This suzani originates from present-day Uzbekistan, a country in Central Asia that borders Kazakhstan in the North and Afghanistan in the South. In Persian, suzan literally means “needle,” and the technique of constructing images with colorful thread is called suzandozi. The embroideries are created separately by members of the bride’s family and are later sewn together to make one large piece. The variation of colors and motifs that derives from the choices and taste of each of the embroiderers lends rhythm to the final composition, which can be displayed on a wall, as a bed or chest cover, or elsewhere. The circular shapes built with silk thread suggest fruit and flowers, and are probably derived from pre-Islamic iconography.

— Mariana Leme, mestranda em teoria e história da arte, ECA-USP, e integrante da equipe de curadoria, MASP, 2019

---