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By Amina Nazarli

Talented Azerbaijani artist Aida Mahmudova's solo exhibition "ELYSIUM" opened at the Museum of Modern Art on November 13.

Azerbaijan's First Lady and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva accompanied by Vice-President of the Foundation Leyla Aliyeva and Rector of Baku Branch of Moscow State University, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva attended the event.

The event brought together notable figures from the fields of science and arts along with the representatives of diplomatic corps in Baku and the members of public organizations.

"The art serves as a successful bridge as Azerbaijan steps from the twentieth into the twenty-first century," Azerbaijani President’s Administration Humanitarian Policy Department Head Fatma Abdullazade said while addressing the opening ceremony.

"Azerbaijani art is represented at the Venice Biennale as well as is displayed in the leading exhibition halls of Europe. Joint projects, with the participation of artists from across the globe, are taking place in Baku and across the world," she pointed out.

This exhibition is a really great cultural event, Director of the ANAS Institute of Architecture and Arts Artagin Salamzade remarked while highlighting the importance of the event.

Later, Mahmudova provided an insight into her personal artworks exhibited during the event, which will run until December 13.

Aida's solo exhibition explores the theme of an imaginary botanical garden where the attendees can immerse themselves in its ethereal beauty.

One can forego tensions and find inspiration by just observing the flowers in bloom. The artist has attempted to emote her myriad feelings through the paintings showcasing beautiful and exotic plants.

Mahmudova animates the surface of the canvas, drawing attention to both the process of painting and the material qualities of the paint itself. She plays with depth, perspective, and scale, creating large-scale scenes that capture the attention of the viewer. A structure of bold planes of color has been combined with layers of textured brushstrokes. The painted surface is further animated and enlivened with the addition of materials, such as polyurethane foam over which an impasto application of paint is applied to build volume.

In the series of paintings, Mahmudova has explored the idea of impermanence. The works provide glimpses of Azerbaijan's natural surroundings, urban environment, and architecture—a backdrop that is undergoing constant and rapid change. A central component of Mahmudova's work is her exploration of memory, its links to identity, and how they both can be continually altered and recalled over time.

"The scenes in my paintings have a strong personal resonance, combining places within Baku with those recollected and imagined. Each view captures a moment of stillness against a backdrop that is constantly changing," she explained.

This tension between fiction and reality in her paintings is recreated by merging abstract and figurative forms, creating images that are both inviting and disorientating.

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1982, Mahmudova lives and works in Baku. The artist has exhibited widely, and recently, her seascapes were featured at the 56th Venice Biennale as part of the VITA VITALE group exhibition curated by Artwise. Her sculptural installations and paintings have been displayed at exhibitions internationally including Here Today at the Old Sorting Office in London; Love Me, Love Me Not at the 55th Venice Biennale; Fly To Baku held in London, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, and Rome; and Merging Bridges at the Museum of Modern Art, Baku, Azerbaijan. Her works can be found in private collections globally and her sculpture "Recycled" is on public display on Baku Boulevard.

Mahmudova is the founder and creative director of YARAT, which was established with a group of artists in 2011. YARAT is dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to create a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally, and recently commissioned "The Union of Fire and Water," a collateral project at the 56th Venice Biennale.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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