Baku and amateur art

Kirill Popov exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

On May 8th, I visited Baku for the second time with a group of amateur artists of the History Department of MSU. Both trips were connected with our performances devoted to the Victory Day – a holiday which continues tying our countries by historic memory. Thus, our department contributes to development of friendship and mutual understanding between countries in the post-Soviet space.

This time the concert took place at the Baku MSU branch. So, we could say we were at home in Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, presence of veterans and the president of the branch Nargiz Pashayeva made our performance very responsible. Huge tension was felt, but it disappeared when the audience warmly welcomed us on the stage with two performances devoted to Azerbaijan.

Two years passed since our first trip to Baku, but the city has changed. The Azerbaijani capital is permanently being constructed. Some big projects come to an end, other begin. Baku Crystal Hall which hosted Eurovision was completed, as well as three buildings of Flame Towers in these two years. A bridge over the Baku Bay is being built. New residential areas are being constructed. However, every medal has its reverse. On the one hand, we can see that Baku is rich, modern, and lively. On the other hand, the city looks like a remake appeared on the Apsheron Peninsula in last 50-100 years. Icherishekher, the old part of the city, is almost lost behind new skyscrapers.

The flower festival leaves a special impression on you. It is celebrated annually on May 10th. It coincides with the birthday of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, and many flower sculptures are traditionally devoted to him. This year Azerbaijan marked the 90th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev’s birth. State flags were seen on balconies and windows of many houses, and a big concert took place on the anniversary day.

During our trip to Azerbaijan we faced not only the modern, but also the ancient history of the land. Gobustan keeps vivid evidence on its earliest residents – rock carvings. The archeological museum situated in the history art reserve park is devoted to life of prehistoric people. The museum is modern and interactive. It is interesting even to people who have nothing in common with archeology. For children, an excursion turns into an exciting game.