Last spring, under the auspices of the first snowstorm the region had seen in seventeen years, we gathered a selection of rugs to venture on a photoshoot that took place deep within a remote Navajo reservation. The rugs made their way along an eight mile sand track, dotted with juniper trees, before being carried by foot into the high red rocks of Arizona. There, below a towering 80-foot natural sandstone arch and above miles of breathtaking desert, our rugs unfurled over commanding cliffs and ridges.
We were invited onto this 3,300-acre ranch known as White Mesa by Navajo guide Eli Secody, who generously welcomed Carini Lang onto his family’s land. This wild landscape untouched by modern human developments, and pure in its natural state, was the perfect setting to photograph our heirloom rugs. From raw materials that are meticulously hand processed, to ancient vegetable dying practices resulting in exotic colors, the purity and unpredictability of nature is what we celebrate in all Carini Lang rugs.
Isaac Johnston, the photographer, and Susannah Charbin from The Beaux Arts surrendered to the limitations of the environment, while creating stunning images that match the grandeur of the setting. At first glance, one might mistake these photos as AI, however our intention was to create something so spectacular that it reminds us that we can capture such wonders from the natural world. The same striking impression can be made in a rug when we, as carpetmakers, do not compromise on the purity of our craft. It is this same commitment to authenticity that drew us to honor this special place and weave its essence into the DNA of Carini Lang.
