BravinLee Programs Launches Artist-Designed Carpets Woven in Kathmandu

BravinLee Programs, a Chelsea gallery, has partnered with Meredith Rosenberg to commission contemporary artists to create limited-edition carpets hand-woven in Kathmandu, Nepal. Artists including Peter Halley, James Siena, James Welling, and Nina Bovasso have produced designs adapted from paintings, drawings, or photographs. Each rug is crafted by Nepalese weavers using traditional skills passed through generations, with production taking about three months per piece. The gallery prioritizes ethical practices by working with GoodWeave-certified weavers who prohibit child labor and support education in Kathmandu. Rugs are produced in editions of fifteen with two artist's proofs, priced between $4,000 and $12,000 to compete in the high-quality design market. The project aims to bridge fine art and design, making contemporary art more accessible to interior designers and collectors. Bovasso's floral rug "Flowers on a Walk" (2009) gained attention with a cover feature in Connecticut Cottages and Gardens in February 2010. The initiative reflects a broader New York textile zeitgeist, highlighted by exhibitions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 2002 "Tapestry in the Renaissance" and James Cohan Gallery's 2010 "Demons, Yarns & Tales." Rosenberg, who holds a Masters from the Fashion Institute of Technology, views the rugs as an alternative to editioned prints, emphasizing collaborative interpretation between artists and weavers.