The Seven Beauties exhibition opened in Moscow. It is devoted to the Azerbaijani poet of the 12th century, Nizami Ganjavi. The exhibition is held in the All-Russian Museum of Decorative Art in Moscow. It consists of 60 items praising Azerbaijani culture in various aspects. The project is synthesis of the carpet art, jewellery, miniature, classic national music, classic dance, and contemporary art. The journey to Nizami’s wonderful world starts with an installation by the conceptual artist Rashad Alekperov. The artist told Vestnik Kavkaza about his work.
- How did the idea of the installation come to you?
- I created the installation for the Azerbaijani pavilion in the Venice Biennale. It is a classic Azerbaijani miniature of Sultan Muhammad. It is colorless. I used only graphics and created a shadow installation. It depicts a young man reading a book. Today people do lack reading.
- How much time do you usually spend to create such an installation?
- It takes from three to seven days. For me, it’s a game: light is installed and metal elements are being cut. I love the process. I love working with metal.
- When did you start creating such installations?
- I started to work with shadows in 2001. I created the East-West installation out of waste materials. Then I created two more compositions with light. That’s how it went. I didn’t expect such a positive reaction – my installations were popular in many exhibitions, including ones in Moscow. I had a joint exhibition with Aydan Salakhova in the Aydan Gallery in 2009. I presented a shadow installation made of plastic sewer pipes. Later, an exhibition in the Manezh was held. I presented an installation made of ropes in the Kosmos pavilion there.
- What are your artistic plans for the future?
- There will be a big exhibition on Taiwan in late 2019. Artists who work only with light and shadow will come there. They are few in the world – only seven people. And I am one of them.
- What does inspire you in your work?
- I don’t know what inspires me. I just do what I want at the current moment.
