Islamic cultures have long been known for their handcrafted rugs. Rich in color and intricate in design, these pieces carry deep cultural meaning. Today, new media artist Orkhan Mammadov builds on this tradition with generative digital art. 

Using artificial intelligence, Mammadov transforms centuries-old motifs into a new visual language, creating a custom generative art series that honors traditions of old. His work reflects the artistic heritage of his native Azerbaijan Republic, a former Soviet country between Georgia and Iran on the Caspian Sea. Yet, Mammadov puts a distinctly millennial twist on these traditional designs by filtering them through the lens of generative AI.

The patterns and colors in his digital compositions echo traditional weaving but create something entirely new with the data. His project “Carpetdiem” reimagines Middle Eastern carpet designs in a way that feels both ancient and modern.

Mammadov studied computer science, visual communication design, and fine arts in college, but his love of coding and design began much earlier. By 10, he taught himself graphic and web design.

Now, with years of experience, he continues to push the boundaries of digital art while staying rooted in the cultural traditions that shaped him.

Artist background and inspiration

Born in 1978 in the mosaic city of Ganja, Orkhan Mammadov studied at the Institute of Art and Culture of Azerbaijan and later completed an MA in art criticism at the Art Academy of Azerbaijan. In 2004, he coined a new artistic method by cutting sections from his own paintings and sewing them back together. In some ways, Mammadov's early style echoed the influences around him, growing up in a country where Islamic mosques neighbor imperial Russian architecture, mixed among legends of ancient Persian poets. He named his process "Yama-art," and developed the technique by combining oil painting with textile elements.

Mammadov's fascination with textiles soon took on new life as he transitioned to digital art and began developing his first generative art series. Today, Middle Eastern carpet designs play a significant role in Mammadov's work. The intricate motifs found in traditional Azerbaijani carpets are recognized on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and they serve as a reference point for Mammadov's generative art series. He uses machine learning to analyze these designs, compile custom data, and produce new compositions derived from the traditional rugs.

Mammadov’s genesis project is one of many Muraqqa NFT projects

In Arabic, a “Muraqqa” is a word that can be loosely translated to mean an "album," or a miniature book containing calligraphy and paintings. In the 16th and 17th centuries, everyone from emperors to art collectors compiled the albums. Mammadov was inspired by the ancient art form and reimagined his version of a “Muraqqa” for modern times.

He introduced his first “Muraqqa” project at the cultural festival Venice Biennale in 2019. The work titled “Muraqqa - Venice Biennale’19” played to the festival’s theme of exploring fake news. According to the project’s description, Mammadov reproduced original miniature paintings but reimagined the accompanying storyline based on his retelling of the images and events, blurring the line between reality and his understanding of reality. In addition, he also turned the static images into a linear digital video piece installation and NFT. You’ll spot the water levels rising and falling as characters swim along, birds flying overhead, or people congregating within the home.

While “Muraqqa - Venice Biennale’19” was the first iteration of Mammadov’s Murraqa series, it was not his last. Since 2019, he has also minted other “Muraqqa” collections, including “Muraqqa: Neural Impressions,” “Muraqqa: Data Miniatures,” and “Muraqqa: The Process.”  The first two collections explore the unique miniature stories woven through each NFT, whereas “Muraqqa: The Process” allows NFT holders a visual behind-the-scenes look into Mammadov’s creative process.

‘Carpetdiem’ is one of Mammadov’s largest generative art series

“Carpetdiem” is Mammadov’s largest generative art NFT collection with 555 items. While the focus of these pieces is not miniature worlds and caricatures, Mammadov was still inspired by Middle Eastern culture when he designed the collection. 

In the project’s description, Mammadov writes that he created the algorithm for his generative art series based on data collected from the designs of traditional carpets that artisans in the Middle East handwoven. Mammadov wrote the code on the free and open-source Javascript library p5.js and designed it so that each NFT could vary based on traits like background, color palette, and each rug's inner and outer frame details.

It’s easy to spot two important throughlines in Mammadov’s work. The first is how he centers his Azerbaijan cultural roots in his work. The second is how he uses those roots as a launching pad for the technology he’s always fascinated with. 

Mammadov explains it best on his website:

“Using cultural artefacts such as Islamic patterns, Orientalist paintings and carpet illustrations as datasets, I endeavour to create digital alternatives that represent and reposition the cultural heritage of the Middle East for future generations.” 

Mammadov’s work pioneers new cultural frameworks

In 2019, Mammadov represented Azerbaijan in the international scene at the Venice Biennale art show. Since then, his work has appeared at major international biennales and exhibitions, including Art Dubai, Art Basel Miami, the Moscow International Contemporary Art Biennale, and others.

Critics and collectors alike have recognized his approach for the way it connects historical craftsmanship with modern tools. His contributions add to the ongoing conversation about how artists use new technologies to interpret and extend cultural traditions, whether through a one-of-a-kind generative art series, NFTs, or hand-collaged elements.

Mammadov’s personal mission has always been to connect more traditional art forms with modern technology, data, and mediums. It’s easy to see how he is not just words but full of actions and imaginative art.