Azernews.Az

By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

The work "Nar" ("Pomegranate") of Samani Shakhsuvar Gasimzade, the Azerbaijani master in tapestries and kilim, has aroused great interest at the exhibition "Gardens of Eden", which was presented in an ancient Austrian castle Schloss Neuhaus, located on the bank of the Danube River.

To participate in the international project, organized by the European Textile Network (ETN), more than 450 works were submitted and only about 70 of them were selected for the exhibition by the competent jury.

Addressing the 19th ETN International Conference in Haslach, Austria, Gasimzade spoke about her work and the history of Azerbaijani decorative and applied art.

For about 30 years, Gasimzade has been creating tapestries and kilims - works of art, paintings created with the help of threads interwoven into incredible patterns, ornaments, compositions and plots.

Each of her work has its own exceptional mood, there is a soul in each of them.

Majority of the artist’s works reflect the ancient culture and history of Azerbaijan - these are compositions dedicated to Gobustan, the ancient part of Baku - Icherisheher, Absheron, the village of Khinalig and the pomegranate.

Emphasizing that pomegranate is a symbol of Azerbaijan, which symbolizes fertility and wealth, Gasimzade noted that in Azerbaijan, poems and books are written, songs are composed about pomegranate, and it is considered a paradise fruit from ancient times.

She said that the annual Pomegranate Festival is held in Azerbaijan during the days of the harvest of pomegranate.

“Pomegranate ornaments take an important place in our ancient arts and crafts, carpet weaving and culture. This fruit is used in the preparation of many dishes of national cuisine. I wanted to show the beauty of this amazing fruit, our nature, the mystery of human harmony with my work “Nar”,” she noted.

Pomegranate is a unique fruit, and Azerbaijan is the only country in the world where all varieties of pomegranate grow.

The juice of the pomegranate is not only tasty, but also very healthy. Pomegranates are used in traditional medicine, are recommended to address a variety of ailments, including poor appetite. The pulp is used to improve the appetite.

Decoction of the root is used as an anesthetic, juice is helpful for people who suffer from anemia, for diabetics and is used to stabilize the pressure. The pomegranate peel is good for normalization of digestion.

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Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1

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