she showed great courage in going off to an art school where living conditions were rugged and the challenges immense. She entered the weaving workshop because it was the only one open to her, but she soon found her way. She met the painter and teacher Josef Albers shortly after her arrival in Weimar. They were married in Berlin in 1925 — and Annelise Fleischmann became Anni Albers. At the Bauhaus, Anni experimented with new materials for weaving and executed richly colored designs on paper for wall hangings and textiles in silk, cotton and linen yarns in which the raw materials and components of structure became the source of beauty. In November 1933, Josef and Anni Albers emigrated to the United States, where Josef had been asked to make the visual arts the center of the curriculum at the newly established Black Mountain College near Asheville, North Carolina. Anni made extraordinary weavings, developed new textiles and taught, while also writing essays on design that reflected her independent and passionate vision. During this time, Josef and Anni Albers travelled widely both in the United States and Mexico, a country that captivated their imaginations and had a strong effect on both of their art. In 1950, the Alberses moved to Connecticut. Following the move, Anni continued to weave, design and write. In 1963, she happily began to explore the new medium of printmaking and produced a group of lithographs and screenprints of great spatial and textural complexity. Her seminal text On Weaving was published in 1965. Like Josef, she focused above all on her work — happy to pursue it at a remove from the trends and shifting fashions of the art world. In 1984, Anni wrote, “... to comprehend art is to confide in a constant.”
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Albers used to recall that, shortly after arriving at the Bauhaus, she heard Paul Klee — who taught form to the textile students, and who was her personal hero — propose the idea of “taking a line for a walk.” The proposition enchanted her. A line — so simple, so basic — going out for exercise, a stroll, not unlike Klee’s own perambulations through the lush park in Weimar, where he would wander from his home to the Bauhaus building, sometimes making marks in the snow for his son Felix, who would walk the same route later in the morning, or where Klee would look for snakes, whose form and movement intrigued him. “So, I decided to let thread do what it could.” The material would have its voice! It did not need to play a secondary role in a decorative scheme and conform to the making of a flower or a pastoral scene; thread — the very thing that gives the textile its substance — would also give it beauty. And Anni would have fun along the way, knotting, experimenting with cotton against hemp against metallic strands, letting colors interlace. Christopher Farr has, from the moment he began to work on Anni Albers’s textiles, shown the level of passion and seriousness, and sense of pleasure and play, that were central to this great artist’s existence. Collaborating with my daughter Lucy Weber — who as a two-week-old child was nestled in Anni Albers’s arms, and who knew Anni well until Anni’s death in May of 1994 — Chris and his colleagues have exemplified the reverence for technique, the immersion in the tactile and the eye for quality and form, that embody the spirit of the Bauhaus at its best and the passions of both Josef and Anni Albers. The Albers Foundation is proud to see Anni’s designs reborn with this capable, devoted guidance.
NICHOLAS FOX-WEBER | The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation
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Study for Camino Real (detail), Anni Albers, 1967
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Vanishing Point, Christopher Farr Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Untitled, Gunta Stölzl Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
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Untitled, Josef Herman Hand knotted wool 1.52 Ă— 2.00m (5' Ă— 6'6")
Maglis, Christopher Farr Hand knotted silk 1.22 Ă— 1.83m (4' Ă— 6')
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Untitled, William Turnbull Hand knotted wool 1.82 Ă— 2.50m (5'11" Ă— 8'2")
Violet, Yellow Landscape, Ptolemy Mann Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
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WILLIAM TURNBULL (1922–2012), born in Dundee, began his
career as an illustrator for a Scottish publishing company. After serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he returned to London and enrolled at The Slade School of Fine Art, initially in the painting department. Dissatisfied with the direction of instruction, Turnbull switched to the sculpture department, leaving the school all together in 1948 and relocating to Paris. There he met Alberto Giacometti and Constantin Brancusi, revering them and absorbing their influence. Broke and unable to survive in the City of Lights, he returned to London two years later and had a joint exhibition at the Hanover Gallery with the sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi, a connection from his time at The Slade. The exhibition was curated by David Sylvester, an influential art critic. In 1952, an exhibition at the Institute for Contemporary Arts in London led Turnbull to forging ties with Paolozzi, Richard Hamilton, Nigel Henderson and John McHale as key members of the Independent Group, an amalgam of creatives who set out to challenge conventional notions about art and mass culture. The Pop Art movement in the UK and US followed in their wake, and Turnbull’s reputation flourished at the nexus he and his fellow artists had created. Recognized as a major artist of the British postwar era, he exhibited at the Tate Gallery, the Serpentine and the Whitechapel Gallery, as well as the Venice Biennale and other esteemed venues across the globe as a sculptor, painter and printmaker. Turnbull's brash style of painting at times evoked the US-based Abstract Expressionism he had come to embrace at its outset. In 2011, he was the subject of the documentary, Beyond Time: William Turnbull, released by his son, Alex, and narrated by the actor Jude Law.
