The Heydar Aliyev Foundation and bp today presented the English version of the book “Azerbaijani Carpets, the Dance of Loops”. The presentation event took place as part of the Cultural Heritage Forum currently held in Baku. The forum is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan to commemorate the 100th birthday of National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
The book features Azerbaijani carpet art - one of the symbols of Azerbaijan’s national culture. For centuries, carpet artifacts have represented Azerbaijan as part of its national identity and one of its national values.
Addressing the presentation event, Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, bp’s vice president for the Caspian region, communications and external affairs, said: “As Azerbaijan’s long-term and reliable partner, bp has always supported initiatives and activities to promote the country’s rich cultural heritage and national values. We have a long-standing commitment to Azerbaijan and will continue to be closely engaged in the country economically, socially and culturally. We believe this marvellous publication presents a unique artistic treasure which is an invaluable contribution to the world’s cultural legacy. We would like to thank the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the opportunity to join this amazing project.”
The Azerbaijani version of the book and an exhibition featuring the same carpet artifacts collection as included in the book were presented in the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2022.
bp supported the production and publication of the English language version of the book. bp joined this wonderful book publication project as part of its commitment to promoting Azerbaijan’s rich and ancient history, its enduring traditional and moral values, fascinating cultural heritage and magnificent artistic treasury.
The picture of each carpet included in the book is accompanied by in-depth information about its distinctive features. In addition, the book includes information about the project, the history, the main trends and techniques of carpet making in Azerbaijan, as well as the architectural and cultural wonders which have inspired this marvellous project.
The carpets included in the book have been designed by six artists and handmade by 14 weavers. The carpets were made as part of the project developed by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and it took eight years to weave them from silk and wool coloured with natural dyes.