Rudolf Stingel's carpet installations are a significant part of his artistic practice, blending conceptual art with immersive environmental experiences. These installations often transform entire exhibition spaces by covering floors and walls with intricate carpet patterns, inviting viewers to engage with the artwork in a multi-sensory manner.

One of Stingel's most notable carpet installations was at Palazzo Grassi in Venice in 2013. For this exhibit, Stingel covered the floors and walls of the entire museum with oriental carpet designs, creating an all-encompassing environment that blurred the lines between art and architecture. The installation evoked the rich history of Venice and Middle-European culture, drawing inspiration from Sigmund Freud's study in Vienna, where carpets played a significant role in the interior design. The result was a labyrinthine space that invited introspection and meditation, altering the viewer's perception of the gallery space (Whitney Museum of American Art) (Pinault Collection).

Stingel's use of carpet extends beyond traditional gallery settings. In his 2004 project "Plan B" at the Walker Art Center and Grand Central Terminal, he installed wall-to-wall carpeting in public and semi-public spaces. These carpets, designed with slightly "off" colors from a pre-existing pattern, created a welcoming yet disorienting effect. The installation highlighted the tension between contemporary art's role as both public culture and home decoration, transforming mundane spaces into dynamic minimalist artworks (Art Production Fund).

Another significant installation was his 1991 exhibition at Daniel Newburg Gallery in New York, where Stingel laid a bright orange carpet in an otherwise empty gallery. This forced visitors to reconsider the pictorial qualities of the architectural interior, challenging traditional notions of painting and display. The orange carpet installation was later repeated at the Venice Biennale, further exploring the interaction between art, space, and viewer (Whitney Museum of American Art) (Artnet).

Rudolf Stingel's carpet installations are a profound commentary on the materiality of art and its interaction with space and perception. By using carpets, Stingel not only references historical and cultural contexts but also invites viewers to engage with art in a physical and immersive way, transforming their experience of the space and the artwork within it (Whitney Museum of American Art) (Ocula) (Pinault Collection).