Islamic culture has long been known for its handmade carpets, rich in color and intricate patterns, embodying profound cultural meanings. Today, new media artist Orkhan Mammadov carries on this tradition through generative digital art.
Mammadov utilizes artificial intelligence to transform patterns that have been passed down for centuries into a new visual language, creating a series of custom generative artworks that pay tribute to ancient traditions. His works reflect the artistic heritage of his homeland, the Republic of Azerbaijan, a former Soviet state located by the Caspian Sea between Georgia and Iran. However, Mammadov offers a unique millennium interpretation of these traditional designs through the lens of generative artificial intelligence.
The patterns and colors in his digital works echo traditional weaving but create entirely new pieces using data. His project 'Carpetdiem' reinterprets the design of Middle Eastern carpets in a way that blends ancient and modern sensibilities.
Mammadov studied computer science, visual communication design, and fine arts at university, but his passion for programming and design started much earlier. At the age of ten, he taught himself graphic and web design.
Today, with years of experience, he continues to push the boundaries of digital art while rooted in shaping his cultural traditions.
Artist background and inspiration
Orkhan Mammadov was born in 1978 in the mosaic city of Zanjan. He studied at the Azerbaijan Academy of Arts and later earned a master's degree in art criticism from the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts. In 2004, he pioneered a new method of artistic creation by cutting parts from his paintings and sewing them together. To some extent, Mammadov's early style resonated with his surroundings.
He grew up in a country where an Islamic mosque coexists with Russian imperial architecture, rich in cultural heritage intertwined with the legendary tales of ancient Persian poets. He named his creative technique 'Yama-art' (Yama Art) and developed this technique by combining oil painting with textile elements.
As Mammadov turned to digital art and began creating his first generative art series, his fascination with textiles quickly revitalized. Today, Middle Eastern carpet patterns play an essential role in Mammadov's works. The exquisite patterns of traditional Azerbaijani carpets have been included in UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and serve as a reference point for Mammadov's generative art series. He uses machine learning to analyze these designs, compile custom data, and derive new works from traditional carpets.
Mammadov's genesis project is one of the many NFT projects in the Muraqqa series.
In Arabic, the term 'Muraqqa' can be roughly translated to 'album', a miniature book containing calligraphy and painting. In the 16th and 17th centuries, everyone from emperors to art collectors compiled albums. Mammadov was inspired by this ancient art form to reimagine a modern version of 'Muraqqa'.
He launched his first project 'Muraqqa' at the 2019 Venice Biennale Cultural Festival. This piece, titled Muraqqa - Venice Biennale’19, resonated with the festival's theme exploring fake news.
According to the project description, Mammadov replicated miniature paintings of the original works but reimagined the corresponding storylines based on his retelling of the images and events, blurring the lines between reality and his understanding of it. Additionally, he has transformed static images into linear digital video installations and non-functional tokens (NFTs), where you will see water levels rising and falling as characters swim, birds fly, or people gather at home.
Although 'Muraqqa - Venice Biennale '19' is the first work in Mammadov's Murraqa series, it is by no means the final piece. Since 2019, he has created other works in the 'Muraqqa' series, including 'Muraqqa: Neural Impressions', 'Muraqqa: Data Miniatures', and 'Muraqqa: The Creative Process'.
The first two works explore the unique mini-stories that run through each NFT, while 'Muraqqa: The Creative Process' allows NFT holders to intuitively understand Mammadov's creative process.
Carpetdiem is one of Mammadov's largest generative art series.
Carpetdiem is Mammadov's largest collection of generative art NFTs, containing 555 pieces. Although the focus of these works is not on miniature worlds and cartoons, Mammadov was still inspired by Middle Eastern culture when designing this series.
In the project description, Mammadov wrote that he created the algorithm for the generative art series based on data collected from traditional carpets woven by Middle Eastern craftsmen. Mammadov wrote the code using the free open-source Javascript library p5.js and designed it so that each NFT could vary based on features such as background, tone, and the details of each carpet's inner and outer frames.
In Mammadov's works, two important threads are easily discernible: first, how he incorporates the cultural roots of Azerbaijan into his pieces; second, how he uses these roots as a launchpad for the technology he has always been fascinated with.
Mammadov provided the best explanation of this on his website:
'By using cultural artifacts such as Islamic patterns, Eastern painting, and carpet illustrations as datasets, I am dedicated to creating digital alternatives that showcase and reposition the cultural heritage of the Middle East for future generations.'
Mammadov's works have established a new cultural framework.
In 2019, Mammadov represented Azerbaijan at the international art exhibition of the Venice Biennale. Since then, his works have appeared multiple times at important international biennials and exhibitions, including the Dubai Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, and the Moscow International Contemporary Art Biennale.
Critics and collectors have recognized his approach of combining historical craftsmanship with modern tools. His contributions further explore how artists can use new technologies to interpret and extend cultural traditions, whether through unique generative art series, NFTs (non-fungible tokens), or handcrafted collage elements.
Mammadov's personal mission has always been to connect more traditional art forms with modern technology, data, and media. It is evident that his works are not limited to text but are filled with action and imaginative art.
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