Voices of South Azerbaijan: Ruhi Tuna: From Prison Cells to Sculpting History

Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, January 1, 2013

Ruhi Tuna alongside the statue he sculpted of Seyyed Jafar Pishevari, the leader of the one-year National Government of Azerbaijan between 1945-46.

"I would chew bread in my mouth to soften it into dough. For the first time, I began making small sculptures with that dough," says Ruhi Tuna, describing his first steps into sculpting. At that time, 16-year-old Ruhi was imprisoned in Qoshachay Prison in West Azerbaijan Province due to his political activities.

The sculptures carved by Ruhi Tuna openly reflect his deeply ingrained national ideology and love for his homeland. In an interview with Voice of America, the talented sculptor recounted his life and professional journey. He shared that while still in Tabriz, he had sculpted statues of Mashruta Movement leaders such as Sattar Khan and Bagir Khan. Later, his patriotic-themed artistic work expanded to other prominent national figures, including the founder of the Azerbaijani state, Mohammad Amin Rasulzadeh, and the leader of the Azerbaijani National Liberation Movement, Abulfaz Elchibey.

Facing persecution in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ruhi Tuna, like many of his patriotic comrades, was forced to leave his homeland and flee to neighboring Turkey. In Turkey, he created sculptures commissioned by local municipalities, many of which were placed in city squares. During these years, the Southern Azerbaijani sculptor brought historical figures such as Shah Ismail Khatai, Nadir Shah Afshar, Ottoman Sultan Selim, Atatürk, Ashik Veysel, Oghuz Khan, and many others to life in his works.

Currently, Ruhi Tuna continues his sculpting career in Toronto, Canada. There, he has worked on statues of Azerbaijani historian and educator Prof. Mohammad Taqi Zehtabi, renowned surgeon and Turkologist Dr. Javad Heyat, music figure Hasan Damirchi, the great poet Shahriar, and many other notable Azerbaijani personalities.

According to sculptor Tuna, Azerbaijanis in Iran face discrimination not only in sculpture but also in many other fields of art. "While there are no educational opportunities in the arts in Azerbaijani cities, places like Isfahan have universities and faculties dedicated to the arts," says Ruhi Tuna. He adds, "In Tabriz, you have to beg for months just to get permission for an exhibition!"