Linder: Diagrams of Love: Marriage of Eyes

Diagrams of Love: Marriage of Eyes is an experimental and collaborative rug project created by Dovecot’s rug tufters with artist Linder for the British Art Show 8 (BAS8) in 2015. Linder and Dovecot’s rug was specifically created not just to feature as an exhibit in the BAS8 exhibition, but to also be the eighth dancer in the ballet Children of the Mantic Stain. The ballet was created by Linder and choreographed by Kenneth Tindall with Northern Ballet, and was performed once in each of the UK cities hosting the BAS8 exhibition.

The rug design draws on the principles of collage that inform so much of Linder’s work. Linder uses collage to combine fragmented elements to form new associations and meanings – in this case sections of patterned carpet designs from 1970s and 80s interiors, and the instant and cheap glamour of heavy blue eye makeup and gold Lamé fabric. A spiral shape was chosen to give the rug form, as well as to enrich the imagery and to allow it to have the movement necessary to become part of the ballet performances.