The form of a labyrinth has long been used as a metaphor for discovery and personal journeying. Here, Pistoletto's long-standing interest in participatory art provides another layer of experience of the spiraling path, which alters the viewers understanding of the architecture, making each one a fundamental part of the work itself. Made out of corrugated cardboard, Pistoletto's work leads visitors through a maze in search of their own self as well. Remaining true to his roots, Pistoletto, uses materials which are frugal in order not to distract the visitor who in turn, is an integral part of the work itself. Site specific Third Paradise sign made out of local material that is produced in a sustainable way In 2003 Pistoletto wrote “The Third Paradise” manifesto and drew its symbol. The basic idea of the “Third Paradise” is the overcoming of the current worldwide existing conflict between the two polarities of nature and artifice. The “Third Paradise” is symbolically represented by a reconfiguration of the mathematical infinity sign. In the symbol of the “Third Paradise” three circles are drawn: the two opposite circles signify nature and artifice; the middle one is the conjunction of the two and represents the generative womb of a new humanity. From this date onwards the Third Paradise has been the main driving force behind Michelangelo Pistoletto's as well as Cittadellarte's work. A work developed through building a growing network ofrelationships and collaborations with many different partners: individuals, associations and institutions active not only in the artistic field, but at every level and sphere of the social life, turning it into a big collective and participatory work of art. Recycling and environmental sustainability are two recurrent and crucial issues in the development of the Third Paradise. They have been the first and foremost topics in the many workshops organized from 2005 onwards in collaboration with several partners.
_
The artist Etibar Ismaylov creates a wishing well with an instruction in encrypted language how to use it. The letters of the words are not written in the right order, yet the fascinating human brain can read the right words, since a word is not captured letter by letter, but as a visual whole. The text refers to the miracle of existence and embodies the artist's encouragement to continue believing in the impossible. The historical background of traditional wishing wells is the belief that water carries divine beings. The ritual of throwing coins into the water signifies a gesture of gratitude to the wishes yet to be fulfilled. In this work, the artist replaces the shape of the well with an oil barrel whilst the coins are swallowed by a black liquid.
_
Gunay Alieva's work looks at an artist's life in the form of a receipt inspired by the words of Joseph Brodsky "our products speak about us rather than our confessions”. Her work focuses on the normative role of an artist in the context of capitalism and in the age creativity. She shows the paradoxical consequences in terms of emergence of new norms of excellence and creative lifestyles, adaptable, hyper-mobile and flexible, and artist's divergent contribution to develop a particular sense of self-realization and self-fulfilment.
_
The work uses the technique of paper cut, which had its heyday in the 18th century and was a favourable alternative to expensive photography and portraiture. From congressman to dwarves, the handicapped or enslaved, portrait became accessible to all. The artist uses this democratic technique to approach the idea of the “Third Paradise”. It shows how health technology has become a part of us without even being consciously being aware of it. In the past, when illnesses such as hearing or vision problems meant serious limitations in life quality, these aids balance the disease causing less constrains in everyday life. For the artist it proofs how a harmonious relationship between man and technology, the natural and the artificial, can emerge.
_
In her work 'In conversation with mountains' the artist involved time spent experimenting with sound technology, listening and recording to nature shifting to researching natural soundscapes throughout the Alti Agach/Khizi region. Timely, interdisciplinary, simultaneously her work exists at the intersection of technology, design and nature. The work is based on the concept of “resonance”, when so called pre-existing natural geophony and biophony sounds of the mountains but also external forces such as airplane noise merge together achieving a site specific acoustic environment. Later these sound ambiences were put back in their original surrounding, re-echoing and resonating with the mountains, re-creating an even more dense sound impression with multi-layered textures, rhythms and frequencies. Giving up culturally bi-polar created structures the artist is interested in the special, harmonic relationship between all of these sources exploring ways across the spectre of today's soundscape ecology.
_
The symbolic use of the balance can be found across disciplines such as mythology, arts, astronomy, astrology or literature. In Old Egypt, for example, wall paintings show men's height balances symbolically use for soul weighing, in Greece the fate balance was known, in Roman Empire the symbolic use changed to justice fairness, and legitimacy of coins holding its position until modern time. Vusala Agarzieva's purpose of her work is to show the importance of a harmonic and reasonable relationship towards high-tech features which make on one hand our life convenient on the other hand we still should not forget to appreciate the gifts of nature. Her balance visualises this concept consisting on one side of micro electronic devices in one scale-pan and soil on the other. “Harmony in its essence cannot criticize or deny anything, it evaluates the situation, finds common ground, reaches the point and lets love and understanding enter into it. Thus, harmony creates a certain balance, which is the best creation and essence of life on earth.”, explains the artist.
_
In Gafarova's project “Ghilman” (Farsi: paradisiacal, beautiful, young beardless males) the artist refers to the theory of Dutch philosopher Michiel Leezenberg who talks about the “silent power” of the Islamic world not represented as active, political or revolutionary violent but the contrary: by its mystery, reserveness, passiveness and tolerance. Thus, characteristics which are rather associated with the feminine. She relates to historical material of pre-modern, classical Islam, that proofs to have a far going tolerance in terms of love and gender identification. The exhibition features early research of that project. “Novruz, 2018” is an observational documentary following young men on the annually recurring Novruz tradition in Gazakh, when young men dress like women for the celebration that symbolizes fertility and new beginnings in early spring. “Ana Vətən (Motherland) 2018” In this video portrait we witness the every day life of young men from Gazakh as well as a farewell of a young boy leaving on military service. Vətən - classically refers to the place of one's birth; in the nineteenth century it became re-identified with the modern notion of a national homeland. It was also envisaged as the outlines of a female body: one to love and be devoted to, to possess and protect, to kill and die for.