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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan is once again presenting its rich cultural identity and contemporary artistic vision at the Venice Biennale, one of the world's most prestigious art platforms.

On May 7, the opening of the Azerbaijani Pavilion at the International Art Exhibition – Venice Biennale took place with the organization of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry, and with the support of Azerbaijan's Embassy in Italy, AzerNEWS reports.

The Azerbaijani Pavilion is located at Campo della Tana, a 16th-century architectural monument in Venice, and this year it is represented by Honored Artist Faig Ahmad's project "The Attention." The project is Azerbaijan's contribution to one of the most important international platforms for contemporary art. At the center of the pavilion is the carpet, a key and recurring element in the artist's creative practice.

The pavilion presents not only Azerbaijan's artistic and aesthetic world, but also its philosophical traditions, cultural memory, and contemporary technological outlook to a global audience.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov stated that Azerbaijan's successful participation in the Venice Biennale for 19 years is one of the major achievements of the country's international cultural policy. He emphasized that this success is based on the consistent and purposeful work carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation to promote Azerbaijani culture worldwide.

"Participation in such a prestigious platform as the Venice Biennale is a unique opportunity to introduce our country’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary artistic potential to an international audience," Anar Alakbarov noted.

President of the Venice Biennale Pietrangelo Buttafuoco stated in his speech that the Azerbaijani Pavilion is not only an artistic event, but also a profound spiritual and aesthetic experience. He noted that through the colors and symbols reflected in Azerbaijani carpets, the universal language of art directs people toward their inner world. According to Buttafuoco, art is a shared spiritual necessity of humanity, and this beauty has the power to transcend borders, languages, and generations, uniting peoples. He described Azerbaijan as one of the integral and important partners of the Venice Biennale.

Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Italy Rashad Aslanov underlined that the national pavilion is not merely a venue for exhibiting artworks, but also an important platform for presenting Azerbaijan’s spirit, history, and cultural identity to the world. The ambassador highlighted the project’s special significance in terms of international cultural cooperation and intercultural dialogue.

The curator of Azerbaijan's national pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, Gwendolyn Collaço, thanked everyone involved in the project and spoke about the presented exhibition.

The author of "The Attention" project, Honored Artist Faig Ahmad, is known for his distinctive visual language in contemporary art. The carpet, which serves as a central element in his work, once again becomes the project’s main philosophical symbol. Traditional Azerbaijani carpet art is presented not merely as a decorative element, but as a metaphor for collective memory, time, and human consciousness.

The conceptual foundation of the project is based on the philosophical heritage of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Imadaddin Nasimi. Inspired by the Hurufi school of thought, the exhibition invites viewers on an inner journey of reflection through an immersive and multimodal spatial experience. Here, letters, signs, and symbols are presented as hidden codes of the universe.

One of the most striking features of "The Attention" project is its synthesis of traditional art and advanced technologies. The exhibition integrates quantum-based systems, neuroreactive, and data-driven technologies to create a new aesthetic and philosophical experience. The project draws parallels between Hurufi philosophy and modern quantum physics: in both approaches, reality is not fixed, but is shaped through attention, interaction, and interpretation.

Thus, "The Attention" is not merely an exhibition, but also becomes an artistic manifesto of contemporary philosophical thought about human consciousness, information, memory, and reality. In a modern world characterized by information overload, chaos, and uncertainty, the project calls on people to rediscover inner harmony and spiritual connection.

This year's presentation of the Azerbaijani Pavilion once again demonstrates that Azerbaijan is not only an active participant in global cultural processes, but also successfully continues its role as a spiritual and aesthetic bridge between East and West.

Held since 1895, the Venice Biennale is a major platform showcasing world art.

Azerbaijan has participated in the Venice Art Biennale every two years since 2007. In 2025, Azerbaijan was also represented for the first time at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

At the Venice Art Biennale, Azerbaijan consistently attracts audiences with different and original exhibitions. In previous years, the Azerbaijani Pavilion was also ranked among the top five participating countries and included among the most impressive pavilions. Azerbaijan's presentation at this international art platform with works by various painters and sculptors each time plays a significant role in promoting Azerbaijani art and contemporary artists worldwide, as well as in fostering cultural exchange.

The 61st Venice Art Biennale, which will welcome visitors starting May 9, will continue until November 22.