A small island of Israel in the heart of Baku

In the heart of Baku, in the restaurant “Sababa”, there is a unique gallery of living, man-made art. Guests of the institution, coming here to hold a delicious meal, saw the beautiful carpets of Albert Rafiev, a native of Red Sloboda, who with warmth and love transfers to his woollen canvases - colorful, juicy subjects from his small homeland.

Our hero, already well known to our readers, is an Azerbaijani and Russian artist, a master of decorative and applied arts, a painter, a member of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani carpetmaker community, a member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia. His creative activity and research work are devoted to the preservation, visualization and popularization of the historical and cultural heritage of Mountain Jews, as well as the strengthening of intercultural ties between Russia and Azerbaijan.

The carpetmaker himself admits that it was important for him to bring art out of the strict framework of the gallery - into a space where life is boiling, where there is a large daily passability of guests from Israel.

To organize this small, compact exposition, acquainting its viewers with the traditions and customs of mountain Jews from Krasnaya Sloboda, helped friend and partner of Albert Rafiev, talented Baku artist Eldar Hajiyev.

Said, done! In October, for a week, the walls of this fashionable Baku institution were decorated with four magnificent carpets by Albert Rafiev, among which: “Wedding Carpet” – his restaurant guests immediately began to take photos for memory, the carpet “12 tribes of Israel”, dedicated to our history, the carpet “The Sound of a Shofar”, associated with Rosh-a-Shona, the carpet “Shamash” (from Hebrew – “servant, servant”; in the Ashkenazi tradition – shamas, in the image of a shafard), and a kamashed synagogue.

The exhibition is open in Baku for only a week, have time to visit it and see firsthand how art brings together different ethnic groups, pleasantly surprises residents and guests of the Azerbaijani capital.

Address: Karabakh Street, 15 Khatai Ave, Baku, Azerbaijan, Sababa Restaurant.