Magic carpets from Azerbaijan land in Madrid
If there is one thing that defines the identity of Azerbaijan par excellence, it is the art of weaving its pastries and carpets, to the point that despite being a millenary art, it has preserved its specific essence in each of its regions.
Twenty of the best examples arrive in Madrid
Twenty of its finest examples have arrived in Madrid to make up an exhibition at the Royal Tapestry Factory. They come from Garabakh, Baku, Gazakh, Shaki, Nakhchivan and Shirvan, a collection of a textile art declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010.
The exhibition served as a portico for the signing of a Collaboration Agreement between the emblematic Spanish Royal Tapestry Factory and its Azerbaijani counterpart Azerkhalcha. The respective heads of both, Alejandro Klecker and Emin Mammadov, respectively, highlighted the great common history that Spain and Azerbaijan share in the art of tapestry. Klecker revealed that Spain was already making carpets three centuries before they became popular in Europe, and that the so-called Spanish knot, as much of Asian origin as the Azerbaijani, has always been highly appreciated both in the courts and in the most refined salons of the nobility.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Ramiz Hasanov, in his inaugural speech of the exhibition, was proud of the millenary history of the art of tapestry in his country, emphasising that the exhibition, which is now on display in Madrid until the middle of next January, is the result of the transmission of its knowledge to new generations, and he welcomed the new and future activities of joint collaboration between the Royal Tapestry Factory and Azerkhalcha.
On the other hand, the exhibition is part of the events organised by Azerbaijan to commemorate the centenary of the birth of its national leader, Heydar Aliyev, and which has served for both countries to conclude different agreements of cooperation and exchange of specialists in the field of Culture, Education and Science.
