Artist Statement
This rug is a woven map of my journey through Iran, Turkey, and Canada. It began with the Shiraz weaving style, inspired by my grandmother who taught me the craft and gave me my first loom. That section represents memory, family, and the foundation of my identity. The next section continues in the Turkish Kilim technique, a style I chose to weave without patterns. For me, Turkey was a place of transition, a moment of “starting over.” where life felt both uncertain and open. The blankness of the Kilim section reflects that chapter of waiting and becoming. The final section is inspired by Coast Salish Territories weaving, honoring the land and communities of Canada where I now live. By introducing Indigenous patterns into my rug, I acknowledge the stories of belonging and resilience embedded in this place, and I connect them to my own search for home. Together, these three weaving traditions form more than a textile. They create a sense of place that is both personal and shared, rooted in memory, migration, and cultural exchange. This rug is unfinished, because my story is still being woven.
