Studio News
Limited Edition 2024 Rug Launch: The Kandinsky 1,2,3
We are thrilled to announce the launch our brand-new limited edition rug designs, The Kandinsky 1, 2, and 3, a luxury rug series inspired by the avant-garde genius Wassily (or Vasily) Kandinsky. Join us as we explore Kandinsky’s contemporary paintings, the context behind his work, and the design process that brought the intersection of abstract art and modern home décor to life! With only 10 pieces available per design, each rug comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. We’re selling the first piece of each design at a 20% discount. Please enquire here to learn more!
“Color is a power which directly influences the soul”
– Wassily Kandinsky
Who was Wassily Kandinsky?
Born in Moscow, Russia, in 1866, Wassily Kandinsky was a key figure in early 20th-century abstract art development. He believed art should express inner emotions and spiritual essence, rather than copying the external world around us. This belief led him to create work where colours and shapes interact, producing a sense of movement and energy. Additionally, he used used bold colours and geometric forms to convey emotional intensity and provoke powerful responses from the viewer.
Wassily Kandinsky in 1936
One of Kandinsky’s most recognisable paintings is Composition V (1911), one of the first purely abstract Western art pieces. By challenging the idea that art must depict recognisable objects, he focused on the expressive power of colour, form, and line.
Kandinsky had synaesthesia, a phenomenon where the brain routes sensory information through multiple unrelated senses, like seeing colours with emotions. This synaesthesia became his superpower when creating abstract art.
‘Composition V’ (1911) by Wassily Kandinsky
The designing of the Kandinsky Art Rug
Sonya’s love for modern art has always been a great inspiration during her design process. As a result, she aims to capture the essence of Kandinsky’s artistic legacy while also infusing the luxury rugs with contemporary allure. This approach transforms conventional floor space into functional art underfoot.
‘Squares with Concentric Circles’ (1913) by Wassily Kandinsky
Artists such as Sonia Delaunay, Henri Matisse, and Joseph Albers are among the few who have sparked some of Sonya’s most iconic designer rugs. For this collection, Sonya and her team, inspired by these artists, looked to Wassily Kandinsky’s Squares with Concentric Circles (1913), one of his most renowned artworks. The concentric circles ripple outward from a central point, thus creating a dynamic sense of movement. Additionally, each circle bears a distinct colour, ranging from bold primary hues to softer pastel tones, giving the work a kaleidoscopic quality.
How are the Kandinsky rugs made?
The Kandinsky rugs collectively feature 47 different colors of hand-dyed yarn, carefully measured by the dye master using high-quality pigments. The dyes are free from Azo-based compounds, making them kind to human skin. Paired with our unique twist of long fibre yarn, these vibrant colours mirror Kandinsky’s vivid brushstrokes.
The Kandinsky 2 Rug‘s yarns drying in the sun after being freshly dyed.
The Kandinsky Collection pushes the limits and possibilities of hand weaving, with artisans hand-knotting each art rug at 100 knots per square inch to achieve meticulous weaving precision and reflect the level of detail within the artwork. This intricate weaving process is a specialised art-form with a history spanning 2,000 years and demands exceptional accuracy, patience, and craftsmanship.
The Kandinsky 2 Rug being hand-knotted by our artisan weavers.
The weaver ties each knot tightly by hand around the warp and weft of the rug, repeating this process thousands of times to create a finished luxury rug. The intricate detailing of the Kandinsky 1, 2, and 3 art rugs exceeded the capabilities of hand-tufted weaving. Therefore, we deliberately chose to work with artisan hand-knot specialist weavers to achieve the high-quality result this modern rug collection demanded.
The Kandinsky Collection
The Kandinsky 1 Rug by Sonya Winner
The Kandinsky 2 Rug by Sonya Winner
The Kandinsky 3 Rug by Sonya Winner
(From left to right) Kandinsky 1 Rug, Kandinsky 2 Rug and Kandinsky 3 Rug by Sonya Winner.
If you want to find out more, take a look at these books and exhibitions:
Where can I read about Wassily Kandinsky?
Kandinsky laid out his theories on art in his influential memoir, Concerning the Spiritual in Art (1911). You can buy this now on Amazon through the link here.
Or if you’d prefer something a bit more modern, take a look at Vassily Kandinsky: Around the Circle (2021). People have described it as “Twenty-first-century Kandinsky: a reappraisal of the Russian abstractionist’s art, life, and thought.” You can buy this now on Amazon through the link here.
Where can I see Wassily Kandinsky’s work?
At the Museum of Modern Art in New York, USA, a total of 144 pieces are part of the Kandinsky’s collection, including drawings, intaglios, lithographs, woodcuts, painted pieces.
The Musée national d’art moderne bought only two works during the artist’s lifetime, in 1937 and 1939. However, in 1976, the museum received a donation of fifteen paintings and fifteen watercolours from Nina Kandinsky. In 1980, the museum added the contents of the artist’s studio in Neuilly, which ultimately gave the collection its specificity today.
Try our Free Visualisation Service!
If you’re feeling inspired by these luxury art rugs, feel free to read more about them here. Additionally, you can take advantage of our complimentary visualisation service and see them digitally in your space.
To find more information about our digital visualisation service, view here.
Explore the rest of our colourful collection by visiting our Vibrant Contemporary Rug Shop. Re-imagine your space to be eye-catching and bold.
