AZERBAIJAN 
2008
Consultant: Ward Mintz
Baku
May 14-19, 2008
Last year Jahangir Selimkhanov, Director of the Arts & Culture Program of the Open Society Institute [OSI] Assistance Foundation in Baku, contacted The Fund about establishing “a partnership to transfer knowledge about best practices in cultural management to the state bodies and NGOs throughout Azerbaijan.” The Fund, in turn, asked Ward Mintz, Executive Director of the Coby Foundation in New York, to visit Baku, tour museums, meet with their directors, and establish whether The Fund can be of assistance.
Azerbaijan lies on the Caspian Sea between Russia and Iran, with Georgia and Armenia on the northwest and southwest, respectively. It boasts ancient archaeological sites, a vibrant folk culture and a sophisticated capital, Baku, which is home to many museums and artists. Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, when it adopted its Declaration of Independence.
Jahangir Selimkhanov suggested that Mr. Mintz coordinate his visit with the celebration of International Museum Day in May. During that trip, he had the opportunity to meet with many museum staff members, to view exhibitions and to participate in International Museum Day programs. Mr. Selimkhanov was a generous host and many museum directors and their colleagues welcomed him into their institutions and shared their thoughts about the challenges facing museums in Azerbaijan.
Mr. Mintz’s visit included museums and historic sites as diverse as the restored Shirvanshah Palace, begun in the 15th century, and the Museum of the Miniature Book, which opened in 2002. Worth special mention was a visit to the Azerbaijan State Museum of Art and a meeting with its director, Dr. Israfil Israfilov and deputy director, Ms. Gulyana Mammadova. They had a wide-ranging conversation concerning the challenges facing this museum and other museums, particularly those administered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Dr. Israfilov and Mr. Mintz also discussed the quality and future of museology (museum studies) in Azerbaijan and the need for more instructors with museum experience and internship opportunities for students. Both Dr. Israfilov and later, the staff of the OSI, noted that museum attendance had been affected by independence: during Soviet times tourism was controlled by the ministry , which assured visitors for its museums while now, museums must compete with other attractions for tourist visits.
Mr. Selimkhanov and Mr. Mintz visited the site of a new Museum of Contemporary Painting and Sculpture, being created by artist Altai Sadigzade. It will house the collection of Azerbaijan’s First.
Afterward they visited the History Museum, located in the palace of Haji Zeinalabdin Taghiyev, the great philanthropist and oil baron, which had just officially re-opened the previous day after a major renovation, installation of new exhibits and restoration of its glorious Eastern Rooms. They met with the Director of the museum, Ms. Naila Velikhanly, and her deputy.
In the late afternoon, Mr. Mintz visited the Rostropovich Museum. The museum is located in the house where the famed cellist and conductor, Mstislav Rostropovich lived from 1925-1931, and which was opened as a museum in 2002 He was fortunate to meet and receive a tour from the Director, Sheila Heydarova.
The next day, Mr. Mintz visited the home and studio of the esteemed carpet artist, Eldar Mikailov, in the Old City. Mr. Mikailov talked about his process and the range of his commissions, which include not only carpets but also decorative designs for the interiors of mosques. Mr. Mikailov gave Mr. Mintz the opportunity to see how a cartoon got translated into a carpet and to watch the weaving process.
Later that afternoon, he went to the Carpet Museum for a meeting with Ms. Roya Taghiyeva, its director and President of the Azerbaijani ICOM National Committee, and Mr. Fikret Babayev, Head of Cultural Policy for the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. They had a conversation about the challenges facing Azerbaijani museums. Ms. Taghiyeva felt that those challenges included management and marketing training. She thought that seminars on exhibition design and programs for children, especially curriculum-related programs, would be helpful for museum directors and professional staff. Mr. Babayev listened intently to the conversation.
While their meeting was taking place the preparations for the International Museum Day evening festival were underway on both floors of the museum. Once the evening was underway, scores of people, including many young people, gathered at the base of the steps to hear groups performing both traditional music and rock ‘n roll.
The next day was the first-ever International Roundtable, “Museums in the 21st Century: Tasks and Perspectives,” co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the ICOM National Committee, held in the Carpet Museum building. Mr. Babayev from the Ministry made the introductory remarks. Mr. Mintz followed him with a presentation on “Museums and Visitors: Challenges for the 21st Century.” He focused on five issues: attracting audiences of different ages and backgrounds; making sure visitors enjoy coming to the museum and are learning; making collections accessible through a variety of means; having an effective mission statement that explains the purpose of the museum and who it serves; and financial survival—developing strategies to find the money to operate effectively, pay staff well and assure the museum’s future.
Another speaker, Dr. Rahman Badalov of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, stressed the need to change the environment in museums, to make them more alive, that objects in museums have to “speak,” to communicate with visitors. He felt that the museums needed to communicate their missions more effectively to society in general and to the political elites because “if we don’t do this, we will not survive.”
Roya Taghiyeva of the Carpet Museum, speaking after him, stressed the need for museums to communicate a sense of national identity. Dr. Israfilov, of the Fine Arts Museum, felt that it was time for museum staffs to change their thinking and try non-traditional solutions. He felt that university preparation for museum work also needed to improve.
Upon returning to the United States, Mr. Mintz discussed his trip with Fund staff and made a number of recommendations for future collaborations in Azerbaijan with the Open Society Institute, the museums, the Ministry of Culture and Academy of Sciences. These collaborations could help make museums in Azerbaijan models of international museum practice.
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