In "Fabricating Authenticity," Ruhee Maknojia traces the history of the Ardabil Carpets, a pair of monumental Persian rugs woven in the 16th century. Maknojia invites viewers to question how institutions manufacture authenticity and how narratives are constructed through display.

Created as twins for the shrine of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili in Iran, the Ardabil Carpets embodied symmetry and spiritual reflection. Their paired existence was essential to their meaning, rooted in Iranian traditions where twinning signifies harmony, ethical order, and relational thought.

"Fabricating Authenticity" responds to this history by restoring the logic of twinning without attempting repair or completion. Mirrored rug forms throughout the exhibition echo the central motif of the original Ardabil design, using reflection as a method of inquiry.

Rather than offering a singular artifact, Maknojia foregrounds fracture, duplication, and loss as historical facts. Ornament here becomes a critical language through which power operates, revealing how aesthetic decisions can shape cultural memory.

Following the opening reception, the exhibit will be on display through May 7.