Academic Collaboration Between Gholizadeh Rugs and Faezeh Jafari
Researcher and Ph.D. Student in Art History, University of Wisconsin–Madison**
Academic link: https://arthistory.wisc.edu/staff/jafari-faezeh

Gholizadeh Rugs is pleased to announce its academic collaboration with Faezeh Jafari Mohammadabadi, a researcher and Ph.D. student in Art History at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This partnership aims to present historically accurate and research-based perspectives on Persian carpets and to offer a series of specialized educational programs for a wide audience.

About Faezeh Jafari Muhammadabadi

Faezeh Jafari began her journey in carpet studies in 2011, when she completed her B.A. in Carpet Studies (Dyeing specialization) at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman.
After graduation, she completed a six-month apprenticeship at the Atabat Al-Aliyat Carpet Workshop in Ravar, where she gained direct experience with the production of monumental carpets.

She continued her studies with an M.A. in Handicrafts at the University of Art, Tehran. During this period, she trained under a master restorer in the Tehran carpet bazaar and acquired skills in conserving and repairing historic carpets.
She subsequently participated in conservation projects at:

• Tehran Carpet Museum

• Saadabad Palace Museum

• Golestan Palace Museum

• Her M.A. thesis focused on the artistic role of Mohammad Arjomand Kermani in the development of Kerman carpets.
  This study, based on extensive field interviews and on-site analysis of signature carpets, was published in the peer-reviewed journal
  Iranian Crafts & Arts (University of Kashan).
  https://hsi.kashanu.ac.ir/article_113790.html?lang=en
  

• Another major publication includes her study on Safavid hunting carpets and their relationship to hunting iconography, published in the Journal of Comparative Art Studies at the University of Art Isfahan.
  https://mth.aui.ac.ir/article-1-1951-fa.html
  

Teaching and International Research Experience

Before moving to the United States, Jafari taught for two years in the Carpet Department, School of Arts & Architecture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman.
During her Ph.D. studies, she has examined Persian carpets in the storage collections of:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)

• The Textile Museum (Washington, D.C.)

• The Art Institute of Chicago

She currently serves as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, with research focused on Iranian art—particularly textiles and Persian carpets.

Why This Collaboration Matters

Gholizadeh Rugs believes that a true understanding of Persian carpets requires both practical experience and scholarly research.
This collaboration allows us to provide accurate, academically informed interpretations of Persian carpets and strengthens the connection between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary academic knowledge.

A Series of Specialized Educational Courses

As part of this collaboration, Gholizadeh Rugs will host a series of specialized online courses, each dedicated to a specific topic within Persian carpet studies.

These courses are suitable for:

• Enthusiasts of Iranian art, culture, and handmade textiles

• Carpet traders, producers, and market professionals

• Architects

• Interior designers

• Tour guides

• Art students

• Collectors and beginner learners

No prior knowledge in this field is needed is required

All courses are designed to be fully accessible to non-specialists, offering clear, engaging, and structured content that allows anyone with an interest in Persian carpets to participate and benefit.

Further details regarding registration and scheduling will be announced soon.