“Ykbaly hala siňen zenanlar” under this title, a photo exhibition was held at the National Museum of Turkmen Carpet, dedicated to women who devoted their lives to preserving and developing Turkmen carpet weaving, an important element of cultural and historical heritage.
The event, organized in collaboration with the Secretariat of the National Group of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, the State Association “Türkmenhaly,” and the ES “El Darak,” aimed to pass on cultural values to new generations, fostering a sense of pride and belonging among young people toward their heritage.
Woven in a traditional style, Turkmen carpets carry deep meanings and memories of the past, uniting generations and preserving unique cultural characteristics. Behind each carpet masterpiece lies the painstaking labor of craftswomen who knot by knot weave threads into patterns, infusing each piece with a part of their soul and rich symbolism that reflects centuries-old traditions and customs of the Turkmen people.
“While admiring carpet products, we sometimes forget that their creation is hard work,” noted Ogulgerek Durdyeva, founder of the private enterprise “El Darak.” “The process includes carding wool, spinning threads, and much more. To assemble this photo exhibition and shed more light on the topic, we organized search teams across the country’s velayats, interviewed renowned carpet weavers, and turned to photo archives.”
The photographs showcased the development of national carpet art and labor processes at carpet enterprises in Ashgabat, Ahal, Balkan and Mary velayats. Archival images captured the lives of carpet weavers in the 1930s–1940s, while later photos demonstrated modern works and achievements in this field.
Particularly impressive were the works of photographer Erkin Yazov. He managed to convey the essence of carpet weaving and portray the women behind this labor-intensive craft.
The photo exhibition dedicated to the laborious journey of carpet weavers left a strong impression on attendees. The opening ceremony was attended by Chinar Rustemova, Executive Secretary of the National Commission of Turkmenistan for UNESCO; Akjemal Durdyeva, head of the State Association “Türkmenhaly”; heads of diplomatic missions; as well as representatives from UNESCO Chairs and Clubs in Turkmenistan, and UNESCO Associated Schools in Ashgabat.
