Woven Bag by Klozar - Strawberry Gelim

Craft Contemporary Shop is pleased to offer a special, limited selection of handwoven bags by artist Shaghayegh Cyrous and Klozar Weaving, in conjunction with the exhibition ART IRAN: Falling Into Language.

The Klozar Weaving Project was founded in 2014 by LA-based transdisciplinary artist Shaghayegh Cyrous and Soheila Moayed Jafari, a daughter and mother living separately in the United States and Iran. The project focuses on supporting women weavers residing in the rural areas of Iran, such as Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Bijar, Hashtgerd, Eslam shahr, Tehran, Nezam Abad.

Cyrous and Jafari work in close collaboration with traditional weavers, adapting traditional gelim patterns into contemporary styles, creating designs specifically for use in their purses. Each Klozar bag is one-of-a-kind. Most of the patterns are passed down through generations of weaving families through songs.

Klozar was nominated for Unesco in 2017 and their bags have been widely exhibited as an extension of Cyrous’s art practice.

This medium sized tote bag is woven in a traditional “Strawberry” pattern using the flat-weave gelim (kilim) technique. The bag is fully fashioned with black leather handles and detailing. The interior is fully lined with a zipped security pocket and a leather slip pocket. The bag has a sturdy black zipper closure at the top, and measures 9.5” H x 15” W x 4” D, with a 9” handle drop. It was woven in Bijar by weaver Sharifeh.