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Landscape, Michael Rainsford Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Rug Design, Omega Workshop Hand knotted wool 2.20 Ă— 3.30m (7'2" Ă— 10'10")
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Code 5, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Onda Grey, David Weeks Hand tufted wool 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
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Close Silk, Christopher Farr Hand knotted silk 3.00 Ă— 4.00m (9'10" Ă— 13'2')
Untitled, Gunta Stölzl Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.05m (10' × 10')
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“Hotels should be living things, not stuffy institutions”, says KIT KEMP, owner, along with her husband, Tim Kemp, of Firmdale hotels. A self-taught designer, Kit rebuilds and designs the properties from scratch. This evolved through practical as well as artistic necessity, as the properties include a former hospital, a multi-storied car park and a dental warehouse. Kit’s style can be described as having an “English eccentric look.” Drawing upon the world around her for inspiration, Kit doesn’t work to a particular formula when designing her slightly quirky interiors. Each of her boutique hotel interiors can be recognized as an individual work of art with bold prints — eye-catching colours and fabulous attention to detail — a small portrait on the wall or a painted pattern on a bedside cabinet. She was named the Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the year in 2008 and has gone on to win many more accolades. In 2010, New York’s Crosby Street Hotel was listed as one of the best new or newly revamped business hotels in the world by Wallpaper and Fortune magazines.
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RIGHT NOW I REALLY WANT... Rugs from Christopher Farr in London. ANDRﾃ右 PUTMAN | Harpers & Queen, 2004
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Untitled, Duncan Grant, Charlotte Street Hotel, London
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Pebbledash, Kit Kemp Handwoven loop and pile jute 2.00 Ă— 3.00m (6'6" Ă— 9'10")
Tapa, Christopher Farr Handwoven loop and pile jute 2.00 Ă— 3.00m (6'6" Ă— 9'10")
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Draw, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Red Meander, Anni Albers Aubusson weave with hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
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Giraffe Runner, Georgina von Etzdorf Flatweave 1.04 × 2.74m (3'5" × 9')
Bar Runner, Kate Blee Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
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CRESSIDA BELL is a British designer specialising in textiles and
interiors. From her London studio she produces a wide range of products, including accessories for men and women and artefacts for the home. Bell set up her company in 1984 upon leaving the Royal College of Art. She previously studied in the fashion department of St. Martin’s School of Art in its 1980s heyday. Her work is known for its uncompromisingly decorative nature and its independence from mainstream fashion. There is an undoubted influence from her well-known Bloomsbury Group forebears (Quentin Bell was her father and Vanessa Bell her grandmother); but it is not an all-pervading one, and she has forged her own very individual style over the past 25 years.
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Nightingale’s Ode, Melissa Kirkpatrick Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Black & Blue, Gregory Evans Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
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Bulle, David Weeks Hand tufted wool 3.05 × 3.96m (10' × 13')
Herringbone, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
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DRXVII, Anni Albers Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Bancou, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
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In an instant, when I think of Christopher Farr I think of canvases for the ground. Their rugs are really like paintings. I love their sense of colour and boldness. The rugs I have used look wonderful, and they have moved houses with clients and still look terrific. RITA KONIG | Contributor, New York Times, T Magazine
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Opposite: Bespoke Rug, Kate Blee, private residence, Rivas Canyon, SJ Studio
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Two Lines, AndrĂŠe Putman, private residence, Hawaii, MLK Studio
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Two Lines, Andrée Putman Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Untitled, Nancy Lorenz Hand knotted silk 2.74 Ă— 3.66m (9' Ă— 12')
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Macassar, Michael Sodeau Flatweave 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 10'2")
Onda, David Weeks Hand tufted wool 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 10'2")
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Untitled, Duncan Grant, private residence, London, Waldo Works
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Le Reve, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Sithond’s Snows, Gillian Ayres Hand knotted wool 2.45m (8' diameter)
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JOHN PAWSON was born in 1949 in Halifax, Yorkshire. After a
period in the family textile business, he left for Japan, where he spent several years teaching English at the business university of Nagoya. Towards the end of his time there Pawson moved to Tokyo, where he visited the studio of Japanese architect and designer Shiro Kuramata. Following his return to England, he enrolled at the Architecture Association in London, which he left in 1981 to establish his own practice. From the outset, Pawson’s work has focused on ways of approaching fundamental problems of space, proportion, light and materials, rather than on developing a set of stylistic mannerisms — themes he also explored in his book Minimum, first published in 1996, which examines the notion of simplicity in art, architecture and design across a variety of historical and cultural contexts. Early commissions included homes for the writer Bruce Chatwin, opera director Pierre Audi and collector Doris Lockhart Saatchi, together with art galleries in London, Dublin and New York. Whilst private houses have remained a consistent strand of the work, subsequent projects have spanned a wide range of scales and building typologies, ranging from Calvin Klein Collection’s flagship store in Manhattan and airport lounges for Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong, to a condominium for Ian Schrager on New York City’s Gramercy Park, the interior of a 50-metre yacht and sets for new ballets at London’s Royal Opera House and the Opéra Bastille in Paris. Over the years Pawson has accrued extensive experience with the particular challenges of working within environments of historic, landscape and ecological significance. Key examples include the Sackler Crossing — a walkway over the lake at London’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — the Cistercian monastery of Our Lady of Nový Dvor in Bohemia and the former Commonwealth Institute in London, scheduled to open as a new permanent home for the Design Museum in 2015.
