Five minutes with… BCXSY

Textile design / Product design

Together with a group of bedouin women from the south of Israel, BCXSY created a series of handcrafted woven carpets and wall-hangings. Design.nl spoke with Boaz Cohen, one half of the design duo.

By Cassandra Pizzey /asdf 13-04-2011

Can you explain how your latest collection named Balance came about?

"We travelled to southern Israel, to a place called Lakiya where an organization (SIDREH) is keeping the weaving tradition of bedouin women from the area intact. We wanted to create something new and started a project working together with the local inhabitants to create a series of seven woven rugs."

So there is a social aspect to the designs?
"Yes, by creating socially acceptable working environments for the Lakiya women, they profit both socially and economically, and it helps keep the local cultural heritage intact. We were really inspired by the positive attitude of the weavers, that's what really shaped this project."

Why the unusual shapes?
"Because of the traditional weaving techniques used, only long, thin strips of material can be made. It was a real challenge to come up with a way to incorporate these pieces into a rug, but by cutting and repositioning, and adding fringes at strategical points we made it work."

The materials and colours are beautiful, were the rugs dyed after weaving?
"No, everything is made by hand by the weavers in Israel. From the spinning of the wool to coloring with natural dyes and, of course, the weaving itself."

It's your third time at Spazio Rossana Orlandi, what keeps bringing you back?
"It just keeps getting better here! There is a really unique atmosphere and the range of locations is really great. It's a combination of space and surroundings that attracts us.

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www.bcxsy.com