Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.16 / Trend /
YARAT!, a non-commercial organisation dedicated to the promotion of Azeri contemporary art, is delighted to announce the launch of the inaugural "012 Baku Public Art Festival".
The first event of its kind to take place in the Azeri capital, the festival will bring contemporary art works to a variety of public locations in the heart of the Ancient city.
Sponsors of the festival, which will be held from Feb.25 to Sept.1, are Bank Respublika and telecommunication company Azercell Telecom.
The "012 Baku Public Art" Festival will feature the work of twenty-one of the finest emerging and established artists in Azerbaijan. Each has been given the task of creating a visual reinterpretation of a setting that holds significance for them within the city. Working alongside local historians, they have made a detailed study of their chosen location, whether a building, park or balcony. The Festival will launch with a temporary exhibition of the sketches, notes, photographs and films made during this creative process. These materials will be on public display between the 25 February and 1 March 2012 at the "UNS Creative Stage".
From 9 March 2012 one public art work will be unveiled, every Friday, over twenty one weeks, on the site which inspired their creation. This will allow the work of each artist to be celebrated individually, as though in a solo exhibition, but in fact as part of a city-wide festival. By bringing their work into the public sphere, the artists will gain creative freedom and will achieve a higher level of exposure without the constraints imposed by a gallery or museum.
The participating artists belong mainly to a generation of young talent, who have observed the regeneration of Baku, and are passionate about promoting Contemporary Azeri art, whilst staying in touch with their rich cultural heritage.
Works of the following artists will be exhibited : Altai Sadikhzade, Aga Ousseinov, Fuad Salayev, Mammad Mustafayev, Huseyn Haqverdi, Mahmud Rastamov, Teymur Daimi, Niyaz Najafov, Mekhti Mammadov, Rashad Alakbarov, Ali Hasanov, Aida Mahmudova Faig Ahmed, Farid Rasulov, Leyla Aliyeva, Sitara Ibrahimova, Rashad Babayev, Nail Alakbarov, Orkhan Huseynov, Nazrin Mammadova Shargiya Rahmanli .
The founder of YARAT!, Aida Mahmudova commented: "I am delighted to be able to announce a show that not only celebrates Azeri art, but also showcases one of the most culturally diverse and fascinating cities anywhere in the world, Baku. Art has always played a major role in Azeri culture and Baku is an incredibly important reference point for Azeri artists. The "012 Baku Public Art Festival" will present an exciting array of contemporary artworks that express optimism for the future whilst paying homage to the city's unique heritage."
As part of the "012 Baku Public Art Festival" the award-winning film director Rufat Hasanov will be making a documentary to record the project from inception to completion. He will interact with each artist and follow the development of their work in the lead up to the Festival, culminating with the unveiling of the artworks. This film will be shown at the closing ceremony of the "012 Baku Public Art Festival".
Founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova, YARAT! is a non-commercial, private organisation dedicated to the promotion and nurturing of Azeri Contemporary art nationally and internationally. YARAT!'s inaugural show On Soz took place in October 2011 and attracted 20,000 visitors in one month. Building on the success of this project, YARAT! will launch the "012 Baku Public Art Festival" in February 2012. A key objective of YARAT!'s is to form dialogue and exchanges with non-commercial art foundations, galleries, museums and artists both in Azerbaijan and abroad. YARAT! also aims to provide educational initiatives as well as an international artist in residence programme.
Aida Mahmudova, the creator and founder of YARAT!, trained as an artist at Central Saint Martins, London before returning to her native Baku. Meeting other artists there, it became clear to Aida that they would benefit from an organisation to inspire and focus a creative dialogue. This inspired her to start a non-profit organisation that promotes and celebrates Contemporary art in Azerbaijan. Through YARAT!, Mahmudova aims to provide a platform for Azeri Contemporary artists that will help promote art to a broader national and international audience.
