Introducing ‘Untitled’, our second edition of Art on Rugs in collaboration with Danish contemporary artist Carsten Beck Nielsen.

For this rug collection Beck Nielsen ‘paints’ geometric shapes with a shaggy hand-knotted wool pile on a flat-woven canvas. The two handmade wool rugs or ‘walkable art’, both based on his original artworks ‘Untitled 01’ and ‘Untitled 02’, are inspired by different geometric and mathematical forms.

“Art you can “walk on” or touch is another way to enjoy art which adds to your experience with the artwork,” argues Carsten Beck Nielsen. “To me art is a way of creating, feeling, and expressing yourself and it connects your internal and external self.” 

What inspires your work in general and what particularly inspired Untitled 01 and Untitled 02?

I just want to start by saying that I love geometric art, it’s my big passion and inspiration and it’s something I feel very connected to. The inspiration for the ‘Untitled 1’ and ‘Untitled 2’ comes from geometric art and I love the strong relationship between the different elements and the contrasting colors, this gives the rugs a unique statement of expression.

What do you find important in a home?

A home should first of all be a place where you can relax and find true joy. My home is filled with classic design and art as that’s what gives me so much joy and it makes me feel right at home. It’s important to put your own mark on your home and fill it with your own taste and style.

What role does art play in a home? What do you think about art in your home?

While art may not be vital to fulfill our basic needs, art is so valuable because it brings us joy. When you look at a painting that you’ve chosen to hang on your living room wall, you feel happy.

Art has traditionally been “out of reach” so to speak, meaning that the observer can’t interact with it and art has more or less been restricted to be on walls. What do you think about art becoming increasingly “available”, that it can be touched, used, and constantly present in a home in different forms and materials?

The true beauty of art – is that it is a subject, everyone can look at art and feel something, perhaps feel the meaning behind the work and what the particular artist actually felt creating it. Art you can “walk on” or touch is another way to enjoy art which adds to your experience with the artwork.

Your geometric paint strokes have, in the second collaboration, been translated onto the rugs through the use of a shaggy wool pile which adds a three-dimensional aspect to the rugs. Your oil paintings also have a sense of depth to them, do you think the use of different textile techniques in the second collaboration conveys your artwork better than in the first?

Yes, this one is by far the best one and the shaggy textures add a dimension to it and accurately replicates my work at the stage and state of mind I’m in currently. Several clients and collections have inquired about the new collection which is very exciting. The reason I love this collection so much is because my art is on this beautiful rug and the geometric shapes just give the rug such a strong statement. The next thing must be to create an Art Rug for the wall and in colors, this is a new way to enjoy art.

What else do you have planned for 2021?

2021 is going to be a big year for me with a solo exhibition and multiple group exhibitions internationally. I’m now also represented by an art dealer in New York City which is a big new step for me. I also have some other exciting international projects happening in both New York City and London as well as multiple clients for commissioned pieces.