Weaving a civilizational journey

At the historic Chatham Maison building in Hong Kong, more than a dozen rare Persian carpets lie spread across spacious rooms that once served as the abode of a British businessman and his wife and were later utilized as a private secondary school for youngsters from affluent families living in The Peak neighborhood.

The carpets — said to encapsulate over 2,500 years of artistic and civilizational continuity, and all from Iran — are part of a year-long, grand exhibition by Wei Gallery, titled Reweaving Memory: Storytellers of Persia, which began in March this year in honor of Hong Kong Art Month.

The collection, reportedly with a total market value exceeding HK$5 million ($637,000), promises a memorable experience for antique collectors and art aficionados alike.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a Shahnameh carpet, inspired by a 10th-century Persian epic by Abul-Qasim Ferdowsi and designed by master painter Gholam Hossein Khiabani Tabrizi, who elevates carpet design into the realm of fine art.

In late August, the gallery took things up a notch, launching the Persian Arts and Crafts Explorer Program — an interactive STEAM and culture tour for families — bringing life and buzz to the Grade II-listed building on Chatham Path in Mid-Levels where visitors get to experience riding a buggy in the middle of a business district, surrounded by luscious green nature, to reach the venue.

STEAM refers to educational journeys that combine the realms of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Vinci Lai, art director and curator at Chatham Maison, begins with a disclaimer.

“When we first conceived this exhibition, the war was not part of the context at all,” Lai told China Daily, referring to the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began at the end of February.

“When we plan an exhibition, it’s at least a year ahead. So (when the war broke out), it actually changed our plan. There was a time when we wondered, ‘Should we still do this?’” said Lai.

“But to us, we feel like when the world is unstable, it is when it’s more important to look into the beauty of this country (Iran), to look into the culture because this is what makes us stronger. This is what makes humanity more important,” Lai said.

“When there is a war going on and you look into the history and the beauty, the art, would you still want to destroy it? No. So I think for us, because we focus on art, beauty, and the people that are behind this amazing art … this is the time we need art most because it heals, and it somehow is a universal language for every race,” she added.

Lai said that because of the ongoing war, the exhibition “has inevitably acquired another layer of meaning”.

“When Iran appears in the news today, the images we receive are overwhelmingly images of conflict. These carpets remind us that a country cannot be reduced to the political circumstances of a particular moment,” said Lai.

“Behind those headlines is a civilization of poetry, storytelling, craftsmanship and extraordinary visual culture. So, in a way, the exhibition began as a reflection on cultural memory and continuity. The war did not create that meaning, but it has made the question feel much more urgent,” she added.

Getting children involved has some relevance to Lai’s work experience. The Hong Kong-based curator was previously a teacher, including supporting students with special educational needs. Her experience in education has fostered a long-standing interest in children’s emotional well-being, learning, and inner development.

She said that a lot of times, parents do not think that an art gallery would be a place where they can take their kids, because there are a lot of rules and reminders not to break things. Lai gets to change that at the ongoing exhibition.

“I think it’s natural instinct for kids to learn and explore … so if you bring them here, they naturally explore and they feel the carpets. They’ll naturally want to know what is the picture about, what is the story about,” said Lai.

“And I think to embrace diversity, to understand differences is something that we should teach them when they’re young. I think it’s valuable if you want to educate adults about a new culture, (and) might as well invite the kids to be a part of this,” she added.

The initiative is Hong Kong’s first interactive art education program centered on Persian heritage, specially tailored for young learners aged 5 to 10 and their families.

The journey opens with a geographical puzzle and exercise on visual literacy and observation. Children “read” intricate textiles to search for kings, heroes, and architecture before diving into epic tales from the Shahnameh (The Persian Book of Kings) to discuss the heroism of Rostam, a legendary figure in Persian mythology.

“Art cannot stop a war. But it can preserve memory, create empathy, and keep cultural dialogue alive at moments when political dialogue becomes increasingly difficult,” she said.

“Perhaps that is also what these carpets ultimately remind us: destruction can happen very quickly, but civilization takes generations to weave. And in a turbulent world, I think we need those reminders of beauty, continuity and our shared desire for peace more than ever,” Lai added.

The program, which requires booking, lasts about an hour and a half and runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until March 5 next year, following the launch on Sept 4. The sessions are available in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

jan@chinadailyapac.com