Old Carpet Factory, one of the world’s most unique recording studios on the island of Hydra, has teamed up with Soutzoglou Carpets, whose handmade carpets adorn some of Greece’s finest homes, including the Maximos Presidential Mansion, to celebrate 100 years of history together this year.
Housed in a historic 18th century mansion, the Old Carpet Factory is owned and run by Stephan Colloredo-Mansfeld, a producer and collector of rare musical instruments and a descendant of a prominent Austrian noble family, who decided a decade ago to turn his ancestral home into a place where he could practice his passion – music.
Upon its opening, the Old Carpet Factory recording studio quickly gained international attention for its unconventional (for a recording studio) spaces with exceptional acoustics, stunning views and a collection of rare vintage analogue equipment. Today, the Old Carpet Factory also hosts an art residency with a mission to promote Greek culture and organise free live performances for locals and visitors to the island. Among the artists who have been guests, performers or recorded there are Sebastien Tellier, Savina Yannatou, Beth Orton, Leon of Athens, Cate Le Bon and Oracle Sisters.
The Colloredo-Mansfeld residence on Hydra was originally built for the famous hero of the Greek War of Independence, Anastasios Tsamados. Its contemporary owner was vaguely aware that his house had been used for carpet-making at some point in history, but it wasn’t until recently that Colloredo-Mansfield came across the name Soutzoglou in his family’s archives.
Soon after, curator Ekaterina Juskowski, founder of the art residency at the Old Carpet Factory, went to the Historical Archives Museum of Hydra to find out more. She discovered that in the early 20th century the mansion had indeed been a carpet factory, and not just any carpet factory. The company was run by Nicholas Soutzoglou, a prominent carpet manufacturer from the Greek community of Esparta in Asia Minor, who had come to Greece aged 40 to start over, having lost his business and fortune in the Greek-Turkish War. Soutzoglou set up a carpet factory in Spetses in 1922 and another in Hydra in 1924, and his businesses not only brought the art of weaving to the local women of these islands, who had been taught by women from Asia Minor, but also helped to significantly reduce unemployment during hard times.
Today, Soutzoglou’s ‘TEN Carpets’ is a respected name in the international carpet world, with the third generation of the family at the helm. The company operates from its showroom in the centre of Athens in Kolonaki and specialises in both antique and modern handmade carpets and textiles. Some of Greece’s finest homes, including the Maximos Presidential Mansion, are adorned with their handmade rugs. Meanwhile, Art Rugs Projects, which focuses on collaborating with Greek and international contemporary artists whose work is translated into handmade rugs and tapestries, was launched in 2021 by Electra Soutzoglou, who joined the family business after a 10-year career in the contemporary art world.
Bonded by their shared history in the beautiful mansion, the current generations – Stephan Colloredo-Mansfeld and Soutzoglou’s son and grandaughter – have decided to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the carpet factory on Hydra in the mansion. In the summer of 2024, an event is planned to bring art and carpet weaving together in the Old Carpet Factory’s recording studio in a site-specific installation curated by Juskowski. It will feature woven art by contemporary artists displayed alongside vintage pieces from the Soutzoglou collection, including handmade rugs woven on Hydra around a century ago. The exhibition will be open for a limited time. It will be a rare opportunity to visit the historic landmark and learn about the weaving tradition of Greece. Watch this space.
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