Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

With its rich cultural heritage, Shusha has always been a source of great inspiration for art and cultural figures.

Considering the city's role in Azerbaijan's cultural life, the Culture Ministry and Shusha State Reserve have launched a joint project "Shusha creativity workshop", Azernews reports.

The unique art project brought together 30 art and cultural figures from Azerbaijan and Turkiye.

The project aims to raise awareness of international and local communities about the Armenian vandalism committed in Azerbaijani territories through the artworks of people working in the creative industry.

The artworks created under the impressions of the visit will be showcased in Baku in the future.

The project participants familiarized themselves with the city's historical and cultural sites, including Bulbul House-Museum, Shusha Castle, the Molla Panah Vagif Museum Mausoleum Complex, statues of Azerbaijan's outstanding cultural and art figures destroyed as a result of the Armenian vandalism as well as the Jidir Duzu (Plain).

A visit to Shusha was among the biggest dreams of talented artist Shahla Askarova, who is also a member of the Azerbaijani Union of Artists.

"For the first time, I am in the city of Shusha. I dreamt of seeing this beautiful land - the pearl of Karabakh. I have so many emotions. I am inspired by this project, by the fact that I am in the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, the city that gave us outstanding personalities, and artists. Their oeuvres always inspire us. We will always remember our martyrs, the courageous sons of the motherland, who gave their lives for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity," she told Trend Life.

Shahla Askarova embroiders carpets, thus the works get the texture of a woven fabric. According to the master, what she saw during the trip will be reflected in her new work.

"The new work will reflect my impressions, feelings, emotions... Of course, I already have ideas, sketches, and now I dream of starting work as soon as possible. I think the new work should reflect the revival of the city of Shusha, cultural values," she added.

Famous musicologist and composer, professor at Baku Music Academy Konul Huseynova believes that the Shusha creative workshop is extremely important in terms of revealing the potential of people of art and their creative possibilities.

"We are people of art, creative figures, we invariably set ourselves the mission to create and pass on to future generations works dedicated to the motherland. Therefore, this project is of great importance in the implementation of our creative ideas," she said.

Konul Huseynova, widow of Lt-Col Rashad Atakishiyev, the pilot of the MiG-29 fighter jet of the Azerbaijan Air Forces, who crashed during a training flight in 2019, expressed her confidence that all creative ideas will be successfully implemented within the project including the premiere of new music pieces at a gala concert.

Azerbaijan's well-known writer Ismayil Iman comes to the city of Shusha not for the first time, but every time he feels awe, emphasizing that Shusha is the heart of Azerbaijan.

"This is the third time I've been in the city of Shusha. I've been here in the winter, in the spring. Every time I see great changes. Restoration work is underway in Shusha. The city is being revived, life is returning here. I'm glad to be in the city of Shusha as a participant in the project "Shusha creativity workshop". It is a good initiative that they created an opportunity for representatives of culture and art to plunge into this indescribable atmosphere within the framework of a creative project," he said.

Shusha's motifs were present in the writer's books before. After his visit to Shusha, Ismayil Iman will create completely new works inspired by Azerbaijan's cultural center.

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