Mala Rug
by Rebecca Wu-Norman
Totzke Rugs are excited to introduce our latest collaboration with our talented friend Rebecca Wu-Norman. She is the person who first introduced us to rugs and her work as an advocate makes her the perfect voice to shine a light on Project Mala. Her design celebrates the impact Project Mala are making on children in the carpet belt of India. On our last visit to India we had the privilege of spending time at Project Mala, which further deepens our passion and understand for the project. They provide schooling, meals, boarding, healthcare. In the last 30 years Project Mala educated over 10,000 children across 6 villages. Each rug purchased through Totzke Rugs donates back, with 1 large rug educating 1 child for a year.
How does your background as an artist influence your approach to interior design?
My art practice is not separate from my design work but rather, they are intertwined. I strive to look at things holistically, which includes, not just the space that I am creating physically, but the impact beyond its immediate purpose.
I rely on my intuitive nature to guide both my designs and art practices. For example, when selecting materials, I consider how they came to be and how that process has effected the environment and other living creatures and I measure that in relation to whether to use them or not.
At the same time, with certain things like color, there is no right or wrong, so I follow my instincts and go with what feels right. Don’t be afraid to be unconventional and break the rules!
How do you use textiles to inject pattern/colour into your schemes?
Whether commercial, residential or hospitality design, textiles – carpets and rugs in particular – have the ability to really anchor a space. You can build a whole design around the right rug. On the flip side, they can act as the finishing touch that brings a cohesiveness that pushes a good design to a great one.
I generally like to use textiles of varying textures, colors, patterns and weights, as well as applications. I love a great rug underfoot that you can choose a color from to pull through in the upholsteries, draperies or even in the paint colors or casework. You can use the same pattern but alter it from very bold or more soft and textural depending on the colors you choose.
What is the story behind your pattern of the Mala rug?
The braided pattern that traverses the background of the Mala Rug mimics the hairstyle worn by schoolgirls in India. The braids are a sign of solidarity and celebration of the strength of feminine perseverance and resistance. They call out to the girls that they are not forgotten.
The abstract pattern found in the mid ground is derived from compounded satellite images of the six locations of Project Mala schools. The fusing of the various terrains is a gesture of togetherness and symbolizes strength in unity.
The leaves in the forefront are from the Banyan, the national tree of India. The Banyan spreads across broad areas, takes root, and continues to live and regenerate for thousands of years. It represents the ability of nature to transform and heal even the deepest of wounds.
