About Art Rug Projects
Art Rug Projects by Soutzoglou focuses on the interactive collaboration with Greek and international contemporary artists whose selected works are transformed into handmade rugs and tapestries as original works of art, either as limited editions or as unique pieces.
Every collaboration is an opportunity for the artist to discover a new medium, to expand their practice in new ways, imagining the rug as their canvas.
Carpet-making is linked with the tradition of the past, whereas contemporary art is an expression of the present. By adapting age-old traditions in a modern context, Art Rug Projects “weaves” heritage, history and handicraft with contemporary art and creative expression.
The first collaboration was in 2021 with Cypriot artist Philippos Theodorides for the exhibition Thread Variations.
The second collaboration was with Italian artist, Bea Bonafini. Art Rug Projects x Bea Bonafini exhibitions took place in Berlin with Setareh Gallery, in Brussels with Eduardo Secci during Art Brussels Artfair, in Rome with Renata Fabri gallery. In the Fall 2022, there were two exhibitions in parallel, in Luxembourg at Nosbaum Reding Gallery, and in London, at Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery. In the meantime, Art Rug launched a limited edition of 10 handtufted carpets by Bea Bonafini, to accompany her solo exhibition, Animals of Your Lips at Bosse & Baum Gallery, London.
The third artist collaboration was with international artist, Jannis Varelas, for the solo exhibition Marlows' Dreams, at Breeder gallery in Athens, in May 2022, and some of the works were then exhibited at Frieze Art Fair in London.
Our Story
Art Rug Projects by Soutzoglou is the culmination of the family’s 120 years of experience in the trade and manufacturing of handmade carpets that stand out for their high quality and aesthetic value.
This new project was initiated by Electra Soutzoglou, who joined the family business in 2019 after a 10-year career in the contemporary art world in the USA and Britain — holding posts at the Guggenheim, MoMA, David Zwirner Gallery and Frieze Art Fair. As Global Head of VIP Relations at Frieze, Electra was responsible for the coordination of all VIP departments of Frieze fairs in London, New York and Los Angeles. Her passion and knowledge for contemporary art, combined with her love for tradition and innovation in the field of handmade carpets, sparked the creation of Art Rug Projects in 2020. Through collaborations with artists from Greece and abroad, Art Rug Projects bridges traditional methods of weaving with a contemporary approach to art.