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Iron, Kate Blee Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Forty Five, Marian Pepler Hand knotted wool 2.00 Ă— 3.00m (6'6" Ă— 9'10")
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Door 1037:4036, Gary Hume Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Squares, Andrée Putman Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.08m (8' × 10')
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I began collecting Christopher Farr rugs 18 years ago. They are timeless art pieces that set the the tone of the whole room — always in a more profound and provoking way than a piece of artwork on a wall. When you choose one of their rugs, it has the potential to stay with you for life. I can constantly change my furniture, but the rug stays, adding soul and intimacy to the room. TIERNEY GEARON | Photographer
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Opposite: Double Arrow, Michael Boyd, media room, Strick House, Oscar Niemeyer
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Peru, Marian Pepler Hand knotted wool 1.83 Ă— 2.74m (6' Ă— 9')
Stripe, Rifat Ozbek Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
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Huaras Charcoal, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Rei, Christopher Farr Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
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Anemone VIII, Bill Jacklin Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5’ × 7')
Square Rug, Verner Panton Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
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DAVID WEEKS studied painting and sculpture at the Rhode Island
School of Design, where he earned a BFA in 1990. Weeks worked in the studio of jeweler Ted Muehling before founding David Weeks Studio in 1996. Weeks has designed products ranging from lamps and chandeliers to furniture, home accessories and toys. His designs have been used in many custom retail, commercial and residential projects, including Lincoln Center, Barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue and W Hotels. From Athens, Georgia, Weeks lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Georgianna Stout, partner of design studio 2x4, and their children.
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Door 8123:8150, Gary Hume Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Knot, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
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Woodash, Marian Pepler Hand knotted wool 1.07 Ă— 2.00m (3'6" Ă— 6'6")
Rockburne, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
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Christopher Farr combines his deep knowledge of traditional weaving with a passion for modern art, which lends his rug collections a layered appeal that is unfailingly contemporary. It's no surprise that Christopher Farr is a favorite resource for the world's best designers and architects. He brings an artist's eye to everything he does. MICHAEL WOLLAEGER | Editorial Director, Interiors
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Nirvana, Georgina von Etzdorf, private residence, Italy
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Dovetail, David Linley Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Untitled, Christopher Farr Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
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Rug Design, Omega Workshop Hand knotted wool 3.05 Ă— 3.05m (10' Ă— 10')
Homage to the Square, Josef Albers Handwoven aubusson tapestry 1.22 Ă— 1.22m (4' Ă— 4')
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Wall
Christopher Farr launched Wall for interior designers and architects seeking creative solutions that are helpful in correcting acoustic irregularities and eliminating echo. Wall is a fine woven, colour-saturated textile similar in weight to a traditional woven tapestry mounted on a stretcher to form large-scale threedimensional panels, which are then mounted to a wall. Architects and designers can order work as seen, commission new pieces or collaborate with Christopher Farr’s team to produce new concepts. Wall has been used in the UK’s parliamentary building, Portcullis House. Sir Michael Hopkins and partners commissioned Kate Blee, Allegra Hicks and Christopher Farr to produce designs for the committee rooms and restaurants. In 2009, Christopher Farr was commissioned to design and produce five pieces in what is believed to be the largest tapestry installation in North America, at the Bank of America Building in downtown Los Angeles.
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Opposite: River, Kate Blee, Notting Hill, London
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Bespoke wall pieces and rugs, Christopher Farr, Bank of America Building, Los Angeles
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Dialogue, Kate Blee, Portcullis House, London
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Bespoke
You might well be inspired whilst looking through our catalogue to imagine one of our rugs on your floor. You pick one. You love the design, but the size is too small and the red’s too strong; a blue grey would work better in your room. You are now speaking the language of “bespoke,” one in which we at Christopher Farr are more than fluent. In any bespoke conversation you will be using such words as sampling, silk and wool, hand knotting and tufting, and so on. You will be reassured to know that you have a team well versed in this exciting and exacting process, which will take you stepby-step through the art of customizing an existing design or creating an entirely new rug. From idea and inspiration, to material choice and technique, to colour selection, artwork and sampling, then finally to the loom and installation — the rug you chose has been resized, colours have been changed and this unique bespoke art piece will be held in your family for generations to come. For more than 25 years we have worked with some of the world’s most discerning designers to realize their projects, be they residential, corporate, government or royalty. We have been, and continue to be, privileged to work with such clients, and have learnt a great deal from these conversations, which we intend to maintain for the next 25 years and beyond.
