World Trade Center Attack Rug Spurs Major ControversyTuesday November 18, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
What happens when tradition meets tragedy?
It's a question that's on many minds Tuesday, as an auction of Persian rugs continues in Toronto. The beautifully made carpets traditionally depict classic moments from life in Afghanistan, and sometimes appear to glorify to war.
But one particular rug has many in the West up in arms. It shows the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, and depicts planes flying into the Twin Towers right before they fell. Sewed into the top is the date "2001/11" in red and white, followed by a thinner stitching that simply reads "September."
The bottom depicts an arrow pointing to the statement, "Made In Afghanistan."
The rug auction, hosted by Ritchie's, is part of a show at the Textile Museum of Canada and more than $400 has been bid for the controversial item in question.
But many are wondering if it's appropriate to sell such a product in a country where soldiers are fighting and dying against the very people accused of plotting and committing the act.
"This is essentially folk art," said Ritchie's Duncan Blair. "It's the closest thing you'll get to a first-hand depiction for people that might not even be literate. They may have no other outlet to show what is happening."
"It's not a political statement so to speak," he said of the WTC rug. "They're not celebrating this as much as it looks to us that they may be celebrating it."
Still, many find the images inappropriate.
"It's pretty offensive because September 11th was an unfortunate event in North America, throughout the world even. It's unfortunate that someone sees it as art," said one Torontonian.
You can see the controversial rug, and others, by
clicking here.
