Desired Territory – blog

At the seafront of Baku this electrifying tower attracts youngsters, lovers and players…

A nasty storm is developing over Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, as I’m sitting in my hotelroom thinking about my first impressions of this city of paradoxes. It’s been two days now, since we arrived at our Soviet-style hotel at the early sunset. And I’m more confused than before we left.

Baku is a city in transition. And this transition is developing in a storm rather than a comfortable breeze (like the warm evening breeze over Baku’s grand Caspian boulevard). Baku seems impatient.

Staring from my window I see apartmentblocks, most of them unfinished. They fit perfectly in the remnants of a socialist past that seems to be incorporated in a new Azerbaijan identity. For what drives this city nowadays –except for lifethreatening taxidrivers- is oil. Oil is money and money means an abundance of oversized Mercedes, BMW and Chevrolet. They intermingle in a fascinating way with old Lada and their Azerbaijani copies.

The same goes for the architecture of this city. Baku is rapidly expanding, especially with gigantic storagebuildings meant to accommodate more luxurious hotels. It’s hardly possible to spend one minute in this city without the sound of hammers banging in your head. Only recently renovation was completed of the hotel we’re staying in, turning an old and dilapidated Stalinflat into a luxurious hotel. It’s identical brother on the opposite side of Azadliq Square, which is dominated by the exuberant Soviet State House, is next in line. Together they make perfect guardsmen for this icon of socialist times.

Not only commercial projectdevelopers make good fortunes here. The precious oilwealth is being invested in rebuilding the past. Obviously, Azerbaijan’s authorities have a sense for heritage. The old city, dating back to the 7th century, looks like new. And one of the prettiest buildings in town for its mosaïque looks, containing a museum on national literature, is completely enfolded in scaffolding. Even the pretty statues resemble an artwork of Bulgarian folding artist Christo. And also the ridiculously ornamental old Soviet State House – right in front of our hotel – is getting a facelift.

Oil means money and money means building. Building and rebuilding national heritage. One cannot ignore the clues that can be derived from the hammers in your head. Baku is working on a new identity comprising both the old and the new. Heritage is being cherished, while the town is turning into a Global City. Some sort of raw capitalism rules town, but at the same time the communist past is treasured. To me it’s rather confusing. Is there something lingering underneath Mercedes, McDonalds, Sheraton and Prada waiting to get out? Or is it just a fusion of identities?

In the meantime, the ones who surely benefit from this recent junction between oil and heritage are the contracters. I wonder if they drive Lada?

Baku, 27th September 2006

Arthur[at]partizanpublik.

In a little more than a week time we – Dirk-Jan, Daniela, Arthur, Malkit and Christian -  will leave for Baku, the capital of Azerbaidjan. We’ll start our trip with a coffee in Café Randevous in Baku on Tuesday afternoon the 26th of September.