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Wool
“Whoever has the best wool makes the best rugs.� This ancient Persian proverb conveys our core belief and passion for sourcing the finest wool. Our rugs bear ample witness to this obsession with quality, which is respected by the most discerning clients the world over. With more than 65 unique breeds of sheep in the United Kingdom, the wealth of the British Isles was founded on the wool trade that was established during the times of the Tudors. To play our part in helping to preserve and develop our ancient wool heritage, we work with and support The Campaign for British Wool, which has as its patron HRH The Prince Of Wales. At Christopher Farr, we have researched extensively to find the perfect blend of wool for our hand knotted rugs, our blend being composed of fleeces from selected rare breeds of the British Isles. This unique blend of various fleeces has taken more than two years to source, as well as to develop the various methods of hand spinning in order to retain the lanolin, which, over time, creates an irresistible patina in much the same way that you find in old leather and seasoned wood. We are continuously experimenting with a variety of materials and weaves such as jute and linen, as well as sourcing the most valuable and fabulous silk from the East.
138
139
Rug Index
140
Anni Albers
Red Meander Aubusson weave with hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
DRXXVII Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Gillian Ayres
Timorous Beasties
Sithond’s Snows Hand knotted wool 2.44m (8') diam
Thistle Earth Hand tufted wool 1.95 × 2.90m (6'4" × 9'5")
Smyrna Rug Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Child’s Room Rug Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Tapestry Hand knotted wool & silk 1.83 × 3.05m (6' × 10')
Cressida Bell
Thistle Red Hand tufted wool 1.95 × 2.90m (6'4" × 9'5")
Fish Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Wheels Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Tony Bevan
Untitled CF103 Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Rafters Hand knotted wool 2.80 × 3.58m (9' × 11'7")
Rafters II Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Rafters III Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Brush – Charcoal Hand knotted wool 2.74 x 3.66m (9' x 12')
Brush – Silver Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Brush Hand knotted wool 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10' × 13'2')
Circle – Tan Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Circle – Aqua Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Circle – Blue Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Circle – Red Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8’)
Circle – Lilac Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Iron Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Block Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Leaves Hand knotted wool 1.52 x 2.44m (5' x 8')
Kate Blee
141
142
Bar V Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
Bar I Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
Bar II Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
Bar III Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
Bar IV Flatweave 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
Herringbone Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.05m (3' × 10')
River Runner Hand knotted wool 0.76 × 2.74m (2'6" × 9')
Etch – Silver Hand tufted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Etch Hand tufted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Cast Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Left Hand Flatweave 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Draw Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Chalk Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Casa Cliff Hanger Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8’ × 10')
Rome Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Le Reve Multiply Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Le Reve Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Tree Line Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Heat Flatweave 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
River Flatweave 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Bowles & Linares
Michael Boyd
Reverso Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
N1 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
N2 Hand knotted wool 1.22 × 1.83m (4' × 6')
Block Runner Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
Double Arrow Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Lozenge Rug Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.66m (10' × 12')
Ilse Crawford
Maxime de la Falaise
36-24-36 Hand tufted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Oasis Flatweave 2.00 x 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Leopard Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 1.52m (3' × 5')
Gregory Evans
Leopard Runner Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
Christopher Farr
Day Garden Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Black & Blue Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Walter’s Room Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Green Circle Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Brean Silk Hand knotted silk 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Brean Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Close – Saffron Hand knotted wool 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Close – Blue Hand knotted wool 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Close – Charcoal Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Latitude 6 Flatweave 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Latitude 1 Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Latitude 2 Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Latitude 4 Hand knotted wool 2.13 × 3.05m (7' × 10')
Boardwalk 2 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5' × 7')
Boardwalk 1 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5' × 7')
Boardwalk 4 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5' × 7')
Jetty 1 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5' × 7')
Jetty 2 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.13m (5' × 7')
The Long Run 3 Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
The Long Run 4 Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
143
144
