Solo exhibition by artist Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova on her 70th birthday

Gallery
Ceremonial opening: 25 Oktober 18:00 PM
Organizer: Department of Fine and Decorative Arts, Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Museum Centre Art Gallery

A solo exhibition by the artist Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova, dedicated to her 70th birthday, will be opened in the Art Gallery of the Museum Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Azerbaijan Republic on 25 October at 18:00.

Her family tree has many outstanding names. Her great-grandfather Ivan Sokolov, the eminent Russian genre painter of the 19th century, graduate of the Emperor Art Academy and prizewinner of the Rome Academy for his ‘Caucasian Series’ of paintings. The Baltic baronesses Von Ram and Von Rosen, who were in the genealogical handbook of Russian nobility, were also in her family tree. The family was in contact with the most famous people of the time. Margarita herself also graduated from first-class Soviet art schools, gained experience at the Leningrad Repin Academy and the famous Moscow Surikov Art Institute. She was a member of the Artists’ Union of the USSR, is a member of the Artists’ Union of Azerbaijan and UNESCO’s World Federation of Artists, and a member of the International Art Foundation of the Russian Academy of Arts; she is a woman of rare intelligence and charisma, who knows how to see, understand, exercise compassion as well as knowing how to love. Margarita’s personal and artistic development took place essentially in Azerbaijan, thanks to her parents, colleagues, friends and to all those others who crossed her path and, in one way or another, became her teachers. From 1995 to the present, Margarita has lived and worked in the German city of Cologne. However, she has by no means ended her relationship with Azerbaijan. Her creative career began in Baku in 1966 and continues today in Azerbaijan.

“Margarita”, says Museum Centre Director, Liana Vezirova, “is an iconic personality. On the one hand, she is very important to Azerbaijani art, as she was born in Baku and she needs Baku and its aura, aroma, colour and light as she needs air. On the other hand, she is a European artist; she lives and works in Cologne. Her works are held in museums and private collections in Azerbaijan, Germany, Russia, the USA, France, Italy, Austria and other countries. So we could say that the art of Margarita K-S represents our art in an international context”.
The new exposition is called ‘100 MOMENTS’. The exhibition consists of three cycles: ‘Formulas of a Flower’, ‘Eve’ and ‘The World of Carnival’. There will be 100 miniatures on display.

“Formulas of a flower” - How did you come up with the idea of ‘Formulas of a Flower’?
Margarita was always given flowers at presentations, premieres, and birthdays: bouquets, baskets, armfuls of flowers. She would give half of them to friends, but most would remain at my house. They stood there, proud and beautiful, they bloomed, pleased, faded, drooped and… died – they went through all those stages of life – the formulas of the lifetime of a flower. She watched and painted them in all those conditions – the physical beauty of life and death. That is how ‘Formulas of a Flower’ was born. This cycle includes 31 miniatures.

“Eve”
The classics usually depict Eve in the tragic moment of her expulsion from heaven – Eve, who crossed the threshold of the permitted. Margarita’s Eve is different. She is young and virginal. Her Eve is before the fall of man, unburdened by the wrath of God. At that point she is still enjoying life, she is by herself… But, eventually, everything starts to get confused… The ‘Eve’ series is an example of fine, elegant art – bright, deep water colour, spontaneous, airy gouache. Margarita is trying to reach balance and harmony between the nuances of light, colour and mood – this is what affects visually and produces emotional feedback. The key words here are: delicacy, detail, components, spiral and subtlety. And the simple titles of the miniatures also tell Eve’s story – ‘Contemplation’, ‘Confusion’, ‘Premonition of Love’, ‘Whirlwind of Love’, ‘Morning of Love’, “Whirlwind of Infinity”, like chapters of the legends of the biblical heroine. The “Eve” cycle consists of 24 miniatures.

“The world of Carnival”
Shakespeare’s famous expression “All the world’s a stage” – conveys the wonderful impression created by the exhibition of miniatures from the ‘World of Carnival’ series. Of course, this is the bright era of the Renaissance. The characters of that time felt the Eye of God on them, the attention of the world and this filled them with self respect. They were people able to create panegyrics in literature, stone and music, live in such majestic palaces, wear breathtaking costumes. All is communicated by Margarita in her carnival series. It is no coincidence that her heroes have literary names – Casanova, Horatio, Capulet, Columbine, Pantalone, Ardelia, Cinzio, and the eternal servant of two masters, the most cunning of all characters in world literature – Harlequin…

Painting is simply a combination of colour, light and form on a plane. However, when executed by a true artist, it gains meaning, becomes versatile, like Margarita’s carnival. Her paintings are full of the theatrical – stunningly bright characters, a vaguely ambiguous atmosphere, deeds enveloped in mystery, an entourage of outlandish accessories, breathtaking costumes. Vivacity and courage are the special features of Margarita’s artistry. She herself takes the role of the ‘Queen of the Night’. And over all triumphs Love, the free, beautiful, inconceivable, summoning, absorbing… This cycle will introduce 45 miniatures.
Two genres: literature and art are combined in the creation of the exhibition ‘100 MOMENTS’. This press release carries excerpts from Nadejda Ismailova’s article ‘Masquerade Display’. The exhibition will continue until 29 October.