YARAT Contemporary Art Space was pleased to present the group exhibition “Me and the Ark, Me and the Great Flood” featuring works by local and international artists.
A meeting with the curator and artists was held before the opening of the exhibition. Each artist explained the history of the creation of their work, and at the end they answered questions from the audience.
Inspired by a contemporary interpretation of Nasimi’s philosophy, the group exhibition presents sculptures, installations and audiovisual projects commissioned by YARAT by Azerbaijani artists Tarlan Gorchu and Orkhan Huseynov, and artists Mladen Milyanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Pavla Nikitina (Czech Republic). The exhibition also features new projects, as well as works in various media by Mykhailo Alekseyenko, Volodymyr Budnikov and Vlada Ralko (Ukraine), Rimas Sakalauskas (Lithuania), Natalia Vatsadze (Georgia), Ali bey Huseynzade, Salim Turan and Elturan Mammadov (Azerbaijan).
In the 14th century, Seyid Imadaddin Nasimi wrote, “All the world is human.” His philosophy states that every person perceives reality through the prism of their own experience, shaping the world around them. Each of us perceives reality through the lens of personal experience, and with every individual’s passing, an entire world—one that existed uniquely within their consciousness—ceases to exist. This underscores our responsibility not only for ourselves but also for the world we shape through our actions and the choices we make.
Nasimi’s words, “I am the watcher and the watched, I am both light and darkness, old and young,” take on new relevance in the digital age, where social networks blur the boundaries between the individual and the collective. The ability to speak for oneself and the growing awareness of identity in all its diverse facets bring the issue of respecting boundaries—both personal and international—to the forefront. The right to dignity and sovereignty foregrounds processes of inclusion and decolonization. Nasimi's voice is among the factors that provide support, inspiration, and hope in this context, as well as undermine colonial hierarchies built on knowledge.
Philosophical parallels can be found in the thoughts of Ukrainian neurophysiologist Oleg Krishtal. He compares the human brain to a “time machine” moving between two infinities. His formula resonates with Nasimi's philosophy: “Infinity outside, infinity within, and in between – myself.”
Offering a broad panorama of human existence, the group exhibition invites us to envision a future illuminated by Nasimi’s words: "You, who have grasped the word of God, shall not become a sage. Even if you do not become a sage, you will not remain a beast."
The exhibition will continue at YARAT Contemporary Art Space until October 26.
Curator: Kostiantyn Doroshenko.
Researcher: Nizami Mammadov.
Special thanks to the Azerbaijan Independence Museum.