Chan Chan – Red:Ivory Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Chan Chan – Blue:Black Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Chan Chan – Brown:Black Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Chan Chan – Saffron:Brown Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Chan Chan – Red:Yellow Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Chan Chan Silk Hand knotted silk 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Huaras 2 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Huaras 3 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Huaras 4 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Huaras 5 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Huaras 1 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Huaras Silk Hand knotted silk 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Gadara Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
Gadara – Green:White Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Gadara – Red:Black Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Untitled CF197B Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Untitled CF197C Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Crimson Tide Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Zele – Silk Hand knotted silk 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Zele Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Brasilia Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Rei Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Vanishing Point Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Untitled CF369Z Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Untitled CF369Y Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Barragan Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Asawa Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Wyld Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Rockburne Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Delaunay Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Bancou Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Code 1 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Code 2 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Code 3 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Code 4 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Code 5 Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Cuckmere Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
Knot 1 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
Knot 2 Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.44m (6' × 8')
Maglis Hand knotted silk 1.22 × 1.83m (4' × 6')
Berrow Hand knotted silk 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Guggenheim 1 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Guggenheim 2 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Tapa Handwoven cut and loop jute 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Atlas Flatweave 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Untitled CF196 Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 1.83m (6' × 6')
Polar Bear Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 1.83m (6' × 6')
Untitled CF371A Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.35m (10' × 11')
Untitled CF7 Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 1.83m (6' × 6')
Untitled CF188 Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 1.83m (6' × 6')
145
Kaffe Fassett
Romeo Gigli
Ica Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
Untitled Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Northern Lights Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
String Galaxy Flatweave 2.70 × 3.00m (8'10" × 9'10")
Star Gazing Flatweave 2.70 × 3.00m (8'10" × 9'10")
Blue Moon Flatweave 2.44 × 3.00m (8' × 9'10")
Twilight Flatweave 2.44 × 3.00m (8' × 9'10")
Flying East Flatweave 2.13 × 3.00m (7' × 9'10")
Big Bang Flatweave 2.13 × 3.00m (7' × 9'10")
Equator Flatweave 2.13 × 3.00m (7' × 9'10")
Untitled CF115 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF42 Hand knotted wool 0.80 × 1.00m (2'6" × 3'3")
Untitled CF114 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF374 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Untitled CF373 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Untitled CF117 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF118 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF116 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF119 Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Untitled CF112 Flatweave 1.52 × 2.00m (5' × 6'6")
Door Rug 1047:4036 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Door Rug 8123:8050 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Josef Herman
Gary Hume
Untitled CF41 Hand knotted wool 0.80 × 1.00m (2'6" × 3'3")
146
Untitled CF39 Hand knotted wool 0.80 × 1.00m (2'6" × 3'3")
Magnolia Door Rug Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Bill Jacklin
Door Rug 2001:2007 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Door Rug 7026:1036 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Anemone VIII Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Anemone I Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Anemone VI Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Kit Kemp
Anemone III Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Anemone V Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Anemone II Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Eggs & Dart Hand knotted wool and jute 2.05 × 3.20m (6'9" × 10'6")
Pebbledash Hand knotted cut and loop 2.05 × 3.20m (6'9" × 10'6")
Nightingales Ode Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Over the River Hand tufted wool and viscose 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Less Travelled Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Thaelia Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Favrile Hand knotted silk 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
David Linley
Nancy Lorenz
Ptolemy Mann
Dovetail Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Untitled CF855 Hand knotted silk 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Code Stripe Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Red, Green Landscape Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Violet, Yellow Landscape Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Sarah Morris
Olly & Suzi
Midtown Conde Nast Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Rush Hour Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.44m (5' × 8')
Melissa Kirkpatrick
Lisa Miller
Code Runner Flatweave 0.80 × 3.00m (2'7" × 9'10")
Wire Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Ladder Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
147
Omega Workshop
Untitled Hand knotted wool 2.40 × 3.30m (7'10" × 10'10")
Rug Design CF955 Hand knotted wool 2.20 × 3.30m (7'2" × 10'10")
Rug Design CF973 Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.05m (10' × 10')
Rug Design CF956 Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.66m (10' × 12')
Rug Design CF954 Hand knotted wool 1.10 × 3.83m (3'6" × 12'7")
Stripe CF236 Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
Stripe CF237 Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
