Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

A unique and extraordinary art project by renowned Azerbaijani photographer and art curator Aydin Sadikhov "Puppet and Theatrical Art of the Czech Republic" has been presented at Khatai Art Center's Gallery.

The event was organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Azerbaijan.

Speaking about the project, Aydin Sadikhov told Azernews that the creation and development of this project took three years.

To prepare the necessary photographic material for the exhibition, the artist visited famous puppet and theatrical museums in various cities of the Czech Republic and thoroughly studied the history of the emergence and evolution of this form of art in the country.

The exhibition opening attracted great public interest, with attendance by Ambassadors, representatives of various diplomatic missions, and prominent figures in the fields of art and culture.

At the official opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Azerbaijan Milan Sedlacek, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Arif Huseynov, director of the Khatai Arts Center Zahid Avazov, and the project author, photographer and curator Aydin Sadikhov.

In his speech, the Czech Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Milan Sedlacek, emphasized the successful development of cooperation and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He underlined that culture acts as a bridge that unites nations and shared that he had been involved in puppetry since childhood, making the theme of theater and puppets especially dear and interesting to him. It reminded him of the time when he himself participated in theatrical performances.

The ambassador also noted that puppetry holds a special place in Czech culture and is considered part of the nation's cultural heritage.

The characters from Czech fairy tales captured by Aydin Sadikhov offer a glimpse into the main heroes of Czech folklore and immerse viewers in the magical world of Czech marionette theater.

"Even such a segment as photographs of our puppets, the history of which is very rich and also important for the Czech nation and language, plays a meaningful role in understanding our culture. It is not for nothing that Czech puppetry has become part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage," the Ambassador said.

The photo exhibition featured 20 remarkable works, most of which were taken at the renowned puppet and theatrical museums of Plzen and Cesky Krumlov.

All the marionette puppets depicted in the photographs are incredible and unique creations of Czech puppeteers and artisans, who at different points in history were central figures in famous theatrical productions. Walking through the exhibition, each viewer was transported into different theatrical performances and fantastical worlds created by the hands and minds of Czech artists.

Puppet and Theatrical Art of the Czech Republic

In the presented photographs, the puppets appeared so lifelike that all viewers felt as if they were in a theater hall. The photos depicted scenes from puppet-theater performances of various genres, including Czech folk tales, legends, fantasy and satire, comedy, and even detective stories. Visitors to the exhibition were also treated to a big surprise – the opportunity to see several unique Czech marionettes in person, crafted in the most renowned puppet houses of Prague.

Among them were the famous characters created by the legendary Josef Skupa — "Spejbl" and "Hurvínek, " as well as figures from many old Czech fairy tales, such as "The Devil" and "the Water Goblin." The latter, known in Czech as "Vodnik", is a beloved character in Prague, both in the past and today. Almost every tourist who has visited Prague has likely taken a photo of his statue, located next to the old mill on the Čertovka River.

The exhibition also featured a dedicated stand showcasing dolls from other countries around the world: a puppet couple from Poland dressed in bright national costumes, a Samurai from Japan, the Mexican doll "Lele", a doll from Cameroon, and of course, the Prague Golem.

During his speech, the project's creator expressed gratitude to all the organizers and extended special thanks to the management of the Puppet Museum in the city of Plzen for the opportunity to conduct the photo shoot and subsequently present marionettes from this unique and fascinating museum.

At the conclusion of the official opening of the exhibition, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Azerbaijan, Milan Sedlacek, presented a commemorative Certificate to the author of the photo works and the project itself, Aydin Sadikhov.

All photos are provided by the curator and author of the exhibition Aydin Sadikhov.