Rugs of Life

algoritmic design community weaving

The Rugs of Life project bridges traditional Moroccan Amazigh weaving motifs with contemporary algorithmic processes, reimagining cultural heritage in a new typology of patterns. The project began with a visit to Cooperative Tawnza in the Ait Hamza valley, renowned for its high-quality wool and its women artisans’ exceptional traditional rugs. Led by Afkir Eto, an experienced local weaver, the cooperative represents a collective effort towards economic empowerment and cultural preservation. These artisans, deeply connected to their craft, aspire to gain international recognition, ensuring a sustainable income and a broader audience for their work, bypassing male intermediaries

The project’s starting point lies in the motifs traditionally woven into Amazigh rugs—encoded narratives that reflect personal and collective stories. Using Conway’s Game of Life algorithm, these motifs are deconstructed and transformed within a cellular automaton environment. Cellular automata are mathematical models consisting of grids of cells that evolve based on simple rules, creating intricate patterns over successive algorithmic generations. This process parallels the evolution of cultural heritage, where each algorithmic generation builds upon the previous one, transforming traditional symbols into organic, dynamic entities.

The newly generated patterns were compiled into a glossary and shared with the cooperative. Local artisans, drawing on their deep expertise, incorporated these deconstructed motifs into new rug compositions. This collaboration redefines traditional rug weaving as a hybrid process that merges algorithmic innovation, cultural knowledge, and human craftsmanship.

Installed in this way, Rugs of Life explores how digital tools can sustain and reinterpret traditional crafts, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration. By weaving together human narratives, technological innovation, and ancestral practices, the project highlights the potential for digital technologies to act as mediators in preserving and transforming cultural heritage while addressing broader questions about identity, community, and creative evolution.

Theodoros Chiotis text : Warp and Woof_ on Maria Varela’s Rugs of Life 

  • exhibition

    HANDMADE: ON THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CRAFT, EMST – National Museum of Contemporary Art & Schwarz Foundation, Art Space Pythagorion, Samos (2022) || Taoyuan International Art Award, Taoyuan Fine Art Museum, Taiwan (2020)

  • year

    2020

  • acknowledgements

    Jessica Stephens, Culture Vultures Morocco, Mona Eto

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