"Alice's Shadow Play"

Komatsu is always at his wits' end because he has so many rugs he wants to introduce, but here are the rugs he recommends this time.
Usually, our eyes are drawn to animal prints and cute rugs, but this time we'll be changing things up a bit and introducing some quirky, yet somehow eye-catching rugs.

At first glance, my impression was that it looked like a playing card pattern.
However, I felt that there was something more to this rug than just the pattern on the back of a playing card.

The designs are quite surreal, with strange shadow-like patterns and optical illusions reminiscent of Escher, who was known as a fantastic printmaker.
We would like to call this craftsman the Turkmen Escher.
The highly original design is filled with various patterns and the calm color scheme means that the more you look at this rug, the more you will be captivated by its charm.

The more you chew it, the better it tastes, just like dried squid.

Suddenly, this analogy seems like it would go well with sake.
Let's get back to the topic.

Now, let's take a closer look at the pattern.
There it is, somewhere in the middle. Can you see it?
Hidden within is a hat that looks like it might be worn by "JOKER," who for some reason is frowned upon when it comes to Trump.
Tell them, "Even if you're hiding, I can see your head!"
They say that in Old Maid, if there is a Joker left at the end, you lose.
That's a very rude thing to say, so let's leave it at that.

Looking into the history of JOKER, it seems that they were known as "court jesters" and many of them were clever people who could read the times, and they would often advise the king on the direction of politics, accommodating short stories.
When you think about it that way, it starts to look kind of cool and creepy at the same time.

Lots of red and black colour schemes.
This may also be reminiscent of Trump.
Another scene that comes to mind when thinking about playing cards is the one in "Through the Looking Glass" where Alice is surrounded by the gardeners and soldiers of the cards and chased by the Queen of Hearts in the palace.
If you look closely, it looks like a white rabbit holding a clock will appear.

And here.
Around the middle there is a shadow puppet that looks like someone is performing contemporary dance.
What does the figure with both hands raised to the sky and the waist bent at a 45-degree angle represent?
I have no idea.

And we must not forget.
It's like a collection of Turkmen Gul motifs, like stained glass.
Or a lovely design that looks like looking through a kaleidoscope.
If you look closely, you can see an "X" pattern in between.
It is filled with the wish that good things will continue forever.
Personally, I feel that Turkmen rugs often have a small "X" drawn on them.
Another attractive feature is her modest, feminine side.

Then I noticed that in some places the talismanic letter "S" in mirror image was about to spill out of the frame.
This craftsman seemed to be meticulous and detailed, but there were some rough spots.
Finally, I found a place where we could become friends.

We recommend placing it in front of a bookshelf or under a desk.
The colors are subdued and won't get in the way of your work or reading time, but if you look closely you'll see that there are many intricate designs that will keep you entertained and stimulate your imagination.

Design your life starting from rugs.
I found a photo that perfectly fits these words.
This is what makes the world of rugs so fun.

(Text: Komatsu)