As part of a site-specific installation project commissioned by AIE for the new Embassy in Islamabad, artist Marie Watt announced an open call for donations of wool or natural fiber blankets that express unique and personal stories during the fall of 2015.
The entire collection of blankets will be rendered into a three-story-tall interior sculpture for the new Embassy’s atrium. This tower of storied blankets will be Watt’s most ambitious global community collaboration, as well as one of her tallest sculptures to date.
Assembled into one totem-like column, the piece will enable the intermingling of diverse narratives including American, Pakistani, Native American, Islamic, and many others from around the globe. In a multitude of colors, textures, patterns, and worn bits, the installation will evoke associations and conversations about the rich history of the textile trade as well as the importance of cultural exchange in the Islamic world.
