The second Baku Carpet Festival, organised by Azerxalca Carpets, took place last weekend in multiple locations across the city centre. Here we look at some of the three-day event highlights including the day of lectures, multiple exhibitions and many rug demonstrations.
Last week Baku’s International Carpet Festival took place in the city centre. Day one, Friday 2 May was dedicated to a day forum on the history and current production of weavings of Azerbaijan and surrounding countries. Speakers included Aizhan Bekkulova Chairman of the Union of Artisans of Kazakhstan, Elmira Gil from the Uzbekistan State Academy of Arts, and art historian Ajap Bayriyeva from Turkenistan. Stefano Ionesco talked about Transylvanian carpets, Irina Koshoridze spoke on Georgian rug production, director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Amina Malikova discussed the museum history, Sumiyo Okumura looked at the Ottoman influence of Polish rugs, and Lucy Upward of HALI and COVER discussed the role of the magazines in reporting on rugs.
Days two and three focused on celebrating rug production, with a series of exhibitions, demonstrations, and international pavilions, plus musical and theatrical displays spread across the old city, Icherisheher. In Gosha Gala Square, ten pavilions for Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan, Tatarstan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan demonstrated the work of the local weavers of today. The area included a stage for music and live performance and was constantly busy with crowds of people, local and foreign visitors. The event also drew important visitors including Azerbaijan’s Minister of the Economy and President Ilham Aliyev’s daughters Leyla and Arzu.
Exhibitions included ‘Pileless Carpets’ at the beautiful Shirvanshahs Palace Complex while the latest stunning rug artworks by contemporary artist Faig Ahmed were on show in an exhibition called ‘Signs’ at the QGallery. Visitors were mesmorised by Ahmed’s work that takes rugs to another level. Two more contemporary artists Samira Allahverdiyeva and Aidan Salakhova both had exhibitions of the rugs they had made in collaboration with Azerxalca Carpets. Salakhova unveiled her eye-catching new piece titled Architecture of Memory while Allahverdiyeva’s rugs at the Baku Photography House were really enchanting.
Demonstrations of weaving, spinning and finishing plus master classes were found in Maiden Tower Square and Karavansaray Square in the Old City centre. Many Azerbaijani weavers were demonstrating their craft every day and on the final day the rug on the main loom on Gosha Gala Square was cut from the loom in a grand ceremony in which visitors were invited to help cut the warps. Sweets were then thrown onto the rug from the crowd to ensure the sweet life of the rug.
During the event, there was a chance to visit the National Carpet Museum and see the exhibition ‘Azerbaijan Carpet Splendour. Safavid Treasures’, featuring 14 rugs from the former Jim Dixon collection, now owned by Amir Oskouei.
The two day festival saw the streets of Baku’s old town thronging with people and carpets, which adorned the walkways and walls of the inner city centre. During Saturday and Sunday, locals of all ages and visitors to Baku were enjoying the demonstrations, music and performances. Baku is the only place to not only have its own carpet dedicated museum but also to hold an annual carpet festival. The country’s pride in its heritage was clear during the joyful event.
A big congratulations and thank you to Azerxalca Carpets for the invitation to the International Carpet Festival.
