The following text comes from the May 1999 issue of the South Australian Country Arts Trust magazine Frontier.

Aboriginal Artists & Kashimiri Embroiderers A Cultural Collaboration

An unlikely combination of cultures have come together in a cultural exchange of artistic talent and practical skills to produce a series of four beautiful and unique rugs.

Kashmiri embroiderers are producing the rugs, which incorporate two distinctive styles of Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara design from the far north west of South Australia, featuring designs from "dot paintings" by Audrey Miller and Kanginy George and from the more abstract flowing batiks of Nyukana Norris and Katie Curley.

The artists are all from Fregon Community and work through their community art centre, Kaltjiti Arts.

The project was initiated in 1998 when Kaltjiti Arts, in the process of looking at a variety of mediums in which to produce designs by the artists, were sent some samples of rugs made in Kashmir. The superb quality of the work and integrity of the family rug-making workshop owned by M. Sidiq and Sons convinced the artists to give it a go.

A fact that made the collaboration particularly attractive was that the workshop, a small cottage type industry, supports indigenous people at a grass roots level - much the same as Kaltjiti Arts, a community owned Art Centre that provides culturally appropriate employment to a large number of women in Fregon Community.

Facilitated by Caroline Wilson of BW trading, the designs were sent to the Sidiq family workshop in Srinagar, Kashmir's capital city.

Highly skilled artisans are employed in the workshop to make Kaltjiti's rugs, using the highest quality raw materials. Wool is hand died to match the colours to the the designs and then embroidered onto the "rug backing fabric", a heavy duty cotton, using a hooked awl and a "chain stitch" technique dating back to the 16th Century. The finished rugs are then washed in the river.

The Sidiq family business is supported by local businessmen who contribute a dedicated weekly sum into a fund which is then distributed amongst families who, as a result of serious political fighting, have been left without a breadwinner.

The Sidiq family business also pays a substantial sum into an Indian Chamber of Commerce fund used to fight bonded child labour in the rug making industry.

The project has been supported by a seed grant from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). A limited edition of 100 rugs per design will be produced.

-Beverley Peacock

Painting and Rug Comparison

Below is a recent painting by Kathy Maringka and the rug made from that design.

The Painting:

The Rug: