Feet in Two Worlds, NY
Feb 1 2009

Immigrant Family Keeps The Art of Rug Weaving Alive in Detroit:

Martina Guzmán on WDET

Photo: Haroutun Hagopian in his lab in 1936.

Handmade rugs from around the world have made their way into the homes
of metro Detroiters, collectors and art aficionados across the United
States thanks to the Hagopians, an Armenian family from Detroit.

Feet In 2 Worlds reporter Martina Guzmán aired a report last
week on WDET, Detroit Public Radio, about the Hagopian family’s
commitment to keeping the art of rug weaving alive and the annual rug
design competition at the College for Creative Studies that has
influenced hundreds of young artists.

In her piece for the Detroit Today show, Martina reports,

The Hagopian store in Birmingham is alive with color. Persian, Turkish
and Armenian rugs in ornate, geometric and floral patterns hang like
paintings in the main floor of the show room. The colors include
vibrant blues, reds, sage, and clay tones.

The store looks more like a museum gallery than a show room. And
that’s the idea. The Hagopian family wants people who visit its store
to understand that the rugs are arduous, time consuming pieces of art
steeped in culture and tradition.

To listen to the report, click play below. You can also visit the
Detroit Today website here.

01/immigrant-family-keeps-the-art-of-rug-weaving-a live-in-detroit-martina-guzman-on-wdet/

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress