“Spring Philosophy” Exhibition of Modern Art

Art Gallery
Ceremonial Opening: 4 may 2010, 6 PM
Organizer: Museum Center

The Museum Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan continued its grand project of seasonal exhibitions, held four times a year for the past few years. This time, viewers saw “Spring Philosophy” – that large exhibition opened in the Art Gallery of the Museum Centre on 26 April.
The exhibition curator, Director of the Museum Center Liana Vezirova, described the concept of the exhibition as follows: “’Spring Philosophy’ was possibly the most sophisticated of the seasonal exhibitions in terms of planning. Spring is the awakening of nature after winter dreams and the season of many holidays, principally Novruz Bayram, as well as of love and even madness.... I mean, of course, the productive fury of artists in whom spring generates a storm of creativity. At this time, all creative people are overflowing with bright new ideas, they are ready to work and they work hard. It is no surprise that, especially in the spring phase of our seasonal project, an increasing number of new names appear alongside our regular participants.”
More than 150 paintings, graphics, sculptures and works of decorative fine art were exhibited. More than 50 celebrated and upcoming local artists took part. The works were grouped thematically. In the first hall, viewers were met by the better known of our masters of modern art. The second hall was occupied by a storm of optimistic colours associated with the Novruz holiday – our people’s favourite holiday. The other two rooms in the enfilade were dedicated to that without which it is impossible to imagine spring – beautiful colours and beautiful women. The fifth hall was entirely given over to graphics and fine art.
The heralds of spring, vital and leaping out at viewers as soon as they entered the gallery, were “Inamoratas” and “Running Woman”. Their creator, artist Namiq Mammadov, employed the difficult technique of a collage of canvas, oil and pieces of newsprint. A whirlwind takes the Philharmonia to the clouds on Eldar Gurbanov’s canvas. Eldar Babazade’s canvas ‘Wind’ has a girl flying over the city.
Red – the colour of life and spring – plays across Amrulla Israfilov’s canvas , “Covered Camel”, Emin Askerov’s large-scale work, “Jacuzzi”, the triptych by Vugar Ali, “Novruz”, Nazim Mammadov’s colourful, “Flowers”, in Leyla Nasibova’s “Compositions”, with their bare, wine-coloured tones. The red tones dazzle in Melik Agamalov’s “Roses on Gold”. But black, the inevitable companion of red, imperceptibly shadows this celebration of life. There is also the semi-darkness around the fortune-teller’s table in Elchin Bunyatov’s “Card” and the black butterflies in “On the Way to the Precipice” by Nurana Mirmovsumova.The theme ‘Woman’ was treated with grace and lyricism by exhibition participants. Included, for example, were the “New” series of Naira Rustamova, “Girl Among Flowers” by Isa Mammadov, “Love” by Rena Amrahova and others. But heroism also had a place: proof lies in the works “Myth” and “Atlantida” by Sumgayit artist Hijran Aliyev.Among the graphics, we should highlight Yusif Mirza’s painting “Forever”, in which a horse is drawn under the moon on a spring evening in delicate pastel colours. The sculptures of Mammad Rashidov draw the attention, not so much for their size as for their unique materials. He proves that a mosaic of broken, transparent glass, which recalls eyes and water, is not a ‘winter’ material, it is universal.
Of the fine artists, we should mention the floral creations of Sugra Bagirzade, who is recognised as a master of the genre, and also the spring mood of Sabina Mammadova’s panel “Dandelions”, in which the main shape is achieved using cord. What kind of spring would it be without a flowing silk batik? This is why we see the batiks of Nikolai Zaitsev, “Mirage” and Aylel Mammadova, “Tree of Dreams”.