Ilkin Mammadov, born in 1970 and a resident of Baku, holds a law degree from Moscow and dedicated over 20 years to serving his homeland in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, rising to the rank of police lieutenant colonel. Now retired, he has returned to his childhood passion for sculpting, which he had previously set aside due to time constraints.

He shares: “For someone accustomed to working day and night, sitting idle in retirement feels like torture. To make my time productive, I decided to revive my favorite hobby—sculpting. I never formally studied it, but I’ve had a natural talent since I first held plasticine. In 1979, as a child, I crafted a plaster figure of the soldier from Andersen’s ‘The Tinderbox’ for the popular Soviet TV show V gostyakh u skazki. The host, Valentina Leontyeva, personally presented my work on air, which filled me with immense pride.”

Since stepping away from amateur sculpting, Ilkin has embraced new techniques in the field. He explains:

“I started with plasticine, then moved to plaster. Now, I’ve discovered the ease of polymer clay—it’s soft, pleasant to work with, and hardens within a day without needing a kiln. I finish my sculptures by painting them with acrylics.”

Recently joining ABAD, Ilkin’s works, primarily focused on patriotic themes such as the Great Victory, Karabakh horses, and “Karabakh is Azerbaijan,” are now available for sale. He adds:

“I also enjoy depicting famous figures. My dream is to organize an exhibition of my polymer clay sculptures, akin to Madame Tussauds’ wax museum.”

Ilkin Mammadov’s sculptures can be explored at ABAD ethno-boutiques and on the Abadhandicrafts Instagram page.