YARAT's tenth-anniversary events

YARAT Contemporary Art Space presents "ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ" ("Foreword. Ten words”) commemorative group exhibition as part of YARAT's tenth-anniversary events. For the first time, YARAT's unique collection assembled over a 10-year period, along with selected works commissioned by YARAT, are displayed in a single exhibition.

Referring to YARAT's first project "Ön Söz" ("Foreword"), the exhibition highlights YARAT's path during this period and the exceptional role it played while training and shaping a new generation of contemporary artists.

Revolving around the concepts of memory and history, the exhibition serves as a metaphor acknowledging how much the past has diffused into the present. The present reality, which is constantly confronted with the material reality of the past, depends on speed. The exhibition addresses the themes of tradition and society, the value system, and conflicting truths, all the while narrating how the speed by which we live is aligned with the symbols and memories of the past that surround us. It examines different aspects of human presence and existence, emphasizing the importance and role of the past in their formation.

Dedicated to YARAT's 10-year endeavour, the exhibition “ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ” brings together installations, sculptures, video, and photo works by Afruz Amighi, Faig Ahmed, Rashad Alakbarov, Aida Mahmudova, Idris Khan, Habib Saher, Mahmud Rustamov, Orkhan Huseynov, Vusal Rahim, Leyli Salayeva, Chinara Majidova, and Elturan Mammadov.

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The exhibition is curated by Farah Alakbarli.

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YARAT CONTEMPORARY ART SPACE: 10^th Anniversary!

YARAT Contemporary Art Space is celebrating its 10^th 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. On the first day of the Week of Events opening of “ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ”(“Foreword. Ten Words”) exhibition which is dedicated to YARAT’s Anniversary, demonstration of audiovisual performance and Isfar Sarabski’s solo concert will be held. YARAT will present a short documentary at the Closing Ceremony to conclude the Week of Events.

YARAT Contemporary Art Space Public Union non-profit organisation was established in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova with the mission of 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 54^th and 55^th Venice Biennales, the Art Dubai International Art Fair, the ViennafairContemporary 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, more than 2000 education and public programmes during its existence.

During these 10 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”).

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YARAT Week of Events Programme:

9 – 16 December, 2021

• Opening of “ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ” (“Fore 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)
• Screening of “ÖN SÖZ – ON SÖZ” (“Foreword. Ten Words”) documentary film about YARAT (Stone Chronicle Museum)

*Note: COVID passport required for entry

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For additional info:
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info@yarat.az