DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20534/EJA-17-2-11-15
Valiyeva Narmina, PhD student of the State Academy of Fine Arts E-mail: matlabm@yandex.ru
VISUAL APPLICATION OF UNITY OF THINKING AND IMAGINATION IN CREATIVITY OF THE NATIONAL ARTIST SALHAB MAMMADOV IN HIS "MUGHAM CENTER" WORK
Abstract: In the article the unity of imagination and thinking is researched visually in the creativity of the national artist Salhab Mammadov who addressed to all types of applied art, in the brass based work "Mugham center" consisting of seven compositions constructed in front of the Mugham Center together with Ali Ibadullayev. It is shown that any visible item or event has invisible, but comprehended peculiarities. From this point of view, in order to read Salhab Mammadov's not only this work dedicated to mugham, but also all his other works one should have comprehensive outlook, observing, analyzing and synthesis skills and it makes the art pieces immortal.
Ключевые слова: mugham, art, compositions constructed, comprehended peculiarities.
In the article, visual application of the unity of more evidently noticed. Imagination is of exception-
thinking and imagination is researched in national artist Salhab Mammadov's creativity in his work "Mugham center". The creativity is such a complex activity of a person at the result of which new works emerge in the fields of science, art and technology. Creativity, in a large sense, has been founded on thinking and imagination, analyses and synthesis.
Usually, when we say creativity we mean such an activity of a human in which there was established a new idea, theory. There should be even an observing-analyses and logical approach to creativity. Scientific-technological-artistic creativity being one of the special activity fields of a human covers the processes of establishing material and spiritual values. More precisely, sometimes creativity is essentially the same cognitive activity and it means that any kind of cognitive activity is a human activity and creativity is a special form of human activity.
So, being on such a creative peak Professor Sahlab Mammadov creates works combining human feelings, thinking and imagination, once again confirming the unity of the theory and practice. It is also true that in his creativity process the role of imagination is
al importance particularly in artistic creativity. As an artist, Sahlab Mammadov differs from the other artists of his period. In his works he reflects "thinking-word-deed" statement and his philosophical and psychological ideas, scientific approaches practically by means of specific characters as opposed to other artists. The imagination of the artist creates the characters and the essence of the artistic imagination is generating new characters. Namely these characters perform deep scientific-philosophical and psychological function carrying Sahlab Mammadov's ideas and thoughts. We will try to confirm our thought by investigating "Mugham center", one of the dozens of valuable works of the artist.
It should be noted that the International Mugham Center was built in 2009 in the National Park Boulevard of Baku. This center which is of special significance among the ambitious projects realized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in regard to protection of our national spiritual values and their worldwide promotion drew everyone's interest.
Salhab Mammadov, as every citizen of Azerbaijan, decides to make his contribution to the con-
struction of such a cultural center to develop and to promote the mugham. He dedicates the art work characterizing 7 key mughams which he worked with Ali Ibadullayev to the application of the exterior of "Mugham Centre". The artist completes his work on immortal example of an ancient cultural heritage
of our nation which plays an indispensable role in formation of a rich philosophical ground ofAzerbai-jan music. By making this magnificent composition dedicated to Azerbaijan mugham as if he confirms once more his being engaged in a unique art.
Figure 1. Seven compositions in front of Mugham Center dedicated to mugham music, brass. Baku, Salhab Mammadov, Ali Ibadullayev
This work is not so easy as it seems. For its implication one should be a mugham expert. Its acceptance by everyone as a whole indicates to its establishment on scientific bases. Thus it would
noted that being national music form of the Eastern nations, mugham is a classic music sample based on oral traditions [1]. Mugham makes the bases of the national Azerbaijan folk music and it has seven key
be appropriate to mention at least the information mughams: "Rast" "Shur", "Segah" "Shushtar", "Cha-about 7 key mughams. By indicating the fact that the hargah", "Bayati-Shiraz", "Humayun". work has been built on 7 key mughams it should be
Segah
Shur
Rast
Humayun Bayati-shiraz Chahargah Shushter
Figure 2.
It is evident that mughams differ from each other ic-theoretical book called "Basics of Azerbaijan folk due to their original essence and music character. music" characterizes the mood that the mughams The great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov in his scientif- give to the listener in such a way: "Rast" gives cour-
age and cheerfulness, "Shur" — joyful, lyric mood, "Segah" — love, "Shushter"- deep grief, "Chahargah"-excitement and passion, "Bayati-Shiraz"- sadness, "Humayun" — deep sorrow (therein).
