2024-03-01 00:08:08
An exhibition entitled “Salam, Novruz!” was opened at the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art in Baku, Day.Az reports with reference to Trend.
The exhibition is dedicated to the arrival of spring and one of the most ancient, beloved and cheerful holidays in Azerbaijan – Novruz Bayrami, which incorporates the traditional values of our people.
The exhibition is organized by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art.
The event was attended by prominent public figures, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan, famous representatives of culture and art.
According to the director of the museum, Honored Cultural Worker Shirin Melikova, at the opening day, timed to coincide with the first harbinger of the spring holiday – Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), about 80 works of decorative, applied and fine art from the museum’s collection are presented.
“The exhibition space, which has an interesting concept, is divided into five thematic halls dedicated to Su, Od, Yel and Torpag Chershenbesi (four pre-holiday Tuesdays, symbolizing the elements of the universe), as well as the Novruz holiday itself,” she noted.
The exhibition aroused great interest among museum visitors; at the entrance to the exhibition halls they were greeted by an interactive “Tree of Wishes”, and everyone could write down their cherished dreams on pieces of paper, which would then be attached to the tree, as if enveloping it in green foliage, thereby making their contribution to exhibition design.
In the hall dedicated to Su Chershenbesi (Tuesday of Water), ceramic water vessels of the Bronze Age, decorated with geometric patterns, as well as examples of artistic metal of the 19th century, distinguished by the beauty of their shapes and exquisite patterns, are presented – dolch and syahyang jugs, a washstand, a water bowl, a ritual bowl “Chiljam”, which is also called “gyrkh achar” (forty keys), etc.
In the next room, dedicated to Od Chershenbesi (Tuesday of Fire), samples of ancient ceramics are presented, reflecting the beliefs of our ancestors associated with fire and the sun. These are sophisticated artistic embroideries of the 19th century in various techniques, distinguished by excellent colors and decorated with ornaments and images with the symbolism of the sun; samples of weapons – helmets and shields, as well as other unique examples of art.
In the hall dedicated to Yel Chershenbesi (Tuesday of Air), among the examples of decorative art associated with the element of air are elegant kelagai, graceful fans and a wind instrument – the “ney” flute. To create dynamics in the hall and, in general, an atmosphere characteristic of Yel Chershenbesi, interactive methods were used.
Continuing the theme of the exhibition, the hall dedicated to Torpag Chershenbesi (Earth Tuesday) is decorated with carpets, artistic embroidery and other types of folk art with ornaments symbolizing soil, fertility and productivity, as well as exhibits related to folk rituals held on this day, which also called Ilahir chershenbesi.
The fifth hall reflects the astronomical new year, the spring equinox, the end of winter and the onset of spring. In this hall, where a festive atmosphere is created, the audience is presented with a colorful interactive khoncha, decorated with the main attributes of Novruz.
In the exhibition, elements of Nowruz are brought to life through photo and video projections, images and sound effects, and spring ritual songs performed by folk groups are heard.
Before entering the thematic halls of the exhibition “Salam, Novruz!” presented paintings and graphic works by Azim Azimzade, Sattar Bahlulzade, Elmira Shakhtakhtinskaya and other outstanding Azerbaijani artists dedicated to this ancient spring holiday.
The exhibition, painted with the bright colors of the holiday and including all the attributes and symbols of Nowruz, invites visitors to take a journey through time and space.
The curator of the exhibition is the director of the museum, Honored Cultural Worker, Doctor of Philosophy in Art History, Associate Professor Shirin Melikova.
The exhibition will run until April 15, 2024.
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