When mastery, imagination and originality go hand in hand, we can only admire a masterpiece. This is the work of the artist Faig Ahmed, who fuses tradition with contemporaneity in his impressive braided carpets, pieces that force us to look carefully and to analyse the message that they transmit to us.

Faig Ahmed portrait with one of his pieces (image by Sarah Benet, on www.animationpagoda.com)

Faig Ahmed (Azerbaijan, 1982) is a tireless creator whose work rescues one of the main cultural signs of this region of the world, famous, like other surrounding countries, for its majestic carpets, a tradition that goes back several millennia ago as a sign of their collective identity to become a world reference. Their hypnotic drawings of symmetrical composition, which sometimes resemble elements seen through a kaleidoscope, unfold in layers woven of bright colours with enormous visual impact.

Faig Ahmed, artwork of the series "Liquid" (image from www.animationpagoda.com)

This practice synthesises the entire history of the Persian people until it becomes a cultural symbol that conveys a large knowledge accumulated over the centuries. This task has traditionally been attributed to women, who follow patterns of colour and composition to give the perfect finish we all know. The work of Faig Ahmed is a tribute to this meticulous and invisible work and offer a rereading that has bridges with the past.

The artist graduated in Fine Arts in Baku specialising in sculpture, and, although his production is very diverse, he has become famous for his work with carpets, a type of pieces with which he was presented in the Azerbaijan pavilion of the biennial of Venice in 2007. Today, he is part of important collections and museums around the world.

Faig Ahmed, “Secret Garden”, 2017, (image from voltashow.com)

As he explains, the goal is to channel conceptual art, with a strong base of colourist abstraction, through traditional techniques, far from what is usual in the field of visual arts. In his opinion, it is essential to look at the past to find that mystical and spiritual connection that deals with the passage of time and our location at the moment of history. His work raises an open question about what is true and what is not, what should be, what we really see, and how much we owe to our cultural heritage to be where we are today.

Faig Ahmed, "Set Your Life On Fire" (image from www.inverse.com)

The result is an eclectic work, which mixes disciplines and techniques, in large projects on which he previously works on a computer. A task of decomposition and deconstruction that he carries out with great inspiration to give rise to something completely new and fascinating.

ART MADRID’ 26: 21 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART

Discover all the information about the artists and galleries participating in the 21st edition of Art Madrid. The catalog features a curated selection of the works presented in this edition, along with the most relevant details of the event, making it an essential tool for engaging with the fair’s key figures and exploring the defining elements of today’s art scene.

In 2026, Art Madrid celebrates its 21st edition, further establishing itself as a leading event within Spain’s cultural sector. From March 4 to 8, the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles will once again become a meeting point for galleries, collectors, artists, and contemporary art enthusiasts.

Over the past twenty-one years, the fair has evolved into a dynamic and ever-expanding platform, fostering diversity in artistic languages, techniques, and discourses. In this edition, the Galleries Program brings together around 35 exhibitors from more than seven countries, offering a representative overview of the most recent developments in contemporary creation.

The Art Madrid ’26 catalog serves as a key publication for discovering the work of this edition’s galleries and artists —marked by experimentation and a plurality of perspectives— while also documenting the conceptual axes that shape the fair. As part of the Parallel Program, INHABITING THE EPHEMERAL: A Reflection on the “Species” of Spaces proposes a reflection on space, relationships, and shared experience, expanding the understanding of the fair beyond its commercial dimension and highlighting its cultural and experiential significance.

In addition, the catalog presents the initiatives that complete the program, such as the Open Booth dedicated to emerging creation, the Nebrija Space in collaboration with Nebrija University, the Performance Series “Open Infinite. What the Body Remembers,” the One Shot Collectors Program, and the Patronage Program, reaffirming the fair’s commitment to supporting, mediating, and accompanying contemporary art at every stage.

We invite you to discover more about Art Madrid ’26 through the catalog of its 21st edition — a publication that, beyond serving as documentary memory, becomes a cartography of the present artistic moment and an open door to new ways of inhabiting contemporary art.