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The Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Leyla-Khanum Aliyeva, Editor-in-Chief of Baku Magazine, are proud to present 'Azerbaijan: Flying Carpet to Fairy Tale', an exhibition of ancient and modern carpets from several regions of Azerbaijan. There will also be photographs exhibited from the book Azerbaijan, showing snow-peaked mountains, palaces of Khans and fragrant orchards.
The preview on 15 November will also include an exhibition of antique and contemporary carpets, photographs of Azerbaijan by international and Azerbaijani photographers, and the launch of the book Azerbaijan.
The exhibition is on until 21 November, and is a rare opportunity to discover magical masterpieces of carpet weaving, and carpets produced by textile schools in Azerbaijan.
Carpets are an essential element of the history and artistic heritage of Azerbaijan. One of the oldest surviving examples dates from the third century BC. Developed over the centuries, their intricate designs and artisan manufacture make them a unique aspect of the country's culture. Azerbaijani carpet weaving has been revered throughout the ages, and the great Azeri poets Nizami and Fizuli sang of the richness of Azerbaijani carpet design. Each carpet is lovingly
created as though it were a song from the heart and, it is said, that the creations of the carpet weavers actually reveal their innermost secrets. There is possibly no better way to learn the mysteries of the Azerbaijani soul than to examine the meaning of intricate patterns woven into our carpets. The elaborate designs embrace such themes as astronomy, the tree of life, sun motifs of the ancient Zoroastrians, and the symbols of Islam.
Ancient Azerbaijani carpets can today be found in the White House and US State Department. Our carpets are also on display in some of the world's most renowned museums; Azerbaijan State Carpet Museum, Baku; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Louvre Museum, Paris; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg; and the Vatican, Vatican City. Pope John Paul II's coffin rested on an Azerbaijani carpet.
