Aydin Sadigov brings photography art to next level

AHis large-scale project "Architectural Masterpieces of the World" has drawn much attention and interest from the public.

Launched in 2022, the project features separate events including photo exhibitions and presentations on the architectural masterpieces of different countries.

In his interview with Azernews, the photographer shares more details about the project and forthcoming events.

Q: How did you come up with the project "Architectural Masterpieces of the World"?

A:

The idea for the project was actually born quite a long time ago. As a professional photographer and curator, I have successfully implemented a multitude of cultural projects within seven years, including personal and group exhibitions, which draw attention to the history, traditions, and legends of different countries and informative seminars on art, literature, legends, and folklore. All these projects are united by a common theme-a of historical architecture, which is in my main focus in photography art. Architecture is an important and integral part of a large number of different sciences. Perhaps the simplest example of this: traveling and studying any architectural object, we automatically get acquainted with a certain part of history, geography, culture, traditions, and even legends. Through the project "Architectural Masterpieces of the World", I tried to connect the main features of architecture and history, culture, art, and traditions.

This project is essentially educational since its main goal is to provide insight into history, architectural masterpieces, and their authors. With the help of this project, I will try to show as much as possible famous and unknown architectural masterpieces scattered throughout the world.

Architecture is constantly evolving, which makes it possible to enjoy modern buildings, which over time will certainly find their place among architectural masterpieces. Before the construction, each architect studies the main architectural features of the past. With my project, I want to assist the architect's work, bringing him closer to new masterpieces. Taking this opportunity, I would like once again to separately thank the event organizers, especially the Azerbaijan University of Architecture and Construction, the Italy-Azerbaijan Design Center, as well as foreign embassies. Each event represents the architecture of a particular country, which makes it possible to explore the masterpieces of several cities.

For the most interesting and complete acquaintance with world architecture, each event within the project is divided into two parts. In the first part, the audience gets acquainted with a photo exhibition dedicated to architectural masterpieces, while the second part features a short lecture and presentation, which provide insight into the architectural features of the countries.

Q: First event within the project was devoted to Slovakia. Tell us a little about what connects you with this country.

A:

Slovakia is the geographical center of Europe and a country where there are no megacities, but at the same time, the most preserved medieval castles that are protected by UNESCO.

Charming old streets, majestic medieval castles, and perfectly preserved almost all types of architectural styles, all can be found in almost every city in this country. The abundance of ancient medieval castles and churches make up an amazing architectural ensemble of Slovakia. The main focus of the photo exhibition, presented as part of this event, was made by me on the Slovakian medieval castles. The exhibition featured photographs of Bratislava Castle, Orava Castle, Stara Lubovna, Spis Castle, Beckov Castle, Cachtice, Trencin, and Devin Castle.

Ever since my school years, I have always been attracted to the study of medieval castles, as their walls contain the country's unique historical heritage and even many interesting legends, which can be found in almost every castle in Slovakia. Each castle in Slovakia is unique in its own way and has its own architectural features, which were demonstrated as part of the exhibition.

Q: Your further photo works were devoted to the Czech Republic and Poland. What are the main architectural features of these countries?

A:

The second and third events within the project were devoted to the architectural and historical heritage of the Czech Republic and Poland. The exhibitions drew attention to the history of architectural styles, which can be clearly traced by examining the architectural masterpieces of these countries. For instance, the exhibition on the Czech Republic demonstrated Gothic architecture. The central place in the exposition was given to architectural masterpieces of Prague, the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic.

With its centuries-old history, this city has been replenished with architectural masterpieces of different eras, striking with the splendor of ancient and modern architecture. The interweaving of architectural styles is especially noticeable in the central part of the city, where the quarters of Gothic and Baroque buildings, Romanism, and Renaissance

buildings are perfectly preserved. Prague is, in its way, a magnificent museum of Gothic architecture. Gothic style was especially common in the Middle Ages. Many rulers tried to leave a memory of themselves and erect a largescale structure in this architectural style. Vivid representatives of the Gothic direction are, first of all, religious buildings. Spiers, elongated windows, and ornate carved details, adorning the walls and roof are distinctive architectural elements of this style. A vivid example of this style is the legendary St. Vitus Cathedral - the pinnacle of the Gothic architecture of the Czech Republic and its capital, which, of course, was shown in the exposition. Special attention was also given to the Old Town. Almost every house in the Old Town in Prague has its own unique name, which was not just the name of the house, but first of all, as a unique architectural sign of the house. Signs identified houses gave them names, and characters and the symbol indicated the individuality of the house owner, his name, profession, political preferences, and artistic tastes. The first house signs were images of animals, fish and birds, trees and flowers, and various tools. The signs of the houses also indicated the history or legends associated with them. The exhibition stood out for its originality as it combined photographic works of both old and modern buildings for the first time within the project.

The last event of the year 2022 was dedicated to Polish architectural masterpieces and included photographs representing the unique architectural ensemble of the cities of Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Katowice, and Wroclaw. Polish architecture is a completely unique combination of different styles, ranging from Romanesque and Gothic castles to modern postmodern complexes. It attracts a lot of tourists, as well as professionals and architecture lovers.

Most of the buildings shown at the exhibition belong to the periods of the Middle Ages and early modern times, styles - Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance. In most of the historical cities of Poland, the Market Square is in the center, the castle is closer to the border, and the historical center is divided into Stare Mesto (Old Town) and Nove Mesto (New Town). Polish cities showcase the full range of European architectural styles. Thus, Romanesque architecture is vividly represented by religious buildings in the city of Krakow, while the architecture in Gdansk is mainly represented by the Gothic style. The centerpiece of the exhibition was given to the historical city of Krakow with the best preserved Gothic and Renaissance urban complexes in Europe. This time, we showcased a unique European architectural style - Brick Gothic, and the masterpieces of this architectural style inherent in the city of Gdansk.

Q: What type of architecture will be highlighted in the forthcoming exhibitions?

A:

I always try to add something new to the project to surprise the guests of the exhibitions. In 2022, we organized three magnificent events, which provided insight into the architecture of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. This year, we are planning to hold no less exciting events in spring. The project's geography is expected to expand this year. So, we are getting ready to showcase the architecture of other parts of the world, which has never been presented in Azerbaijan before. So, new events are all there waiting for you this year.