NEWS

The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition "Two Hearts, One Destiny" on April 19. 

The exhibition represents the creativity of Ujal Hagverdiyev and Elena Hagverdiyeva, remarkable Azerbaijani artists and an amazing couple that has carried out each other's love and art passion through life.

The exhibition will feature nearly 54 paintings and works of decorative and applied art, including Elena Hagverdiyeva's "Carpet Gardens" series of paintings.

The artist's works include beautiful landscapes, still lifes, reminiscent of Safavid palace carpets, hunting scenes and garden view

The exhibition invites you to enjoy a  a never-seen-before facet of Ujal Hagverdiyev's art  through vibrant paintings, graphics, murals, poetry, and applied art. Among them are embroidery, ceramics, stone and woodwork.

Ujal Hagverdiyev's art is distinguished by the iconographic images of saints, portraits of his spouse and muse Elena in the Italian Renaissance style, tableau vivant, and compositions that evoke associations with the works of the great modern artists. Most of his ceramics and woodworks depict animal world. 

A catalogue "Two Hearts One Destiny" will be also presented as part of the event. Notably, the catalogue has been published in three languages.

The Carpet Museum will hold master classes and lectures within the exhibition that runs until June 19. 

Shusha, known as the pearl of Karabakh, is one of the symbols of Azerbaijan's history and culture.

Founded by Panahali Khan in 1752, the city is replete with historical marvels exuding an epitome of the country's history.

The year 2022 marks the 270th anniversary of the foundation of the city.

The ancient monuments in Shusha offer an insight into the city's history and culture.

Azerbaijan's cultural capital is home to some fascinating sights like Shusha Castle, Bulbul's House-Museum, Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque, Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque, etc.

Considering its historical and cultural significance, the city of Shusha has been declared the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2023.

The decision was made by the TURKSOY Permanent Council at an extraordinary meeting in Bursa, the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2022.

The meeting chaired by the Term Coordinator of the Permanent Council of  TURKSOY and Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy gathered Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov, Secretary-General of the Organization of Turkic States Bagdad Amreyev, Secretary-General of TURK-PA (Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking Countries) Mehmet Sureyya Er, Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation President Gunay Afandiyeva and other officials.

At the meeting, Culture Minister Anar Karimov suggested that the city of Shusha in Azerbaijan be declared Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2023  and made a presentation on the history of Shusha as well as its cultural heritage and natural landscapes.

The presentation was followed by voting of the TURKSOY Permanent Council as a result of which the city of Shusha in Azerbaijan was unanimously selected as Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2023.

The announcement of Shusha city as the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2023 gives grounds to say that the ancient city rises from the ashes.

Major work is carried out to restore historical, cultural and religious sights in the city liberated from almost three decades of the Armenian occupation.

Numerous cultural and sports events will be held in the city, including joint projects with the Turkic-speaking states.

At the same time, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order declaring the city of Shusha as Azerbaijan's cultural capital in order to restore Shusha's historical appearance, bring its former glory to the city as well reunite it with the traditionally rich cultural life.

Now Azerbaijan is determined to bring back life to the formerly occupied territories and to turn the city into the major cultural center.

Russian users have filed a class-action lawsuit for 60 million rubles (more than $700,000) against the streaming service Netflix in the Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow, Konstantin Lukoyanov, lawyer of “Chernyshev, Lukoyanov and Partners”, told TASS, Report informs.

“Today, we filed a class-action lawsuit against Netflix in the Khamovnichesky District Court of Moscow. The basis for the lawsuit was a violation of the rights of Russian users in connection with Netflix’s unilateral refusal to provide services in Russia. The amount of claims at the stage of filing a lawsuit is 60 million rubles,” he noted.

A famous blogger will present a project aimed at promoting Azerbaijani culture through social media accounts, as well as through the Netflix platform, the Ministry of Culture told Report.

