Leyla Aliyeva Visits Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
Baku, The Gulf Observer: Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and head of the IDEA Public Union, visited the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum on December 29.
She was welcomed by Amina Malikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, and artist Emil Aziz.
During the visit, Leyla Aliyeva first viewed Emil Aziz’s solo exhibition titled “Pattern and Silhouette,” currently on display at the museum. The exhibition features around 50 works inspired by the rich heritage of Azerbaijani carpets, reinterpreted through a contemporary artistic perspective. Central themes include Garabagh horses and female portraits, with dynamic silhouettes harmoniously combined with traditional carpet motifs. The exhibition will run until January 12.
The Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation then toured the retrospective exhibition “Faig Ahmad: 2011–2024,” dedicated to Azerbaijan’s Honored Artist Faig Ahmed. The exhibition showcases key stages of the artist’s creative journey and highlights his innovative approach to Azerbaijani carpet art, blending classical weaving techniques with modern artistic philosophy and visual practices. Faig Ahmed’s works are widely exhibited in leading museums and private collections worldwide.
Subsequently, Leyla Aliyeva visited an exhibition dedicated to Latif Karimov, the founder of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum and a prominent artist and scholar. She was informed that 2026 will mark the 120th anniversary of Latif Karimov’s birth. During the tour, she viewed carpets designed by Karimov, along with his original sketches and archival materials.
In addition, Leyla Aliyeva toured the updated exhibition on the museum’s third floor, which highlights contemporary designer carpets and works of decorative and applied art by prominent Azerbaijani artists, including Eldar Mikailzada, Eldar Hajiyev, Samira Allahverdiyeva, Chingiz Babayev, Tariel Bashirov, Ali Pariyab and others. The exhibition also features rare examples of ceramics, wood carving, batik, tapestry and art glass dating from the 1970s and 1980s.
The visit underscored the continued importance of preserving and promoting Azerbaijan’s rich carpet-weaving traditions while supporting contemporary artistic innovation.