While "reading" the work of the artist visually confirming this thought of the great enthusiast of Azerbaijan music Uzeyir Hajibeyov in a unique form, thinking and imagination, theory and practice can be evidently seen in the works. It is also known that each piece of art, people and even the nature and space can be read as an interesting book. What needed for it is just the reader's extensive knowledge and analysis-synthesis skills. The matter is that brief information about 7 key mughams will be of great help to study Sahlab Mammadov's work dedicated to mugham which is the pearl of Azerbaijan culture. "Rast" is considered the mother of other mughams. It has a very ancient history. The only mugham out of12 key mughams of Classic East music which has stood against devastating impact of the time and events is "Rast". The mugham "Rast" consists of several branches and sections. The most basics of them are the sections "Mayeyi-Rast", "Ushshag", "Husey-ni", "Vilayeti", "Arag" and "Panjgah" (again therein).
The mugham "Chahargah" is known and loved as the pearl of classic mugham music. "Chahargah" is distinguished with its active struggle challenge and the melody of this mugham is rich with contradictory intonations. It is related with the fact that "May-eyi-Chahargah" has "anxious" intonations suitable for a very active, intensive development.
The mugham "Shur" is also quite voluminous as "Rast" and "Chahargah". It has a lot of sections. "Mayeyi-Shur", "Shur-Shahnaz", "Bayati-Gajar", "Shikesteyi-Fars", "Simayi-Shams", "Hijaz", "Saranj" sections of the mugham "Shur" have the deepest and most perfect structures and forms.
The mugham "Segah" is one of the most widespread mughams in Azerbaijan reflecting in itself deep national peculiarities. Singers perform the mugham "Segah" in a number of variants: as "Orta Segah" or "Zabul Segah", "Mirze Huseyn segahi". Al-
though they differ from each other with their names and tonal bases, they are all based on the same leitmotif. The mugham "Segah" consists of four sections: "Mayeyi- Segah", "Shikesteyi-fars", "Mubar-
)) (( A »
riga, Arag.
As the above-mentioned famous mughams, the mugham "Bayati-Shiraz" also makes a deep impression on a listener. It has "Mayeyi-Bayati-Shiraz", "Nishibi-Faraz", "Bayati-Isfahan", "Khavaran", "Huz-zal" branches and sections. One of the largest and comprehensive sections of "Bayati-Shiraz" mugham is "Mayeyi-Bayati-Shiraz" and "Bayati-Isfahan".
"Humayun" mugham is wide-spread in the music of the Near East nations also. The main parts of "Humayun" mugham are "Mayeyi-Humayun", "Shush-tar" and "Tarkib" sections. In instrumental variant more attention is given to "Mayeyi-Humayun" and all characteristic features of this section is drawn to attention.
"Shushtar" mugham is a small destgah consisting of the sections bardasht, amiri, shushtar and tarkib. From the point of view of artistic impact, it expresses a deep grief. The preludes performed among the sections of mugham also carriy the name of the main mugham [2].
This information about the key mughams and their sections is possible to see visually in Salhab Mammadov's works presented here. The matter is that there are such things and events that are seen to people as they are and everyone comprehends it according to his thinking way and knowledge. But there are also events which are comprehended with spatial thinking. So, the spatial thinking means logical thinking, aimless thinking and creative thinking.
The Great Creator has created the human as a perfect being. Some people show this perfectness in speech, others in poetry or in the paintings they draw. That is they are to show what cannot be conveyed in words by other means. As the God gave the language to the human for a speech, he also gave the hands to show one's thoughts. The best sample of the speech is a language. The best sample of what is cre-
ated by the hands is the works covering all art fields. Yet a human being needs something to enhance the statement power of the speech and what he has created. So, the human being needs logics and its laws
[3].
Besides it, the God, unlike the other creatures, gave the human an ability to educate which distinguishes him from other creatures. Therefore, wit and thinking are important for the happiness of a man. Now, let's speak about the factors which are important in all fields of the human being. First of all, it should be reminded that thinking is handing over the old information in order to get new information, analyses and synthesis. Thinking has also different forms which are important for each artist to refer to while creating their works. We can claim long life to the work "Mugham center" which is one of the works based on a scientific ground. In this researched work it is found out that the following thinking forms has been referred to: — Aimless thinking: dreaming and scattered thoughts.
- creative thinking: the thoughts causing establishment of a new project on a special ground.
- Spatial thinking: to observe outside from inside, to be able to see depth of the events and divine signs in them.
