Textiles in a New Light

Introducing Atelier 2021, a bold new collection of monochromatic rugs that elevates textile weaving to an art form. Featuring 36 original rugs, Atelier 2021 is a celebration of light and shadow in nature and in art, expressed with the textural palette of hand-selected natural yarns.

Atelier 2021 is also an homage to visionary artists who have explored and deepened that conversation through painting, sculpture and land art. The art nouveau craftsmanship of the Wiener Werkstätte made art for the lived environment. Art deco used invented materials to reinterpret nature. Artists like James Turrell and Anish Kapoor bend and reflect light to create works that rely as much on the viewer’s experience as the artist’s concept. Look closely and you’ll discover hints of their work and others throughout this collection, strands of the beautiful thread that connects all great design to the layered history of art and architecture, consciously or not.

“Textile design is a conversation between yarns and light,” says Sylvie Johnson, Merida’s Artistic Director and a textile artist in her own right. “It is the interplay of light and shadow that reveals the subtle yet complex properties of the yarns. Light brings vibrancy to materials; shadow gives form to beauty.”

To experience these rugs is to feel the hand of Merida’s master weavers in Fall River, the exquisite technique that can only come from years of dedicated practice in a workshop that encourages innovation through spirited collaboration. The result is a collection made by artisans at their most creative and courageous. We invite you to explore the collection, then connect with us to order samples or request a quote.