Saida Mirzayeva

Decorative painter

Kamal Muradzadeh©Michelangelo Foundation

A new medium for carpet patterns

Saida's works contain geometric Azerbaijani carpet patterns
She identifies and makes true carpet colours for her paints
Innovation occurs in the modern shapes of her objects

In Azerbaijan, carpet weaving is one of the leading craftsmanship traditions that has influenced the direction of glass working, tapestry making and decorative painting in the region. Similarly, carpet weaving has served as the main inspiration for the works of Saida Mirzayeva, who had the idea to replicate patterns, typically seen on carpets, onto wooden surfaces. Saida is proficient in colour matching and paint composition thanks to her studies at the carpet faculty, and she applies tempera paint to wooden frames, mirrors and tables, among others. She listens to Azerbaijani jazz while she works. "My goal is to preserve the heritage of Azerbaijan," says Saida, who celebrates her country through traditional iconography, pattern and design, often modernising with more contemporary forms for her pieces.

Interview

Kamal Muradzadeh©Michelangelo Foundation

Kamal Muradzadeh©Michelangelo Foundation

When and how did you start?: I started at home with my friend, who had graduated in tapestry art in October 2014. We started a business together. I chose patterns and colours, and she painted. That was a time when Instagram had just become very popular and we received very positive feedback. Our first products were frames and then mirrors.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: The shapes of products are more modern, but the patterns I apply to them come from traditional carpets. For example, the candlesticks are cube-shaped, but their ornaments are inspired by Azerbaijani carpets.
What do you love most about your profession?: Colour. The biggest reason for my atelier Zili's success is matching colours and paint quality. The colours that appear on a finished piece please my heart and eyes. Simple-patterned carpets attract me and to me the carpets that have the best geometrical patterns in Azerbaijan are Guba carpets.
What do you suggest to youngsters who want to do the same job?: They should learn patterns, structures and colours in carpets and tapestry. They should visit the carpet museums and read up on the books. They should study Latif Karimov's book called 'The first Tone'. Almost all Azerbaijani carpets and all the patterns are in that book.

Saida Mirzayeva is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2014