Magic Carpet #397

The Magic Carpet Collection is a series of 50 hand-tufted rugs, each measuring approximately 40cm (15.7”) in diameter. Part of a ten year project to create 1,000 artworks, this collection marks the eighth milestone (#351–#400), continuing the theme of anthropomorphism first explored in Ghoul Guy’s Morph series.

Crafted by hand in the artist’s studio, each rug is tactile and richly textured. Over 40 kilometres of acrylic yarn, sourced from Miyoshi Rug Co., has been used to bring the collection to life. Each rug’s back is finished with Sunfelt Co.’s 2mm V Felt, and stencilled, signed, and numbered by the artist.

The rugs feature a hanging mechanism for wall display but can also be placed on the floor as functional art if desired.

Carpet making as an artistic medium has deep roots in Persia, China, and India. In the 2010s, engineers in China began producing cheap tufting guns that made production affordable for artists. In the West, mercurial artists such as US-based Tim Eads made them accessible online, fuelling a modern reinterpretation of rug making.

The chaotic energy of this DIY movement, and its experimental reimagining of an ancient medium, was the inspiration behind the Ghoul Magic Carpet Collection.