Untitled CF238 Flatweave 0.75 × 3.05m (2'6" × 10')
Verner Panton
Jorge Pardo
John Pawson
Square Rug Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Untitled JP Hand knotted silk 2.82 × 3.06m (9'3" × 10'1")
M02 Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Rifat Ozbek
Pattern Design CF953 Hand knotted wool 2.40 × 3.30m (7'10" × 10'10")
Untitled CF234 Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
Cintamini Hand knotted wool 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
Untitled CF235 Flatweave 2.05 × 3.05m (6'9" × 10')
Marian Pepler
148
M03 Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
M08 Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
M05 Flatweave 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Twenty-Five Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 3.20m (6' × 10'5")
Forty-Five Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Benin Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Puebla Hand knotted wool 1.80 × 2.30m (5'10" × 8'2")
Beach Hand knotted wool 2.15 × 2.44m (7' × 8')
Woodash Hand knotted wool 1.07 × 1.98m (3'6" × 6'6")
Snow’s Hill Hand knotted wool 1.07 × 1.98m (3'6" × 6'6")
Andrée Putman
Fifty Hand knotted wool 0.82 × 3.30m (2'8" × 10'10")
Peru Hand knotted wool 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Squares Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Five Light Hand knotted wool 2.44m (8’) diameter
Michael Rainsford
Dots Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Squares Runner Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
Two Lines Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Michael Sodeau
Earth Matters Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Landscape Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Macasser Flatweave 3.00 × 4.00m (9'10" × 13'2")
Gunta Stölzl
Walking on Water Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Untitled CF444 Hand knotted wool 1.60 × 4.00m (5'3" × 13'2")
Untitled CF445 Hand knotted wool 0.91 × 3.66m (3' × 12')
Untitled CF675 Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.05m (10' × 10')
Untitled CF663 Hand knotted wool 3.05 × 3.05m (10' × 10')
Untitled CF640 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Untitled CF660 Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 2.00m (6'6' × 6'6")
Untitled CF639 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.35m (8' × 11')
Untitled CF662 Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
Untitled CF447 Flatweave 2.51 × 3.61m (8'3" × 11'10")
Gavin Turk
William Turnbull
Cave Rug Hand knotted wool 2.44m (8') diam
Untitled WT Hand knotted wool 1.82 × 2.50m (5'11" × 8'2")
Michael Szell
Venecia Grey Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Venecia Gold Hand knotted wool 2.00 × 3.00m (6'6" × 9'10")
Springtime Hand tufted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
149
Georgina von Etzdorf
Colour Woven Border CF357 Flatweave 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Colour Woven Border CF357A Flatweave 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Nirvana CF362 Flatweave 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Nirvana CF362A Flatweave 2.44 × 2.44m (8' × 8')
Giraffe Runner CF358A Flatweave 1.04 × 2.75m (3'4" × 9')
Giraffe Runner CF358 Flatweave 1.04 × 2.75m (3'4" × 9')
Skydive Blue Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Skydive Hand knotted wool 2.74 × 3.66m (9' × 12')
Giraffe Rug I Hand knotted wool 1.82 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Giraffe Rug II Flatweave 1.82 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Bulle Grey Hand tufted wool 3.04 × 3.96m (10' × 13')
Onda Grey Hand tufted wool 3.04 × 3.96m (10' × 13')
Onda Hand tufted wool 3.04 × 3.96m (10' × 13')
Daivd Weeks
150
Giraffe Rug III Flatweave 1.83 × 2.74m (6' × 9')
Bulle Hand tufted wool 3.04 × 3.96m (10' × 13')
Sophia Wood
Michael Young
Hudson Hand knotted wool 2.44 × 3.05m (8' × 10')
MY Scarf I Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
MY Scarf II Hand knotted wool 1.52 × 2.23m (5' × 7')
Timeline
1989
Echoes of the Mughal Christopher Farr Gallery, London
1990
New Classics: Rug Traditions Re-established Christopher Farr Gallery, London
1999
Origins, Allegra Hicks Pucci International, New York Latitude, Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Gallery, London
1991
Brave New Rugs Royal College of Art, London
Kate Blee De Sousa Hughes, San Francisco
1992
Brave New Rugs 2 Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Origins, Allegra Hicks Christopher Farr Gallery, London
1993
Kilims di Romeo Gigli in association with Cappellini Salon Del Mobile, Milan
Fault Line (auction for the victims of the Turkish earthquake) Spencer House, London Close / Code, Christopher Farr Pucci International, New York
Floor Show Royal College of Art, London Maxime de la Falaise and Bill Jacklin Christopher Farr Gallery, London 1994
2000
Madeline Weinrib Christopher Farr Gallery, London Gunta Stölzl: Bauhaus Master RIBA Gallery, London
Sandy Jones Royal College of Art, London
Twist, Precious McBane, Michael Sodeau, Michael Young & Verner Panton Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Contemporary Handmade Rugs Charleston Gallery, Sussex Selected Rugs Santa Fe, New Mexico 1995
Rifat Ozbek Bluebird Garage, London
1996
Allegra Hicks Modern Age, New York
Flood, Kate Blee Pucci International, New York Christopher Farr Cloth launches 100% Design, London 2001
Allegra Hicks Christopher Farr Gallery, London 1997
Wall, 100% Design, London
Stella Benjamin Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Christopher Farr Agnes Bourne Studio, San Francisco
1998
Georgina von Etzdorf Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Michael Sodeau Pucci International, New York Flood, Kate Blee Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Flint, Christopher Farr Agnes Bourne, Chicago
Christopher Farr Pucci International, New York
Latitude, Christopher Farr Pucci International, New York Gunta Stölzl: Bauhaus Master De Sousa Hughes, San Francisco
Kilims di Romeo Gigli Pacific Design Centre, Los Angeles Vertical Poems, Josef Herman Christopher Farr Gallery, London
OCT 2001
2002
Christopher Farr Los Angeles showroom opens Seven Animals, Claudio Silvestrin Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Kate Blee Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Benin, Marian Pepler Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Susret (involvement with weaving project with Bosnian refugees, Gary Hume, Gunta Stölzl)
THINKNOT, Tony Bevan, Gary Hume, Sarah Morris, Gavin Turk, Michael Sodeau Christopher Farr Gallery, London
Gunta Stölzl retrospective Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg
152
Bauhaus Master, Gunta Stölzl Pucci International, New York
Passage, Allegra Hicks Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
153
