BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 23. A new episode of Dialogue with Tofiq Abbasov on the Baku Network featured an in-depth conversation with renowned Azerbaijani artist and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, Siruz Mirzazade. The discussion explored the emotional power of art, personal loss, and the artist’s enduring hope for peace.
Mirzazade reflected on how his art changed over the years, particularly during the turbulent 1990s: "I used to paint in bright, sunny colors. But in the ‘90s, everything turned black. That’s all I could paint. The mood, the environment — it was all dark".
Central to his work is the image of the woman, which he sees as a symbol of life and beauty: "The most beautiful creation of God is woman. A mother, a sister, a daughter — everything starts with her".
For Mirzazade, each painting is deeply personal: "Every piece is like a child. Letting go of it is like tearing off a part of myself".
Now a professor at the Academy of Arts, he paints daily in his studio, mostly in acrylics: "Acrylic is smooth. People say I don’t paint, I color — and that’s true. But it’s work, not just inspiration".
In the interview, he shared a painful memory from his student years in Moscow, when an Armenian classmate shocked him with a cruel remark during a discussion about war. The experience left a lasting impression and deepened his mistrust.
Despite these challenges, Mirzazade holds onto a vision of peace: "I dream of painting 'Peace in the Caucasus'. It won’t be easy. But we all need peace. Art and mutual respect are the soft power we need now".
