Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

YARAT Contemporary Art Space is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year!

On this occasion, highlights of all 10 years, such as exhibitions, performances, theatre and film screenings, concerts, master classes, and literature evenings will be presented as part of the celebration.

The first day of the week of events will feature an exhibition "ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ"(Foreword. Ten Words) dedicated to YARAT’s anniversary, audiovisual performance and Isfar Sarabski’s solo concert.

YARAT will also screened a short documentary at the Closing Ceremony to conclude the week of events.

Founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova, YARAT Contemporary Art Space Public Union is a non-profit organization which aims at promoting contemporary art in Azerbaijan and providing a platform for local artists.

Since its official opening in 2015, YARAT has organised numerous individual and group exhibitions by both local contemporary artists such as Faig Ahmed, Rashad Alakbarov, Orkhan Huseynov, and Aida Mahmudova, and internationally renowned artists such as Shirin Neshat, Oscar Murillo, Shilpa Gupta, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Taus Makhacheva.

With its role as an experimental platform for young artists, ARTIM Project Space continues to enrich the contemporary art of Azerbaijan with new talent. The exhibition program of the Museum of Azerbaijani Painting of the XX-XXI Centuries (managed by YARAT since 2018) studies the creative activities of prominent modernist and avant-garde artists and presents their work from unexpected angles.

So far, YARAT has participated in the 54th and 55th Venice Biennales, the Art Dubai International Art Fair, the Viennafair Contemporary Art Fair, the Cosmoscow Art Fair, and many other large-scale art events that have contributed to the worldwide recognition of contemporary art from Azerbaijan. Through its exhibition programs, public and educational programs, and photography and theatre festivals, YARAT has attracted a wide audience from day one.

YARAT Contemporary Art Space organized 194 exhibitions, over 2000 education and public programmes during its existence.

Over the ten years, YARAT has collected its own unique collection consisting of artworks. At YARAT’s Collection, Azerbaijan’s new art is represented by the Works of Rashad Alakbarov, Rashad Babayev, Orkhan Huseynov, Aida Mahmudova, Sanan Alasgarov, Mahmud Rustamov, Zamir Suleymanov, and the other leading contemporary artists. Collection also includes the works by world-known foreign artists such as Oscar Murillo, Shirin Neshat, Idris Khan, Afruz Amigi, Taus Makhacheva, Koka Ramishvili, Nilbar Guresh.

Being the first and the only contemporary art collection in Azerbaijan, YARAT’s Collection demonstrates the role, the organization played in the development of contemporary art. Collection and the commissioned works by YARAT during the 10 years period will be shown at the anniversary exhibition titled "ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ" (Foreword. Ten Words).

YARAT Week of Events Programme:

9 – 16 December, 2021

• Opening of “ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ” (“Foreword. Ten words”) exhibition (Stone Chronicle Museum)
• Audiovisual performance (Stone Chronicle Museum)
• Solo concert by Isfar Sarabski (Stone Chronicle Museum)
• Performance by “DanceAbility” organization and film screening (YARAT Centre)
• Master classes for children and adults by artists Rashad Alakbarov, Museib Amirov, Aida Mahmudova and Sabina Shikhlinskaya (YARAT Centre, Stone Chronicle Museum, (Museum of Azerbaijan Painting of XX-XXI Centuries)
• Literature evening (YARAT Centre)
• YARAT Film Club (YARAT Centre)
• Panel discussions (Museum of Azerbaijan Painting of XX-XXI Centuries)

The film screening of "ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ" (Foreword. Ten Words) documentary about YARAT (Stone Chronicle Museum)

*Note: COVID passport required for entry

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