“Kill him, or die, but do not wound this animal.” This command slingshotted through the mind of Alvah Simon. The Roger Henry, painted white rather than traditional high visibility red, was wedged against an Arctic ice island. As far as the polar bear staring at Simon was concerned, the boat was both ice floe and a convenient larder. Simon is an explorer, not a hunter. The bear lived. Simon and his cat Halifax were icebound overwinter in the Arctic, and his book “North to the Night” is a testament to survival. But it is also an indictment. Do we continue to accept the creeping normalcy of global warming, or do we trim our lifestyles and save the polar bear?
Global Warming rug by NEL Collective for nanimarquina. Image courtesy of nanimarquina.
Barcelona-based design company nanimarquina want to save the polar bear. Their rug “Global Warming” (issued 2008) is beautiful but poignant. Designed by NEL Collective, a glacial blue expanse of wool surrounds a small white floe of ice. On it stands a cutout wool felt polar bear. NEL describe its narrative value as within the tradition of rugs as a “means for communication and a cultural record”. (More text after image break.)
Global Warming rug by NEL Collective for nanimarquina. Image courtesy of nanimarquina.
Global Warming rug by NEL Collective for nanimarquina. Image courtesy of nanimarquina
Global Warming rug by NEL Collective for nanimarquina. Image courtesy of nanimarquina.
Halifax the cat hopped from ice floe to ice floe during his time in the Arctic. He was fearless. He faced down polar bears. If he and Simon can conquer the seemingly impossible, then so too all of us. We can comfortably cut back on our use of global resources. That is the message of nanimarquina and NEL Collective. If we do not, then Ursus maritimus will become the white elephant of the North; an irreplaceable part of the global ecosystem reduced to a cost too high to sustain in its native habitat. Is this too much to ask of a rug? Perhaps not if its inherent message allows us to consider and alter our lifestyles. DJ
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
To mark 20 years of COVER magazine being at the centre of the rug industry, our Autumn issue will be a special COLLECTORS' EDITION. The covetable printed issue of COVER 80 will be accompanied by a FREE digital edition, available on the websites of media...
The second edition of COVER Connect New York drew to a close at lunchtime on Tuesday 13 September after an action packed two and a half days of business at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan. There was an incredibly positive atmosphere for the duration of the...
Artist rugs Heirloom quality Inspiring Design Library Golden Glints, All at Sea collection, Deirdre Dyson ‘During lockdown I was stuck on my boat for about three months. I had the sea all around me for...
Launching on 18th January 2022, COVER Curates is a new way for leading handmade rug brands to present their latest collections, developments and designs to buyers worldwide online. The concept has been specifically developed in consultation with key...
Ancestors, 2026, Faig Ahmed. Biennale Arte 2026. Image Courtesy of Faig Ahmed Studio. Photo by Riccardo Banfi Stages for the global art scene do not come much more revered than the Venice Art Biennale. Azerbaijan has been appearing on that stage since 2007. A line-up...
Casa del Aire project bedroom Interior design and rendering by Callies Design In 2025, the use of private jets hit record highs, meaning the need for luxury aviation design is a thriving business. Having fallen in love with planes at an early age, Pavina Callies-Papé...
Coral 103 with Lux finishing from Origins collectionSantos Monteiro Known as 'Carpet Tailors', Santos Monteiro has spent decades developing bespoke textile solutions for residential, hospitality and contract spaces, combining Portuguese textile savoir-faire with a...
Winner of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2022 Venice Biennale, Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuña is finally receiving global recognition. Denna Jones reviews Vicuña’s new commission at Tate Modern London
Mischief, an exhibition of work by New York-based artist and designer Liz Collins is about to open at Touchstones Rochdale
A group think to create ‘a little fun’ led to Jamie Stern Furniture, Carpet & Leather’s inaugural National Rug Design Contest
