TU Dortmund University, Germany and Tsinghua University, Schwarzman College, China
Sonabayim Huseynzade is a Robotics Engineer/Researcher from Azerbaijan who works on real-time emotional system adaptation of robots and interaction with humans.
the artwork
Custodia animae
Azerbaijani - Surveillance of the soul - 2026 - digital
audio commentary
What happens when our emotions are watched? Would we feel any different? This is shown in my depiction of the buta symbol flipped to its opposite side. It means that the moment we are watched, something in nature shifts. Animals quiet down. We conceal ourselves. But what if it goes beyond observation of emotions and reaches the soul itself? There is also a small quest for math lovers. Look closely and you will find parts of an equation scattered across the buta and the watching eye. Here is a hint: Emotions exist on a spectrum and shift by degrees. What equation could that be? 🙂
Sonabayim Huseynzade
The change in the flow of research work to the expansion of horizons
mathematics in Azerbaijani culture
Azerbaijani ornaments are deeply mathematical, rooted in principles of sacred geometry, symmetry, and number theory. The iconic buta motif is symbolically linked to the number 9, which holds unique mathematical properties. Complex “shebeke” stained glass patterns rely on regular polygons such as hexagons, octagons, and 12 pointed stars, arranged with precise rotational and mirror symmetries, often exhibiting group 632. This fusion of geometry and symbolism transforms Azerbaijani decorative arts into a visual language of mathematical order and cosmic significance.
Sonabayim Huseynzade