Homage to the Women of Qeshm Island mask

British-Iranian artist Bita Ghezelayagh’s mask is made of reclaimed Persian carpet, handwoven bands and trims and mother-of-pearl discs. Her artistic practice speaks to the importance of recycling, upcycling, and re-use to preserve craft traditions and the planet within our global culture of hyper-capitalism and consumption. Inspired by the embroidered and coin-embellished face coverings of the women of Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf and the Bedouin of the Negev desert, she gives value to handcrafted materials threatened by mass production.

Bita Ghezelayagh, Iran/UK

2020

Designed in London, United Kingdom

Made in London, United Kingdom

Handwoven wool, hand-braided silk and mother-of-pearl

Royal Ontario Museum
2021.54.2

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