Azerbaijani craft meets contemporary form in Chelebi’s Riyadh showcase

Chelebi reinterprets heritage through layered textiles and cairn-inspired sculptural forms

Chelebi has officially entered the Saudi market with its inaugural showcase at Downtown Design Riyadh.

The presentation features a new commission by Azerbaijani artist Aida Mahmudova and reflects the brand’s wider engagement with design-led cultural narratives in the Gulf.

Anchoring the exhibition is From the Elysium Series (2024–25), a set of six handwoven carpets produced across three artisanal workshops in Nardaran, Shamkir, and Guba. Each piece, measuring 150 by 200 cm, builds on Azerbaijan’s distinctive weaving tradition, defined by flat pictorial surfaces, geometric balance, and tightly composed visual rhythms.

Mahmudova’s interpretation pushes the medium further. By introducing layering and sculptural depth, she positions the carpet as both a surface and a three-dimensional form. The result is a study in material tension between tradition and experimentation, form and function.

Alongside the carpets, the presentation includes works from Untitled Series (2025) — sculptural compositions in ceramic, glass, and stone. These pieces were produced in collaboration with Worn Studio in Spain, known for its commitment to material-led craft. Glazes are composed of locally sourced components, including oil, clay, and seashells, while the glass forms emphasise porosity, surface irregularities, and a tactile reading of space.

Referencing cairns — stone markers historically used for navigation and remembrance — Mahmudova’s forms map an abstract, symbolic terrain. They read less as objects and more as spatial annotations of memory, anchoring the material to personal experience.

This is the first major collaboration between Mahmudova’s studio and Worn Studio, led by designer Natalia Ortega. Ortega’s practice is rooted in traditional craft methods and engages with materials such as clay, forged metal, and blown glass. Her approach mirrors Chelebi’s ethos of slow production and object storytelling.

Founded by Mahmudova in 2013, Chelebi reinterprets elements of Azerbaijani heritage through contemporary design. The Riyadh showcase signals a growing alignment between regional craft and global design audiences, with the Saudi capital emerging as a key platform for creative industries in the Middle East.

Mahmudova has exhibited at institutions including MAXXI in Rome, Saatchi Gallery in London, and the Venice Biennale. Her work continues to investigate materiality, site, and memory — a thematic thread that runs through the Riyadh showcase and underscores Chelebi’s evolving design language.

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