The 2024 Olympics present a unique opportunity for Tabriz carpets to showcase the artistry and cultural heritage of Tabriz and Iran on the global stage once again, following their prominent display at the Olympics and the World Cup in recent years.
A hand-woven Tabriz carpet featuring Olympic symbols and the flags of Iran and France has been meticulously crafted and sent to the Olympic venue for exhibition. Such international events, including the 2024 Olympics, serve as a platform to present Iran’s rich culture and art to the world. It has been 26 years since the World Cup carpet was woven, and this time, Tabrizi artists have embarked on creating a carpet themed around the Paris Olympics, along with five additional carpets that highlight the cultural and tourism symbols of France. These sports-themed carpets have been overseen and woven under the guidance and innovation of Professor Hossein Kazemi Hamed.
Hamid Arshadi, the young designer behind the 2024 Olympic carpets, shared in an interview that six master carpet craftsmen from Tabriz have dedicated the past six months to weaving these Olympic carpets. Arshadi, who boasts 20 years of experience in designing carpet maps, was also responsible for designing the carpet maps for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which were displayed by Tabriz carpet masters on the international stage.
Arshadi emphasized the relentless efforts of the master craftsmen working around the clock to complete the weaving of the 2024 Olympic carpets in the coming week. He noted that seven Olympic carpets are being woven in Tabriz with the support of seasoned veterans, representing the pinnacle of Iranian culture in the global arena.
Discussing the designs used in the 2024 Olympic carpets, Arshadi highlighted the incorporation of the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s symbol, which features the Iranian flag. Additionally, motifs such as olive branches and flying doves, symbolizing peace, are intricately woven into these carpets.
The 2024 Olympic carpets are crafted in dimensions of 60 x 90 cm with a thread size of 55 and were created through the dedicated efforts of Tabriz’s carpet masters. The threads used are made of silk and merino, and each carpet is woven with 250,000 Turkish knots.
These exquisite carpets will be donated to the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, the French Olympic Committee, the Iranian Olympic Committee, and the Japanese Olympic Committee, facilitated by the National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Previously, Tabriz carpet masters unveiled carpets at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Cup, showcasing intricate designs featuring the shrine of Motahar Razavi and the legendary athlete Jahanpahlwan Gholamreza Takhti.
