SHORT DESCRIPTION
The dynamically evolving dance performance Carpet of Time by Masoumeh Jalalieh and Daniel Zimmermann makes the beauty of a non-hierarchical coexistence tangible through abstract movements, patterns, and sounds. Inspired by Persian carpet weaving and the perfected geometry of ornamentation, it merges traditional heritage with contemporary questions about power structures, transformation, and the perception of time, unfolding as a symbol of resistance against hierarchical structures. Jalalieh and Zimmermann move within a 9×9 grid, similar to a chessboard, to the rhythm of 45_55 beats per minute – a pace that evokes the heartbeat during rest. From simple movements and sounds, they develop increasingly complex patterns that allow boundless freedom within a limited space.
Together with photographer and painter Inge Dick, musician Christian Müller, and lighting designer Victor Duran, the artists create a performance that allows you to experience time and perception in a new way. Using a self-developed alphabet of movement, rhythm, and sound, a continuous, abstract narrative is created that presents time as a multi-layered, interconnected web in which past, present, and future coexist and are connected – beyond linear sequence or static hierarchy.
Carpet of Time is meant to evolve into a quiet manifesto, appearing as an artistic action in various locations and contexts, to make a powerful statement for transformation, freedom, and overcoming boundaries.
LONG DESCRIPTION
Carpet of Time is a dance performance that embodies resistance to hierarchical structures and repressive systems through abstract movements, patterns, and sounds. Drawing inspiration from the geometric ornamentation and ‘pattern singing’ of Iranian carpet weavers—where the weaving process is accompanied by a song guiding the patterns—the performers engage in a dynamic interplay of movement and geometry to explore how abstract compositions reveal resonance, transformation, and the perception of time. In this piece, the performers move in ever-shifting patterns within a 9×9 dot grid, a geometric structure that serves as a guide and symbolic framework. As they shift and transform through their movements, new constellations continuously form. By working within this rigid structure while allowing space for fluidity and connection, the artists highlight the beauty of non-hierarchical unity. Even within constraints, boundless human connection and collective experience emerge.
Collaborating with Jalalieh in this project is Zimmermann whose work lies at the intersection of performance, film, and visual art. His practice interrogates the sustainability of human action, offering alternative perspectives on meaning and existence. Together, they fuse their individual approaches, drawing on Eastern traditions to engage with contemporary concerns.
At the heart of the performance is a 9×9 square grid, with dots spaced 45 cm apart—81 dots in total—corresponding to 64 square sections, much like a chessboard. Within this grid, the performers move to a steady tempo of 45 to 55 beats per minute, mirroring the resting pulse during sleep, when the body regenerates. The choreography is built on a polyrhythmic alphabet of movement and sound developed by Jalalieh and Zimmermann. The dramaturgy begins with simple, individual movements and sounds, gradually evolving into more complex patterns. Within the clearly defined grid, new, ever-changing constellations emerge. Much like a carpet pattern, they evoke different moods and interpretations. While the choreography and movement material are structurally constrained by the grid, as well as by numerical and geometric motifs, they continually push toward new possibilities of freedom and emancipation. The artists view this dynamic as an abstract metaphor for the dissolution of hierarchical structures and the emergence of freedom despite limitation.
The movement material consists of minimalist actions—such as joint flexions and shifts in body height through pliés and relevés—that are systematically explored across different directions and planes: sagittal, frontal, and horizontal. Through this reduction and abstraction—the principles also echoed in the work of Jalalieh and Zimmermann’s collaborators, Austrian visual artist Inge Dick and Swiss musician Christian Müller—the performance explores how the geometry of resistance can transform hierarchical systems and create new modes of coexistence.
Carpet of Time is a work in continuous development, expanding step by step. Different phases will be presented at various locations and in diverse settings. The movement and sound material are constantly evolving, with new elements introduced at each rehearsal, residency, or performance, allowing the piece to grow organically. A key focus is on exploring how the form and message of the performance unfold over time—from a 20-minute presentation to a 2- to 3-hour artistic statement, ultimately evolving into a dance performance that engages multiple dancers and artists. In close collaboration with Austrian award-winning photographer and visual artist Inge Dick, Swiss musician and composer Christian Müller, and Mexican lighting designer Victor Durán , and with the support of co-productions, residencies, and guest performance invitations, the artists will continue their creative process, showcasing the transformation of Carpet of Time—whether as a duo or a group on stage, in exhibitions, or in public spaces.
Jalalieh and Zimmermann first presented Carpet of Time – 1187 Movements in 2024, featuring two performers and a runtime of 18 minutes and 30 seconds. The developed piece was showcased at Kunstraum Lokal-int in Biel, Switzerland, and at ALDES, Spam! in Italy. In 2025, it will be performed at the Bezirk Festwocheneröffnung 15. Bezirk in Vienna, Austria. Meanwhile, Carpet of Time – 2673 Movements is currently in development. This piece, also for two performers, extends to approximately 40 minutes and is set to premiere at WUK performing arts in Vienna, Austria, on April 25 and 26, 2025. the next phase of Carpet of Time – 8019 Movements, is an expanded iteration for four performers and a ±60-minute runtime. Residencies at Tanzhaus Zürich and in Leveld Kunstnartun Air, Norway, have been confirmed for the project’s further development in autumn 2025.