French comedian Patrick Veiseiller, also known as Patrick le Chinois, accompanied by a group of employees of the Culture Ministry, is implementing the project in the format of a car tour and has visited Naftalan, Goygol, Shaki, Baku to shoot programs on the history, national and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.

The blogger will also present reports on the architecture and cultural environment of the capital Baku and the city.

Azerbaijan and Hungary are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

This partnership covers all spheres of bilateral cooperation such as political, economic and cultural.

Spectacular gala concert has been held at the International Mugham Center as part of the celebration.

The Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Viktor Szederkenyi addressed the event.

In his speech, the Ambassador stressed the importance of the diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Hungary

He expressed his hope for further strengthening of this partnership in various spheres including the field of culture.

The Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, Co-chair of the Azerbaijani-Hungarian joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic cooperation Sahil Babayev praised the positive dynamics of economic ties between the two countries.

He noted the special role of the intergovernmental commission in their further development.

Around 50 documents have been signed between the two countries over the past years.

The joint business forums and other events also contribute to the expansion of this partnership.

The Minister said that relations between Azerbaijan and Hungary are also actively developing in the field of science and education.

First Deputy Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Ali Huseynli noted that the Azerbaijani-Hungarian inter-parliamentary relations are at a high level, mutual visits are made, close ties have been established between the committees of the parliaments of the two countries.

Furthermore, the State Chamber Orchestra under the baton of the Honored Artist Ayyub Guliyev, director of the International Mugham Center, People's Artist Murad Huseynov and director of the Heydar Aliyev Palace, Honored Artist  Ramil Gasimov performed the works by Azerbaijani, Hungarian and European composers.

Their magnificent performances were greeted with a storm of applause.

Honored Artist Inara Babayeva will perform a concert at the International Mugham Center on April 14.

She will be accompanied by pianist Roza Salimova. The evening will feature works by Azerbaijani and foreign composers.

It should be noted that Inara Babayeva has a strong and beautiful voice. She is the leading soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.

On the theater stage,  Inara Babayeva brilliantly performs the main parts in world-famous opera productions.

The Liminality personal exhibition of the famous Azerbaijani artist Aida Mahmudova has opened at the Gazelli Art House Gallery in London, the press service of the YARAT Contemporary Art Space told Trend.

The exhibition’s curator is Alistair Hicks.

Considering her rapidly modernizing country’s forgotten and marginal corners, Mahmudova uses art as an outlet to give a feeling of stability to co-exist in this unprecedented environment. Art gives no boundaries, but, on the contrary, opens to any communicational variations for the painter.

The concept of space is closely investigated through the lens of the artist. As Mahmudova explains, "we exist within space, we co-exist in parallel, and space exists within us." Space can be a place where one physically or spiritually exists, creating the concept of one’s reality and illusions.

Marc Augé’s concept of non-places explores the idea of transition or the liminal, as a crossroads of human relations to what humans perceive but only partially and incoherently.

Aida Mahmudova explores the theme of juxtaposition of private and public, places and non-places, spaces and non-spaces. Marc Augé’s concept of non-places investigates the idea of transition, non-spaces discourage ‘settling in’ contrasting with the notion of ‘home’ and identity, where a paradox exists. Although that space can be equally alienating to anyone, one can feel ‘comfortable’ and ‘relational’.

By shedding light on liminality, or threshold crossing, Aida Mahmudova explores spaces of transition and disorientation. Initially coined by Arnold Van Gennep, rites of passage in 1909, the notion that an individual’s life comprises of a series of transitions into three stages, separation, transition and return, where liminality is transition. Liminality has both spatial and temporal dimensions and can be applied to various subjects: individuals, communities, societies, and entire civilisations. On the contrary, nature has a sense of stability, timeless and open space, where Mahmudova regularly returns to as a source of inspiration.

"It’s the artist and the medium. The never-ending relationship between me and the other resembles perpetual conversation. It takes full involvement from both sides. The act itself is the purest form of creation. This, in turn, gives you a unique opportunity to engage in authentic and unguarded communication with unfolding perspectives. It connects and unites us in the moment of now, giving versatile, unpredictable and beautiful outcomes," she says.

