Amani Al Thuwaini on Textiles, Tradition, and Belonging

Kuwaiti-Ukrainian artist and designer Amani Al Thuwaini discusses her textile-based practice that bridges cultures and critiques dowry traditions. Born and raised in Ukraine, she was influenced by Soviet fairy tales, illustrations, and the common sight of carpets on walls. Her work explores the emotional resonance of carpets as symbols of home and belonging, stemming from her own sense of being in-between cultures. She uses AutoCAD for design but incorporates spontaneity, pushing the limits of carpet-making to approach painting. Notable works include 'Elibelinde' (2017), a tufted carpet with laser-cut plexiglass and digital embroidery referencing Turkish kilim motifs and Kuwaiti dowry traditions, and 'Ghabga' (2024), a silk hand-tufted carpet produced in collaboration with Samovar Carpets in Germany. Her series 'Manifestation of the Dowry' (2018) uses digital embroidery to play with Arabic words. Al Thuwaini holds an architecture degree from Kuwait University and an MFA from Goldsmiths, London. She distinguishes design from art, seeing art as a vehicle for questioning and conveying meaning. Her current research on motherhood has led her to a biochemistry lab. The interview appears in Canvas 113: Common Threads.