Alighiero Boetti (1940–1994) was an influential Italian artist associated with Arte Povera and conceptual art. From the 1970s, his travels to Afghanistan led to collaborations with local embroiderers. Together they produced works including his celebrated Mappe, which bring artistic ideas and skilled textile work into dialogue. The Tate’s overview of Boetti describes his work with artisans in Kabul.

Full embroidery sample inspired by Boetti’s art

In the Mappe, the world is shown through political borders and national flags rendered in vivid embroidery. The making of these works depended on collaboration: Boetti developed the concept and layouts, while Afghan embroiderers interpreted them in thread. The maps also record a changing political world.

Other Boetti works use grids of letters and colour to invite viewers to discover words and phrases. A title associated with this part of his work is Ammazzare il tempo (“Killing Time”). Reading the letters requires looking across the composition in a different way from ordinary text.

At Marini Ricami, we value the meeting of artistic ideas, human skill and textile production. Fine threads and carefully developed stitch patterns allow us to create embroidery with a handcrafted feel, supported by industrial machines for consistent production.

Our decorative techniques include cord and ribbon embroidery, sequins, laser cutting and textured stitches. Cornely-style embroidery uses cords, ribbons or thick yarns to build a tactile, dimensional surface. Carpet stitch, also known as tufting, creates raised texture for fashion and furnishings. Read more in our overview of industrial embroidery techniques (currently in Italian).

We develop detailed embroidery for fashion, automotive interiors, yachting and aviation applications. Traditional visual references can be combined with modern production methods, including laser cutting, to create motifs suited to the material and the project.

Boetti’s work is a reminder of embroidery’s expressive possibilities. At Marini Ricami, we develop original designs with our clients, bringing together creative direction and textile expertise. Contact us to discuss your idea.