The Culture Ministry and Karabakh Revival Foundation have signed a memorandum of understanding. 

The document was signed by the Culture Minister Anar Karimov and Chairman of the Board of the Karabakh Revival Foundation Rahman Hajiyev.

The memorandum covers the restoration, reconstruction and protection of the historical and cultural monuments in Azerbaijan's liberated territories. It also contributes to sustainable settlement in the liberated territories.

The document aims to create favorable living conditions, and develop and transform these territories into prosperous regions.

The Memorandum of Understanding analyzes the real situation of historical and cultural objects in need of restoration in the liberated lands, the restoration and reconstruction of movable or immovable cultural heritage, which is of great importance in terms of historical and artistic interest.

The agreement also stipulates the study of historical, architectural and archeological monuments by expert groups, and the preparation of scientific publications on the basis of research, history and culture of the liberated territories including Shusha city. 

The MoU focuses on the implementation of joint projects in connection with the announcement of Shusha city as the  Turkic World Cultural Capital for 2023 and. Islamic Culture Capital 2024.

This cooperation will cover important issues such as the involvement of a wide circle of Azerbaijani society and the diaspora in the restoration and reconstruction work.

The sides noted that the memorandum of understanding plays a major role in the restoration, reconstruction and improvement of the socio-economic welfare of the liberated territories.

Notably, Karabakh Revival Foundation was set up under the presidential decree in 2021 in order to ensure a modern and decent living conditions in the liberated territories, to carry out construction, restoration and landscaping work in all areas, as well as to support the continuous improvement of safe living, efficient activities and prosperity.

The Fund provides financial support and attracts investment to the activities towards the restoration and reconstruction of the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, the transformation of this region into a sustainable economy and a prosperous region while ensuring the development of public-private partnership in this area, as well as carrying out necessary awareness campaigns at home and abroad.

Karabakh Revival Foundation is financed through donations provided by individuals and legal entities, grants, as well as other sources not prohibited by law.

The House-Museum of Jamil Ahmadov, Hero of the Soviet Union is located in Jabrayil district. It was established in 1985, as a branch of the History and Ethnography Museum of Jabrayil district.

The Museum was constructed in the courtyard of the secondary school named after Jamil Ahmadov by the resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers. The museum covering a total area of 100 square meters consisted of three rooms. Jamil Ahmedov’s bust was put up by the well-known sculptor Omar Eldarov.

In the beginning, the museum contained about 500 exhibits, and then the number of exhibits increased to 800.

A very small number of museum pieces were handed over to the museum center in Baku a while before the occupation of the Jabrayil district by the Armed Forces of Armenia in 1993. At the present time, those exhibits are kept in the Independence Museum of Azerbaijan.

One of the most interesting monuments of medieval architecture is the bridge over the Khram river. It is located along the Gazakh-Tbilisi highway, just on the state border between Azerbaijan and Georgia. The bridge was constructed in the 12th century. The length of the bridge is 175 meters and the width is 4.3 m. The width of its entrance from both sides is 12.4 m. The highest point of the bridge over the water is 26m. It has four spans with different sizes (8.2m, 16.1m, 8m, 26.1m). All construction lined with red baked brick. That is why it is called the "Girmizi korpu" (The Red Bridge).

A multicellular inner space between the spans on both banks of the bridge served as caravansary in the past. The area of the rooms is 168 sq. meters on the left bank and 116 sq. metres on the right bank. The presence of such large caravansaries demonstrates the strategic importance of the Red Bridge on the vital trade routes. The style of the Red Bridge is similar to medieval bridges, located in Khudaferine, Ganja, Maragha and Ardabil.

Among the folk, there is another name in use for this bridge - "Siniq Korpu" (The Broken Bridge). However, historically the ancient Broken Bridge was located 100 meters from the current bridge downstream. The remains of the old bridge still exist along the flow of the river.