Azerbaijan has started showcasing its rich heritage of carpet weaving and modern artistic interpretation at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, Hungary.
The exhibition titled Azerbaijani Carpets: From Tradition to Contemporary Art was organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and several other government agencies, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.
Opening remarks were delivered by Museum of Ethnography Deputy Director Dr Gábor Vörös, Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Director Amina Melikova, and Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Hungary, Tahir Taghizade.
Speakers said the exhibition would make an important contribution to strengthening cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Hungary while promoting Azerbaijan’s carpet-weaving tradition and contemporary art on the international stage.
The exhibition features rare historical carpets dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries from the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum’s collection, alongside traditional textiles, national costumes, jewellery, carpet designs, and contemporary artworks. Visitors can explore carpet-weaving traditions from Karabakh, Shirvan, Baku, and other historical regions of Azerbaijan.
Also on display are works by People's Artists Latif Karimov and Eldar Mikayilzade, artist Chingiz Babayev, and multidisciplinary artist Medina, whose work explores the interaction of material, memory, and visual structure.
The exhibition’s central concept is to demonstrate how traditional ornamental motifs have evolved into contemporary artistic expression. Historical carpets are presented alongside modern artworks and digital installations, creating a dialogue between the past and the present.
The exhibition will remain open to visitors through July 26.
By Bakhtiyar Abbasov
