Weave your own rug at Carpet Museum
By Laman Ismayilova
An interesting event will take place in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum on May 18.
Every visitor will be able to weave a carpet, contribute to the process of carpet weaving.
An interactive installation called "Weave your thread" is timed to International Museum Day. The event is supported by the National Committee of ICOM Azerbaijan.
As part of the project three frame-machines for weaving the pile-less carpet "zili" will be set in the foyer.
The coils of multi-colored threads are strengthened on the frames. Each visitor can weave one or more thread-rows into a future lint-free carpet, choosing the colors. The museum workers are always ready to assist and visually show the way in which carpets of the "zili" type are woven. Thus, this installation is not only a constantly changing art object, but also a tool for a master class designed for a very wide audience.
The museum director, the Chairman of the ICOM National Committee Azerbaijan, doctor of philosophy in art criticism Shirin Melikova said that ancient carpet weaving techniques have been reviving in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum for several years. "Zili" - one of them, belongs to the most ancient.
"The training of visitors to carpet weaving on the example of this complex and beautiful technique of a pile-free carpet is the first interactive experience of this kind in the museum sphere of Azerbaijan." The Wave a Thread "installation helps the visitor feel him/herself not only as a spectator, but also as a participant in the carpet making process in co-authorship with many other visitors. It is interesting that unlike the work on the finished sketch, the result of the work is unpredictable - it depends on the imagination of many people," said Melikova.
Thus, taking part in this project, each visitor will gain not only unforgettable impressions, but also new skills. The projects help better understand the details of national culture.
Every year since 1977 the worldwide community of museums has celebrated the International Museum Day on May 18. Participation in International Museum Day is growing among museums all over the world. In 2017, more than 36,000 museums participated in the event in some 157 countries.
The theme chosen for 2018 is "Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics".
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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