Salman Ali, Boetti's Assistant, Tells His Story in Autobiography and Milan Exhibition

Salman Ali, the longtime assistant and close friend of Alighiero Boetti, is the subject of an upcoming autobiography and a solo exhibition at Galleria Tornabuoni in Milan. The autobiography, titled "Salman Alighiero Boetti" and published by Forma Edizioni, is set for release in early 2021. The exhibition, originally scheduled for November 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions, will display Ali's private collection of Boetti's works at the gallery's space on via Fatebenefratelli 34. In an interview, Ali recounts meeting Boetti in Afghanistan at the One Hotel in Kabul, where Ali worked preparing tea. He later moved to Rome in 1973 to assist Boetti, managing daily tasks and eventually coordinating the network of embroiderers for Boetti's tapestries. After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, production shifted to Peshawar, Pakistan, in 1987. Ali, now retired, still works at the Boetti archive, assisting with expertise sessions, especially for small tapestries he assembled. The exhibition and autobiography highlight his unique perspective on Boetti's creative process and their enduring friendship.