“Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” exhibition opens at the Heydar Aliyev Center

An exhibition themed “Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” opened at the Heydar Aliyev Center.

The First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, attended the opening of the exhibition.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, Anar Alakbarov, said that the centuries-old friendly and brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have been successfully developing, in recent years in particular, thanks to the personal relations between President Ilham Aliyev and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Noting that cultural ties have a special place in Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan relations, the Assistant to the President recalled the successful organization of culture days of the two countries.

Emphasizing that this exhibition was further evidence of friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries, Anar Alakbarov said, “The Heydar Aliyev Center has become a platform for international conferences and exhibitions. We would like to express our gratitude to the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, for supporting the event. Today, thanks to the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, and the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan, we are holding the first event dedicated to Uzbekistan at the Heydar Aliyev Center. Yesterday, there was a fantastic ballet performance “Lazgi. Dance of soul and love”. It is a dance that has been included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. As you know, Novruz holidays will be celebrated next week. During these festive days, visitors will have a chance to review the exhibition that opened today, as well as the installation by Daniel Wurzel “Air Fountain”, which was presented in the run-up to this exhibition.

Speaking at the event, the Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, expressed her satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan and the organization of the exhibition in the country. “A large-scale exhibition “Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” is opening at the Heydar Aliyev Center today. This exhibition is not just a collection of arts and crafts, it is a living testimony to the rich diversity of Uzbekistan's cultural heritage, an embodiment of its historical depth and cultural evolution”.

Noting that Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan had a unique historical connection, Saida Mirziyoyeva emphasized that both states were the embodiment of centuries-old history and rich cultural traditions. “Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan share many common aspects in history, culture and traditions. Both nations are famous for their hospitality, rich national cuisine and a vast heritage of folk crafts such as embroidery, wood carving and ceramics. Let this significant event become yet another bridge between our peoples and a testimony of common aspiration for beauty and harmony,” the Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan concluded.

After the speeches, the First Vice President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, and the Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan, Saida Mirziyoyeva, familiarized themselves with the exhibitions “Azerbaijani Carpet – A Dance of Loops” and “A Doll in Art”' prepared with support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The collection of carpets was prepared in eight years. The carpets demonstrated in the exhibition are “Creation”, “Shikargah”, “Khan's Hunt”, “War and Peace”, “Bendi-rumi”, “Shabakali”, “Adam and Eve”, “Aghajli”, “Narli”, “Gollu”, “Lechek-turunj”, “Four Seasons”, “Taghli”, “Jamadet”, as well as “Birds of Paradise” and “A Paradise Garden”. The carpets have breathed a new life into the ancient art of carpet weaving and evoked interest as unique samples of art.

The exhibition “A Doll in Art” features more than 200 dolls. Most of the works of art presented in the exhibition are made in a single copy and have great artistic value. Many of these works have won international puppet festivals and biennales.

Then, Mehriban Aliyeva and Saida Mirziyoyeva cut a ribbon symbolizing the opening of the exhibition “Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” and were familiarized with the exposition.

The exhibition held jointly with the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan, displays more than 140 samples of decorative and applied arts from the museum collection of this country. The exposition dedicated to cultural and historical heritage and national costumes of Uzbekistan reflects the revival of crafts characteristic of this country in the 19-20th centuries. Gold embroidery patterns of Bukhara have always occupied a special place among art forms of Uzbekistan.

The exhibition “Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” consists of several sections: gold-embroidered “chapans” (robes), which represent the main element of men's national costume, samples of decorative embroidery “suzani” on decorative textiles with predominantly floral and star motifs from cities such as Tashkent, Jizzak, Samarkand, Shakhrisabz, Nurata and Bukhara, as well as jewelry made of silver, turquoise and other precious stones by ancient craftsmen from Samarkand, Bukhara and Karakalpakstan.

National music of Uzbekistan was performed at the event.

Residents of Baku and capital city’s visitors alike have the opportunity to see the exhibition at the Heydar Aliyev Center until July 1, 2024.