On February 4th, the exhibition Fly to Baku opened in the Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow. The main sponsors are the Heydar Aliyev Fund and Baku Magazine. The exposition which earlier was presented in London, Paris, and Berlin presents pictures, sculptures, installations, videos, and photographs by modern Azerbaijani artists.
Leila Aliyeva, the editor-in-chief of Baku Magazine, a participant of the exhibition
21 artists from Azerbaijan worked on the exhibition. Some of them are young, they only begin their career. Some of them are very famous masters. We have been preparing the exhibition for 2 years, I hope it will tell you in its language, the language of art, about the great breakthrough in all spheres, which experiences our country.
Olga Sviblova, the head of the Multimedia Art Museum
I think the exhibition is very important for a Russian audience. Since we lost the Soviet Union, we lost a cultural bond with the countries of so-called “near abroad.” I believe it is natural that it is time to build bridges today. More than a half of artists presented here are honored artists and young authors who studied in Moscow. We can see the style. Later their paths parted: some of them live in New York, some in Paris, others in Baku. It is natural because art crossed borders before we learnt the word “globalization.” Firstly, it is interesting because they are prominent authors and we will discover some of them, probably some of them began their career in the Soviet times, and you can remember those authors and how relations in the common Soviet space of Russian and Azerbaijani art developed. I think it is an important sign. Eastern Europe begins to exchange with projects, express greater interest to each other because at some point when the line is crossed everything is ruined, and people want to be presented in New York, Paris, and London first of all. We want to be interesting to each other and that we see national peculiarities. I am sure that works by Moscow, Russian artists will be presented in Baku, and soon we will perform a big project of Ukrainian artists because Kiev today is an international capital of art. They have international biennale and a huge interest to exchange between Ukraine and Russia in the sphere of modern art. We will also honor the art of Kazakhstan here, as well as of other former Soviet republics. Everybody gives his own answers to posed questions. I think the exhibition is fine and beautiful. We find very international forms which are understandable for Russian audience, German audience, the UK audience. It is great that this project exists. It is a new step in development of cultural relations in the former Soviet Union space.
Rashad Alekperov, artist
Many people in the world think that the East is chaos. But it is not the point: the main thing is that the shadow is systemic, mathematically clear. This is the true East.
Mamed Mustafayev, artist
My work is my creativity. I do painting and graphing. They are closely connected to each other – painting and graphing. Then I took an interest in all sculptural forms – metal, wood, various materials. Each work has its own advantage.
Leila Aliyeva
To tell the truth I don’t think I’m an artist. It is my hobby. I like painting. Of course here we see many prominent artists. As for me, it is what I like to do, and it is my first exhibition. I’m happy I got the opportunity to present my works.
Andrey Makarevich, musician
Here are pretty things, and everything is well organized. I’m glad that now I realize what art is in Baku today. Altai Sadykhzade and his black-and-white works are very well. Everything is presented well and it is great that various artists are presented. It should be like that.
Yuri Vyazemski, TV anchor
On the one hand, it is modern. On the other hand, a person is not lost; soul and an artist are present. Moreover, as I was told because I don’t know the Azerbaijani culture well, national peculiarities are present in the works, national traditions. As for me, I like Aliyev’s works most of all – not because she is President’s daughter, not because I studied together with her father in university, but because she is a deep, interesting, and even tragic artist.
Yuli Gusman, cinema director
The exhibition is amazing. I am proud that I was born in Baku, in Azerbaijan. Artists are great. I know Leila Aliyeva since she was a girl from the Baku KVN team; she is a splendid editor of a magazine and it turned out, she is a nice artist. This picture is a talented work, serious art. I am happy for her.
Polad Byul-Byul Ogly, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Russia
As Ambassador and a man of art I am glad that young artists of Azerbaijan are exhibited today in Moscow which is one of cultural capitals of the world. Azerbaijani art is very ancient and very young at the same time because rock painting is situated in Azerbaijan. These are people of the 21st century, young artists who are presented in Moscow. It is nice that art is developing, especially modern art; and it is a great chance for artists to show themselves.
