The “Art and Arms: The Artistic Vision of Traditional Azerbaijani Weapons” exhibition, dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, opened at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum on October 30.

Amina Melikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, and the project curators — Prorector of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, PhD in Art Studies, Associate Professor Sevil Karimova, and PhD in History Sabuhi Ahmadov — delivered speeches at the event. They spoke about the exhibition’s purpose and highlighted efforts to preserve, develop, and promote the historical and artistic values of Azerbaijan’s weapon art.

During the opening ceremony, students of the SABAH Center of the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts performed an artistic, dramatic, and choreographic composition titled “The Weapon of Justice Triumphs over Evil.”

The exhibition features nearly 30 artworks created by 26 painters and sculptors. This first large-scale project, prepared with a comprehensive approach to the theme, reflects a synthesis of academic and postmodernist perspectives, alongside the influence of classical miniature art.

The exposition also showcases rare weapon samples from the 16th–19th centuries, provided from the private collections of Yusif Baghirzade and Ilgar Hasanalizade. Among these exhibits are weapons belonging to Prince Abbas Mirza Qajar, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, a Safavid provincial governor, and the Khan of Shaki. Replicas of weapons attributed to Sultan Uzun Hasan and Shah Ismayil Khatai — including the Zulfiqar sword and shashka (Caucasian sabre) — crafted using traditional techniques, were also presented to visitors.

As part of the event, the new catalogue “Steel Patterns. Weapons Collection of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum,” authored by Sabuhi Ahmadov, was also presented. This publication is the first to systematically document the museum’s weapons collection.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture and the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, the exhibition holds special significance for showcasing Azerbaijan’s weaponry heritage, national craftsmanship traditions, and statehood history in an artistic context, while promoting national and cultural identity.

The exhibition will run until November 16, 2025.