For Sanctuary, Ranu Mukherjee weaves together the plight of modern-day refugees seeking safe harbor in the West, the political complexities that influence intercontinental travel, and traditional symbols of prosperity and peace in her rug design, titled begin. An ornate patterned ground veils the significance of overlaid lines: tracings from news images of refugees in the United States attempting to cross the border into Canada, fearing the harsh new US policies toward foreigners. Stripped of identifying characteristics, the figures emerge slowly, echoing the gradual process of cultural evolution as populations shift geographically, and emphasizing the timelessness of human migration. While the background pattern mimics the jacquard fabrics woven and worn in the cultures of many migrants, lending a humanizing element, the overlaid image of an olive tree, Mukherjee says, serves as “a kind of wish, to carry them to safety and peace.”
