By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Culture Minister Anar Karimov has met with Azerbaijani artists living in Turkey.

Many political and art figures, including Azerbaijani Ambassador to Turkey Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan's Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Narmina Mustafayeva, a well-known conductor, teacher at Istanbul Conservatory, People's Artist, Ramiz Melikaslanov, famous drummer, People's Artist   Alikhan Samadov, talented artist, teacher at Istanbul Yeditepe University, Honored Art Worker Teymur Rzayev, director of Istanbul City Municipality Theater, Honored Art Worker Melahet Abbasova and others attended the event held at Turkan Saylan Cultural Center. 

In his remarks, Anar Karimov stressed that the close multilateral ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey also cover the cultural sphere.

The Minister pointed out that the holding of joint projects between the two countries, including cooperation in the field of cinema was on the agenda during his visit to Turkey.

This topic was discussed in detail with representatives of the Turkish film industry.

Furthermore, cultural figures exchanged views on the creative and pedagogical activities of Azerbaijani artists in Turkey.

The meeting discussed the work done to promote Azerbaijani culture and art, and future perspectives.

Anar Karimov also viewed the exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of People's Artist Mikayil Abdullayev and the premiere of the play "Someone is to blame" staged by the Mask-Kara Theater on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the playwright, writer and cultural figure Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev.

During his trips to India, Afghanistan, Hungary, Poland, Italy and other countries, Mikayil Abdullayev painted Bengali Girls, Rajasthani Women, An Old Afghan, as well as portraits of Zsigmond Kisfaludi Stróbl, Renato Guttuso, Giacomo Manzù, etc.

He also painted Azerbaijan's eminent cultural figures like Uzeyir Hajibeyov, Samad Vurgun, Mirza Fatali Akhundov and Farhad Badalbeyli.

Abdullayev's paintings were exhibited in cities such as Paris, London, Berlin, Montreal, Prague, Budapest, Belgrade, Sofia, Warsaw, Delhi, Cairo, Brussels. Abdullayev was also the designer of artistic panel in the Nizami Metro Station.

Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev is the author of many works like the epic tragedy in the Azerbaijani language "The Breaking of Unity" (1896),plays like "The Unlucky Young Man" (1900) and "Nymph Magic" (1901), historical tragedy " Shah Qajar" (1907), etc. 

He was also known as one of the first editors of "Molla Nasreddin" weekly magazine.

Beginning in 1906 Hagverdiyev wrote for the satirical magazine. In 1908, he directed Uzeyir Hajibeyov's opera "Leyli and Majnun". 

Between 1911 and 1916 he lived in Agdam having dedicated himself mostly to writing fiction.

In the next two years he lived and worked in Tbilisi as a reporter for the local Russian-language newspaper.

Hagverdiyev also translated some Russian writers as Gogol and Ostrovsky as well as European writers Shakespeare, Molière, Schiller and others into the Azerbaijani language.

The Culture Minister also visited the world-famous Topkapi Palace Museum.

A meeting was held here with the Deputy Chairman of the Turkish National Palaces Department, Professor Ahmet Chapoglu, and the Head of the Restoration and Conservation Department Cem Erish.

The meeting focused on establishing relations with the National Palace Department in the field of museums, including the exchange of experience through restoration and conservation workshops, the organization of trainings and exercises to share the experience of specialists working with their Azerbaijani counterparts.

The meeting also discussed the organization of an exhibition of miniatures on "Khamsa" motifs preserved in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Baku in the second half of 2021 as part of the "Year of Nizami Ganjavi" and an exhibition dedicated to Azerbaijani culture and history to be held in 2022 at the Topkapi Palace Museum.

Anar Karimov then viewed a special closed exhibition of 15th-century miniatures based on the motifs of the great Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi's "Khamsa" at the Topkapi Palace Museum. The Minister was informed about the valuable miniature samples.