Imadaddin Nasimi. Moscow, 2019

Nasimi (or Nesimi) is the pen name of Seyid Ali Imadaddin Nasimi (1369–1417), a preeminent Azerbaijani poet and philosopher, who is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in Azerbaijani literature. The pseudonym Nasimi is believed to have been derived from the Arabic word nasim, meaning “gentle breeze.” Nasimi wrote in Azerbaijani, Arabic, and Persian languages; his favorite genres included ghazals, rubaiyat, and tuyug. His writings were popular across the Middle East and Central Asia. Well ahead of his time, Nasimi championed the equality of people of all faiths, races, and cultures. In his poetry, he likened humans to God; considering people the pinnacle of creation, he believed that a part of God is present in every one of us. Accused of blasphemy and sacrilege, the poet was sentenced to death and executed.

Nasimi’s 650th anniversary was celebrated in 2019. On October 30, 2019, a monument to the poet was unveiled in the atrium of the Rudomino All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow; it was commissioned by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and supported by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia.

Since there are no authentic lifetime portraits of Nasimi, the sculptor created his own vision of the famed Turkic poet. “I was inspired by the poet’s life and career as well as his ideas when sculpting the bust. When I work, I rely on my intuitions and emotions rather than deep reflections, as overthinking distracts me from the sense of material, form, and image. Which is why I try to think less, following my feelings instead,” said the artist.