Book Launch: Contemporary Rugs, Art and Design by Christopher Farr, Matthew Bourne and Fiona Leslie, published by Merrell 2003
Private Jokes, Andrée Putman Christopher Farr Gallery, London
2009
Nancy Lorenz ICFF, New York
2010
To Make A Room, Ptolemy Mann Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
2011
Weather Report, BritWeek exhibition curated by Christopher Farr, featuring Jorge Pardo and Christopher Farr Source LA, Los Angeles
Only Connect Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles 2004
Private Jokes, Andrée Putman Pucci International, New York Gregory Evans Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
MK Collection, Melissa Kirkpatrick Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles, 2012
Painted Books, Marielle Bancou Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles Gunta Stölzl, Bauhaus Weaver, curated by Michael Boyd Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles 2005
Rugs from the Omega Workshops in association with the Courtauld Gallery Christopher Farr Studio, Santa Monica
John Pawson Pucci International, New York
Forza Tappetti, Jorge Pardo, curated by Cover magazine Salon del Mobile, Milan
Pucci LA launch Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles 2006
Studio Series, John Pawson, Timorous Beasties, Kate Blee Vivienne Westwood Showroom, Salon del Mobile, Milan
David Weeks Pucci International, New York 2013
Christopher Farr for Design Within Reach launch, USA
Climbers & Ramblers, Madeline Weinrib Christopher Farr Gallery Los Angeles Silks, Christopher Farr Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
2008
Studio Series ICFF, New York
Forza Tappetti, Anni Albers, curated by Cover magazine Salon del Mobile, Milan 2014
Re:Weave, 20 year anniversary Rossi & Rossi, London Re:Weave, 20 year anniversary Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles Tulus Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
154
Editions, Anni Albers, Josef Albers, Sandra Blow, Terry Frost, Kate Blee, William Scott Somerset House, London Editions, Anni Albers, Josef Albers, Sandra Blow, Terry Frost, Kate Blee, William Scott Salon del Mobile, Milan
Cuttings, Kate Blee Christopher Farr Gallery, Los Angeles
2007
Rugs from the Omega Workshops in association with the Courtauld Gallery Somerset House, London
Colour, Josef & Anni Albers, Gary Hume Somerset House, London
Editions is a revolution — a revolution for Christopher Farr and for rug buyers alike. Over the past 25 years, Christopher Farr has built an enviable reputation as the world’s leading source for artist and designer hand knotted rugs. With the launch of Editions, the company has hit on a winning formula, allowing it to bring its archive of artist designs and its instinct for quality to a wider audience. A simple refinement of Christopher Farr’s weaving technique means its rugs can now be bought for prices of unprecedented affordability — offering the chance to own a limited-edition artwork by such world-renowned names as Bauhaus stalwarts Josef and Anni Albers. Typically these have been out of the reach of many people who appreciate such work but lack the resources to own them. For the first time, Editions opens the door. As the editor of two magazines that focus on rugs and textiles, I would like to take the opportunity to add a brief technical observation. The rugs in the Editions series are of exceptional textile quality. At the collection’s launch at Somerset House earlier this year, I found myself having to check that some of them were not hand knotted, such is the refined texture of the pile and the sharpness of the design elements. Although not everyone wanting an Editions rug for their home will feel the need to inspect in such detail, it is worth acknowledging the emphasis on quality that underpins everything Christopher Farr does. In these rugs that pursuit of excellence has found a new form of expression, through which the spirit of the original artwork has been vividly captured.
BEN EVANS | Editor, Hali and Cover magazines
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Opposite: Homage to the Square, Josef Albers, hand tufted wool
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Cloth is our fabric division founded in 2000. For Christopher, along with business partners Matthew Bourne and Michal Silver, designing fabrics was not only a long-held ambition but also a natural step to take for the rug business. The collection currently comprises more than 60 designs of prints and weaves, utilizing the highest qualities of cloth, from combed Egyptian cottons and Belgian linens to dyed acrylic fabrics suitable for outdoor use. The printed collection is produced in the United Kingdom, a large part of which is hand printed by the same family-owned company that produced the original designs by Michael Szell, that form an important part of the current collection. With an exciting stable of designers and artists such as Anni Albers, Kit Kemp, Javier Mariscal, Kate Blee, Ilse Crawford, Ptolemy Mann, Michael Szell and El Ultimo Grito, Cloth continues to expand the collection based on the same principles of artistic experimentation and a willingness to explore and to discover new techniques.
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Opposite: Fathom, Christopher Farr
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Care & Fair An Ethical Way to Produce
Christopher Farr is an active member of Care & Fair, an organisation based in India dedicated to ethical labour practices in the rug industry and the education of children in weaving areas. Care & Fair came into being in 1994. This initiative was founded by committed carpet importers dedicated to ethical labour practices in the countries of origin and to improving living conditions for carpet knotters and their families in the knotting regions of India, Nepal and Pakistan. Care & Fair seeks to make clear to manufacturers, through co-operation and partnership, that Western buyers will no longer accept products originating from unethical labour practices or other socially unacceptable production. Christopher Farr is one of more than 450 member companies worldwide that have committed themselves to these goals and to provide an example within industry and trade of the fact that taking on social responsibility serves everybody’s well-being. On the opposite page are Christopher Farr directors Matthew Bourne and Joseph Rainsford at the Haji Saheb Ali School, of which Christopher Farr is an avid sponsor, helping to bring solar energy to the school and to fund and initiate classes in the arts for the students.
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Artists and Designers
Here are the names and faces of the artists we are privileged to have collaborated with over the past 25 years. We thank them for all that they have brought to our company.
