Montreal, Canada-based artist Mateo Humano is bringing together ancient cultures and urban art in a really unique way. He creates captivating portraits of women adorned with ornamental patterns on oriental carpets.
Humano’s early beginnings saw him be part of the street art scene, where he became recognizable for baroque street artworks inspired by ornaments originating from cultures from around the world. Looking for a new way to express himself creatively, Humano started painting women on traditional rugs and carpets while keeping his recognizable style.
By making women the centerpiece of his artworks, Humano wants to pay respect to their role in creating the carpets that serve as his canvas. Women are often the main force behind creating carpets in many cultures, including making the wool from scratch, designing the patterns of the carpet, and lastly, crafting them.
According to Humano, his works aim to “question our cultural identity in an unrelenting system that pushes for uniformity in contemporary mass culture.”
“They reflect an amazing way to pay homage to diversity in human cultures, claiming that uniformity is detrimental to our history and memory,“ Humano explains on his website.
Humano’s carpet paintings have been exhibited around the world in recent years, and the artist also shares his newest works on social media.
