This Exhibition Aims To Challenge The Way We Look At Objects

From repurposed rugs to those comprising unexpected materials such as combs and cardboard, “RugLife” at San Francisco’s Museum of Craft and Design aims to “inspire conversation and interest surrounding many issues and challenge the way we look at objects,” says Judith Hoos Fox, who developed the exhibition with fellow CuratorSquared co-founder Ginger Gregg Duggan.

Sixteen works by the likes of Ai Weiwei, Nicholas Galanin and Andrea Zittel—on view through April 20—are arranged around four themes: Interweaving Past and Present, Patterning a Communal Experience, Delineating a Sense of Place, and Looming Politics. “What intrigued us about the artists’ use of rugs and carpets in these cases was the cultural critique,” Duggan says. “As opposed to a focus on the decorative or even functional aspect, the content takes center stage, challenging ideas about stereotypes and identity.”