The last metal artist asks the Ministry of Culture to save art

There is a unique village of Lahij in the Azerbaijani Caucasus, 184 km from Baku, in the Ismayilli region, which for the time supplied copper plates to the markets of the Caucasus. Minters, copper-makers, dish makers and other masters of Lahij made goods, and dealers were transported by markets - from Baku and Tbilisi to Iran and Russia. I always wanted to go there, but because Lahij is away from the main road, I postponed it for later. About 7-8 years ago the village, which became a village, has been thoroughly decorated, paved, the houses were painted, having arranged rows in which knock the master's work can be heard, and many tourists visit Lahij.

But perhaps I was late in my desire to walk along the rows with the workshops, since the photojournalist of the "Caucasian Knot" who visited him says: the village is dying out because of the lack of demand for products. Of course, Chinese consumer goods are much cheaper, and tourists rarely look for a handmade product. "Pissing boys" killed the ancient skill. In the photographs can be seen rows of closed workshops, from which the voice of hammers was heard before.

In Baku, I spoke with the metal painter Raphael Aliyev on this topic, he completely insulted me saying that no one in the country besides him works with this material. Yes, and Raphael has long works with oil paints, since it is difficult to work with metal physically, and there are no buyers. "Pissing boys" killed art.

In the Soviet years in any institution or the House of Culture, the entrance hall was decorated with a bas-relief of Lenin. Earning on such a fool, artists could engage in real art - for themselves and the soul. Now there is no Lenin, neither the opportunity for real work.

The artist asks journalists to wake up the public, but people have their daily worries. Any day, a new tragedy - such as the rise in price for products, or the fire in the drug treatment center. The artists is concerned because artistry for metal has been preserved, or after the Raphael one can completely forget about this Azerbaijani art.

I have met him, he showed me his work. Here is the front and back of the copper painting "Fish". And here is another two sides of the copper painting "Dragon." On the example of these works Raphael shows the uniqueness of the technology he developed. On the "Fish" - the counter-relief is visible. On the "Dragons" the counter-relief is not visible. High-class specialists cannot fully understand how this is done.

What to do, how to save the art of creating paintings on metal? Raphael does not know. Raphael does not like my ideas about the dictates of a market economy in which demand creates supply, and therefore if tourists want to buy copper plates for the toilet door, the artist still has to fulfill such orders. He is angry because of my not understanding the importance of the problem and the attempt to reduce it to objective circumstances. Raphael sent his thoughts and proposals to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, but there is no answer.

Baku has a higher and secondary educational institutions, which train professionals from the arts. Every third is a singer, every second is a poet or a writer. There are artists, but not metal artists. What will happen to this art? R.Aliyev claims that skilled experts work in the ministry, and they will certainly find a way out of the situation. We only need to inform them about this...