CALLE HENZEL, Ebbio Vermentino Modello, 2021
Edition of 99 + 1 AP
Numbered
Hand-loomed rug
Available in a selection of materials: cashmere, mohair, linen, silk, lyocell, semi-worsted wool and merino

The Allen Wooster series by Calle Henzel forms part of his award-winning Frozen Cut collections, where the traditional geometry of the rug is reimagined through organic, free-form silhouettes. Widely recognized for pioneering this approach, Henzel treats the rug not as a fixed rectangle but as a responsive textile surface—one that can shift, erode, and evolve through experimentation and material inquiry. The forms resemble fragments drawn from a larger textile field, suggesting pieces revealed through time rather than imposed through rigid design.

The Frozen Cut technique emerged from an extended period of material research and observation. Over more than a decade, Henzel conducted hands-on tests exposing textiles to environmental conditions such as moisture, freezing, thawing, and gradual wear, studying how fibers react, contract, and distort when subjected to natural forces. Rather than attempting to replicate these processes artificially, the investigations allowed time, climate, and material behavior to inform a design language defined by irregular contours, subtle transitions in pile height, and compositions that feel shaped by natural movement.

In its original form within Henzel Studio, the Frozen Cut rugs are executed as highly intricate hand-knotted pieces. The Allen Wooster series translates this design language into a hand-loomed construction, offering a more streamlined interpretation while preserving the distinctive silhouettes and sculptural character of the collection.

Subtle tonal variations, shifts in pile height, and the interplay between denser and softer textures create depth across the surface. From a distance the works read as restrained and architectural; at closer range the material nuances and craftsmanship become more apparent.

Every design in the collection can be tailored in scale, shape, materiality, and color to respond to a specific architectural context or interior project. The result is a carefully considered textile that bridges experimentation, craftsmanship, and contemporary spatial design.

While many pieces in the series take on irregular, fragment-like silhouettes, several designs are also developed as traditional area rugs. In these rectangular formats, the focus shifts toward surface composition—tonal variation, texture, and material balance—allowing the design to extend across a continuous textile field while remaining connected to the broader language of the collection.

Image: Portrait of Calle Henzel. Courtesy the artist.