The Azerbaijan National Art Museum has opened an exhibition titled 'Chronicle of the City of Winds: Baku in the Works of Artists from the 19th to 21st Centuries,' organized jointly by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the museum. Featuring over 80 works of painting, graphic art, and sculpture, the show traces Baku's historical, architectural, and cultural evolution from the 19th century to the present day. It includes pieces from the museum's collection alongside contemporary works, and is part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), held within the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova, museum director Shirin Malikova, and People's Artist Salhab Mammadov, as well as a musical performance by Honored Artist Nargiz Karimova and Zumrud Alizade.
The exhibition matters because it creates a visual dialogue between urban planning, architecture, and fine art, highlighting how Baku's architectural identity—from the ancient Icherisheher to oil-boom industrial panoramas and modern skylines—has been a central theme in Azerbaijani art for over two centuries. By bringing together historical masters like Ali bey Huseynzade and Pyotr Vereshchagin with modern figures such as Tahir Salakhov and Sattar Bahlulzade, the show underscores the role of art in documenting and interpreting urban transformation. Its timing alongside the World Urban Forum positions cultural heritage as a key component of global urban discourse, while the multimedia presentation and long run through August 2026 ensure broad public access.