Exploring Charlotte Culot
An artistic backdrop
Born into a family of artists in Belgium, Charlotte’s life has always been marked by the presence of art. Her father, Pierre Culot was a sculptor and ceramist and her mother was an engraver and illustrator of children’s books.
A childhood spent in the countryside, surrounded by animals would shape her sensitive demeanour and a deep need for silence. Charlotte explains this when asked about her process, “Before starting a new work session, I need to immerse myself in nature and spend a couple of months in remote areas, embracing silence.”
A calm, creative and measured approach has enabled Charlotte to not only launch her studio in Provence but make a meaningful connection with the skilled craftsmen in Nepal that bring her creations to life.
“Art has always been a part of my life,” she says. When asked what a symbolic self-portrait would look like, Charlotte answers, “Colour, simplicity, abstraction, architectural sensibility, texture and authenticity.” Her inspiration shines through in her colour palette and evocative hand-knotted rug designs.
Charlotte explains how each rug Maison Rhizomes creates is a work of art with an architectural structure that allows it to be enjoyed and used within any home.
A gentle process
Charlotte explains how the process of creating a painting varies from developing a rug, “A painting is generally solitary work. The artist has the freedom to decide on the subject, motif, format, materials, and work at their own pace.”
The process of creating a hand-knotted rug involves many collective steps and a collaborative process between various professionals. “It starts with sourcing raw materials — wool, silk cocoons, flax flowers, and so on. These raw materials then need to be transformed into yarn, followed by the dyeing process. Finally, the weaving process can begin.”
Maison Rhizomes is a creative house for the production of rugs and tapestries. It was born out of the desire to offer works of the highest quality, using a hand-knotted technique practised by their weavers and artisans based in Nepal.
Charlotte has poetically described the work she does in Maison Rhizomes as 'woven colour'. Working with highly skilled Nepalese weavers has allowed Charlotte to bring her ideas to life.
The current collection was born from Charlotte’s artwork, using her paintings as inspiration and then developing these into limited edition hand-knotted rugs. The studio prides itself on providing something unique and bold to colour and liven up any space.
A collaborative future
Charlotte began working with her business partner, Hannah Vagedes in 2022. Together they have decided to transform the work of other artists into hand-knotted rugs, expanding their creative offerings and collections. Each collection will feature a new artist but will carry the same dedication and attention to detail, characteristic of the studio.
Fans will be happy to hear that Maison Rhizomes is looking to participate in contemporary art fairs, working closely with architects and interior designers.
The future of Maison Rhizomes is one of openness, with ideas of new techniques and potential collaborations – the possibilities are limitless.
Discover Charlotte's paintings that inspire Maison Rhizomes' rug designs here.