Anni Albers Gillian Ayres Timorous Beasties Cressida Bell Tony Bevan Kate Blee Bowles & Linares Michael Boyd Ilse Crawford Maxime de la Falaise Gregory Evans Kaffe Fassett Romeo Gigli Josef Herman Gary Hume Bill Jacklin Kit Kemp Melissa Kirkpatrick David Linley Nancy Lorenz Ptolemy Mann
1 8 13 18 24 25 28
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2
3
4
5
9 14 19 29
10
6
7
11
12
15 16 17 20 22 23 21 26 27 30
31
Lisa Miller Sarah Morris Olly & Suzi Omega Workshop Rifat Ozbek Verner Panton Jorge Pardo John Pawson Andrée Putman Michael Rainsford Claudio Silvestryn Michael Sodeau Gunta Stölzl Michael Szell Gavin Turk William Turnbull Georgina von Etzdorf David Weeks Sophia Wood Michael Young
1 Anni Albers 2 Michael Sodeau 3 Bill Jacklin 4 Ilse Crawford 5 Sophia Wood 6 Michael Young 7 Georgina von Etzdorf 8 Timorous Beasties 9 Gregory Evans 10 Gillian Ayres 11 Michael Boyd 12 Tony Bevan 13 Gary Hume 14 Maxime de la Falaise 15 Michael Rainsford 16 Lisa Miller 17 Ptolemy Mann 18 Josef Herman 19 Sarah Morris 20 Romeo Gigli 21 Gavin Turk 22 Kaffe Fassett 23 Melissa Kirkpatrick 24 Nancy Lorenz 25 Omega Workshop 26 Marian Pepler 27 Rifat Ozbek 28 Olly & Suzi 29 Jorge Pardo 30 Verner Panton 31 Andrée Putman
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MATTHEW BOURNE | Co-founder and partner, Christopher Farr
Matthew started in the antique Persian rug trade in London upon leaving school and joined forces with Christopher in 1988. His family has a background in design and textiles, having built mills in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Matthew is a contributing editor on both Cover and Hali magazines and was chairman of the jury for the Carpet Design Awards held annually in Hannover, Germany. 164
JOSEPH RAINSFORD | Partner, Christopher Farr
Joseph comes from generations of textile makers. His great-grandfather and grandfather owned one of the great Kiddermerminster textile mills and made bespoke carpets for the Beatles and other luminaries of the 1960s and 1970s. He is the nephew of Christopher and the son of the painter Michael Rainsford. 165
MICHAL SILVER | Co-founder and partner, Christopher Farr Cloth
Michal was head designer at Mulberry and worked on both the men’s and women’s collections in New York, Paris and London. With a passion for textiles, she, Christopher and Matthew launched Christopher Farr Cloth in 2000. Focusing mostly on prints, the company has become a laboratory for experiments with colour, scale, composition and texture. 166
Thanks and Credits
Page 2, 7, 19, 20, 21, 107, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133 — Hans Eckardt Page 3 — courtesy MLK Studio Page 29 — Tim Street-Porter Page 37 — Kate Blee headshot Page 44, 45 — courtesy MLK Studio Page 53, 55 — courtesy the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation Page 62 — Ida Karr, courtesy the estate of William Turnbull Page 71, 73 — Kit Kemp, courtesy Firmdale Hotels Page 89 — Jonn Coolidge, courtesy SJ-Studio Page 90, 91 — Meg Joannides, courtesy MLK Studios Page 96, 97 — courtesy Waldo Works Page 101 — John Pawson Page 115 — David Weeks Page 134, 135 — courtesy Michael Hopkins Studio Page 153 — Ben Sage Page 157 — David Hughes
Special Thanks
Lucy Fox Weber, Nicholas Fox Weber, Brenda Danilowitz, Stacy Jacobsen, Megan Brothers, Brookfield Properties, Clara Igonda, Waldo Works, Hopkins Architects, The Courtauld Institute, Somerset House, Jonathan Reekie, Monika Stadler, Yael Aloni, Steve Turner, Scott Trattner, Adam Munthe, Jo Sheridan, Asim Kaplan, Bill Hill, Peter Auckland, Neil Hellard, Rosie Batten, Simon and Parveen Job, Phillip Cheung, Hector Coombs, Alex Roberts, David Roberts, Simon Farr, Noga Confino, Christina Tullock, Alan Berro, Hans Eckardt, Kevin and Alisa Ratner, Meg Joannides, Jerry Gorovoy, Wendy Williams, Royal Academy, Derwent, Jean Stead, Michael and Gabrielle Boyd, Ben Evans, Captain Mukesh, Martha Pichey, Kathryn Ireland, Michael Wolleager, Rita Konig, Michael Boodro, Randall Kreeger, Christine Neilson, Sasha Emerson, Edward Wilkinson, Rob Forbes, Gwyn Miles, Stephen Doherty, Jonathan Powell, Harriet Bourne, John Bourne, Kate Hume and Daphne Farr Catalogue design by Keith Knueven and Chal Pivik for Keith & Co., www.keith.co The publishers have made every effort to trace and contact copyright holders of the illustrations reproduced in this catalogue; they will be happy to correct in subsequent editions any errors or omissions that are brought to their attention. All Christopher Farr rugs are handmade. Colour may vary. We make every effort to ensure accurate colour representation in this catalogue. © 2014 Christopher Farr All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of Christopher Farr.
London 6 Burnsall Street London SW3 3ST Tel: 0207 349 0888 Fax: 0207 349 0088 info@cfarr.co.uk christopherfarr.com
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Los Angeles 748 N. La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90069 Tel: 310 967 0064 Fax: 310 967 0065 info@christopherfarr.com
London 6 Burnsall Street London SW3 3ST Tel: 0207 349 0888 christopherfarr.com
Los Angeles 748 N. La Cienega Boulevard Los Angeles CA 90069 Tel: 310 967 0064