- Logical thinking: to arrange what is known or unknown.
The saying that "logical thinking is important only for those people who are engaged in very precise sciences sometimes does not justify itself. The matter is for example, in creation of the works which we research, logical thinking plays a special role. It would not be possible to create such a beauty without leaning on logics. So, any artist uses mathematical-artistic-writing thinking without being aware of it (also therein). Also the artists have a deep wit they often make mistakes in their thinking. In this case, the only power to help them is their logical approach. The logics teach everybody the way of correct thinking and if the thinking of a man is formed adequately, he can reach the truth oftener. The pieces of art cre-
ated without scientific ground, in a large sense, calls the people to accept the wrong as a truth and the truth as a wrong, consequently leading not to formation of artistic taste of people, on the contrary to their ignorance. Therefore, it should be noted that the logics are such science that determines precise methods and laws for everybody, particularly for the artists. If these methods and laws are strictly followed, the works created will be long-lasting as the work of the geniuses in all fields of the art throughout the centuries.
The power of imagination is one of the factors playing important role in an artistic creativity. Sometimes such a statement does not show that the artist creates the works far from the reality, on the contrary, the power of the artist's imagination is expressed in their building their life comprehensions in accordance with the life requirements and his own idea. Sometimes, the imagination activity of the creator can never move away from the objective reality. In this case, there would not be our tales and legends [4]. But no matter how strange, fantastic images the imagination of the human creates, separate details of it are taken from the real life. Such imagined characters reflect a certain aspect of the life in indirect way. Imagination activity of an artist lets him to see the future, to forecast it. The imagined characters of the national artist S. Mammadov in his work "Mugham center" showed themselves vividly in application of 7 key mughams and their sections and in other beautiful works of his creativity. So, the imagination is a process necessary not only in artistic creativity, but also in scientific activity. According to the French psychologist Ribbon, the place of the imagination activity is even more important in scientific and technical creativity rather than in artistic creativity. As we know, Eastern philosophy and early world outlook together, including decorative applied art rules are formed on the bases of the evident and hidden harmony. Some call it esoteric or "secret science". "External" side of each piece of art is meant for those who are not aware of the sci-
ence. Unlike the "external" side, "internal" meaning remains in the background, but it does not indicate to its inexistence. "Interior" shows only relation with other reality, to be more precise, it is information meant for deep-thinkers [5]. This information has been passed over from generation to generation throughout centuries and each work of S. Mam-madov is of great value as one of such art pieces. In this work that we research he could reflect mugham spirit in the material which is considered lifeless. At the same time even performance of separate preludes among the sections of mugham, physical peculiarities of the sound at that moment are also artistically reflected in the work.
It can be said that the artists could describe even the accompaniment of the trio, the singer's performance style, mugham destgah, consistent performance of all branches and sections, including tasnif and preludes, or diringas (a dance music) which are accurately shown in the studied work.
The sections referring to the structure of mugham and musical-poetic content of the work can visually be read. Monumental, succession forms of mughams, at the same time extreme polishing of even the smallest details, multi-planned differences in reflection of
expressive opportunities of the melody are given in a comprehensive form in the work. The work once again proves the authors awareness of the rules of all composition structure of mugham and the logic of transition from one section to another.
So, in the article we have tried to research visually the unity of imagination and thinking in creativity of the national artist Salhab Mammadov who addressed to all types of decorative applied art, in his work "Mugham center" in front of the mugham center constructed together with Ali Ibadualleyev on the bases of seven compositions. We have tried to show that any visible thing or event has invisible, but comprehended peculiarities. In order to read any piece of art in a great sense one should have wide world outlook, observing, analyzing and synthesis skills. Naturally, everyone has these skills. But, these qualities in some people are high, yet in others are relatively low. Namely because of it, pieces of art do not raise the same feeling in everybody, do not match tastes of everybody. So, just like the other pieces of art created throughout the centuries, everybody approaches to the works created by the national artist Salhab Mammadov from his own point of view.
References:
1. Uzeyir Hajibeyov. Basics of national Azerbaijan folk music. - Baku. - 1957.
2. URL: https://az.wikipedia.org
3. Yusifova N. Spatial thinking and art. - Baku - 2010.
4. Alekperov A. About origin of the name Mugham//The problems of research ofAzerbaijan national folk music. Collection of scientific articles. -Baku. Elm. - 1999.
5. Faseh R Relation of word and music in Azerbaijan. Chirag. - Baku. - 2004.