Latvian museum director: Karabakh carpets tell a story

The Gulbene District History and Art Museum of Latvia plans to publish a book about famous Latvian artist Julijs Straume, who studied the art of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan, Valda Vorza, director of the Gulbene District History and Art Museum told Report.

"We are planning to publish a book and do joint projects with Azerbaijan, continue the exhibition activities of Latvian artists in Azerbaijan, which will contribute to strengthening cultural cooperation between the countries," she said.

Vorza admits that she is very glad that she came to Azerbaijan for the second time. She noted that this time Azerbaijan and Latvia were united by the work of the Latvian applied art artist Julijs Straume, who at the beginning of the last century, for about 16 years, lived and worked in the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. In Shusha, the Latvian artist taught applied arts lessons. There he made sketches of Karabakh carpets and studied all the subtleties of carpet weaving, including the specifics of ornaments characteristic of carpets from this region of Azerbaijan. These ornaments have been preserved in his catalogs and are used today.

"The book that we plan to publish will be devoted to the works of Julijs Straume, in which he used oriental motives. While he lived in Azerbaijan, he managed to learn carpet weaving and even weaved 10 carpets himself, having come up with their design," she said.

"Art and culture are the most stable bridge between the peoples of Azerbaijan and Latvia. People put the essence of the nation, their customs and traditions into the Karabakh carpets, these ornaments, these colors. Karabakh carpets tell a story, give us an idea of the life and life of that time. It is difficult to overestimate," she said.

Vorza also added that the collection from the Gulbene District History and Art Museum will be exhibited at the National Carpet Museum in Azerbaijan. "The exhibition will feature works of applied art woven in Latvia, replica carpets, designed by Julijs Straume, as well as interesting porcelain items," she said.