SHORT DESCRIPTION
The dynamically evolving dance performance Carpet of Time by Masoumeh Jalalieh and Daniel Zimmermann makes the beauty of a non-hierarchical coexistence tangible through abstract movements, patterns, and sounds. Inspired by Persian carpet weaving and the perfected geometry of ornamentation, it merges traditional heritage with contemporary questions about power structures, transformation, and the perception of time, unfolding as a symbol of resistance against hierarchical structures. Jalalieh and Zimmermann move within a 9×9 grid, similar to a chessboard, to the rhythm of 45_55 beats per minute – a pace that evokes the heartbeat during rest. From simple movements and sounds, they develop increasingly complex patterns that allow boundless freedom within a limited space.
Together with photographer and painter Inge Dick, musician Christian Müller, and lighting designer Victor Duran, the artists create a performance that allows you to experience time and perception in a new way. Using a self-developed alphabet of movement, rhythm, and sound, a continuous, abstract narrative is created that presents time as a multi-layered, interconnected web in which past, present, and future coexist and are connected – beyond linear sequence or static hierarchy.
Carpet of Time is meant to evolve into a quiet manifesto, appearing as an artistic action in various locations and contexts, to make a powerful statement for transformation, freedom, and overcoming boundaries.
LONG DESCRIPTION
Carpet of Time is a dance performance that embodies resistance to hierarchical structures and repressive systems through abstract movements, patterns, and sounds. Drawing inspiration from the geometric ornamentation and ‘pattern singing’ of Iranian carpet weavers—where the weaving process is accompanied by a song guiding the patterns—the performers engage in a dynamic interplay of movement and geometry to explore how abstract compositions reveal resonance, transformation, and the perception of time. In this piece, the performers move in ever-shifting patterns within a 9×9 dot grid, a geometric structure that serves as a guide and symbolic framework. As they shift and transform through their movements, new constellations continuously form. By working within this rigid structure while allowing space for fluidity and connection, the artists highlight the beauty of non-hierarchical unity. Even within constraints, boundless human connection and collective experience emerge.
Collaborating with Jalalieh in this project is Zimmermann whose work lies at the intersection of performance, film, and visual art. His practice interrogates the sustainability of human action, offering alternative perspectives on meaning and existence. Together, they fuse their individual approaches, drawing on Eastern traditions to engage with contemporary concerns.
At the heart of the performance is a 9×9 square grid, with dots spaced 45 cm apart—81 dots in total—corresponding to 64 square sections, much like a chessboard. Within this grid, the performers move to a steady tempo of 45 to 55 beats per minute, mirroring the resting pulse during sleep, when the body regenerates. The choreography is built on a polyrhythmic alphabet of movement and sound developed by Jalalieh and Zimmermann. The dramaturgy begins with simple, individual movements and sounds, gradually evolving into more complex patterns. Within the clearly defined grid, new, ever-changing constellations emerge. Much like a carpet pattern, they evoke different moods and interpretations. While the choreography and movement material are structurally constrained by the grid, as well as by numerical and geometric motifs, they continually push toward new possibilities of freedom and emancipation. The artists view this dynamic as an abstract metaphor for the dissolution of hierarchical structures and the emergence of freedom despite limitation.
The movement material consists of minimalist actions—such as joint flexions and shifts in body height through pliés and relevés—that are systematically explored across different directions and planes: sagittal, frontal, and horizontal. Through this reduction and abstraction—the principles also echoed in the work of Jalalieh and Zimmermann’s collaborators, Austrian visual artist Inge Dick and Swiss musician Christian Müller—the performance explores how the geometry of resistance can transform hierarchical systems and create new modes of coexistence.
Carpet of Time is a work in continuous development, expanding step by step. Different phases will be presented at various locations and in diverse settings. The movement and sound material are constantly evolving, with new elements introduced at each rehearsal, residency, or performance, allowing the piece to grow organically. A key focus is on exploring how the form and message of the performance unfold over time—from a 20-minute presentation to a 2- to 3-hour artistic statement, ultimately evolving into a dance performance that engages multiple dancers and artists. In close collaboration with Austrian award-winning photographer and visual artist Inge Dick, Swiss musician and composer Christian Müller, and Mexican lighting designer Victor Durán , and with the support of co-productions, residencies, and guest performance invitations, the artists will continue their creative process, showcasing the transformation of Carpet of Time—whether as a duo or a group on stage, in exhibitions, or in public spaces.
Jalalieh and Zimmermann first presented Carpet of Time – 1187 Movements in 2024, featuring two performers and a runtime of 18 minutes and 30 seconds. The developed piece was showcased at Kunstraum Lokal-int in Biel, Switzerland, and at ALDES, Spam! in Italy. In 2025, it will be performed at the Bezirk Festwocheneröffnung 15. Bezirk in Vienna, Austria. Meanwhile, Carpet of Time – 2673 Movements is currently in development. This piece, also for two performers, extends to approximately 40 minutes and is set to premiere at WUK performing arts in Vienna, Austria, on April 25 and 26, 2025. the next phase of Carpet of Time – 8019 Movements, is an expanded iteration for four performers and a ±60-minute runtime. Residencies at Tanzhaus Zürich and in Leveld Kunstnartun Air, Norway, have been confirmed for the project’s further development in autumn 2025.