Tammam Azzam’s paper collages are the basis for his untitled Sanctuary rug design. The concept of sanctuary is particularly resonant for him; he has used the word to describe his former studio in Syria, which was a refuge from the turmoil he witnessed and experienced before fleeing in 2011 to Dubai and subsequently relocating to Germany. The Syria of his memory and the places he held sacred are now gone, forcing him to find solace, comfort, and safety in new locations, new experiences. “My family left with nothing, just our suitcases. We started a new life from zero,” he has said. “But . . . I know I am one of the lucky ones.”
