From Fable to Fiber: The Kalila wa Dimna Triptych

Exhibition

From Fable to Fiber presents a contemporary triptych of hand-knotted textile works by Louis Barthélemy in collaboration with Iwan Maktabi. Inspired by the timeless animal fables of Kalila wa Dimna, first translated into Arabic in the 8th century, the project reinterprets these allegorical tales through a vibrant contemporary visual language. Each wall-mounted rug merges traditional craftsmanship in wool and silk with playful modern symbolism, creating richly layered narrative objects that bridge past and present, East and West.

Share with a friend

This exhibition connects historical craftsmanship with contemporary circular design by following the journey of ideas embedded in nomadic culture.

It highlights how the məfrəş functions not only as an object but as a system of knowledge: a tool for transport, a container of memory, and an encoded visual language.

By juxtaposing this heritage with new ecological textiles and a digital projection inspired by nomadic rhythms, the exhibition transforms intangible knowledge into multisensory experience.

The atmosphere is tactile and grounded: woven textures, earth pigments, soft lighting, and sound elements evoke the landscapes that shaped nomadic life.Visitors are invited to see design as movement, as adaptation, and as a relational act rooted in community and land.

‎

← See other Exhibitions