Touching art works displayed in mountainous city
By Nigar Orujova
Eminent Azerbaijan's artist Rashad Mehdiyev is putting on display his 14 works at a solo exhibition in Gabala.
The exhibition of Mehdiyev, an acclaimed artist, a member of the Azerbaijan Artists Union and an honorary academician at the Russian Imperial Academy of Art is underway as part of the International Grand Prix Shotgun on August 15-21.
Mehdiyev has also designed a logo for the Grand Prix.
This cultural show in the epicenter of the exciting shooting competition is aimed to promote Azerbaijani culture among foreign athletes and guests from Australia, England, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Cyprus, Kuwait, Finland, Iran, Italy and Uzbekistan.
Creativity of Mehdiyev is a bright phenomenon in the modern art of Azerbaijan. Sensitive and touching works of the artist are created in different styles and genres, but interconnected with a perceptible immanent idea.
Works of Mehdiyev are highly individual and built on the syncretism of medieval Oriental miniatures, classic art of the European Renaissance and surrealistic aesthetics.
The artist pays a special attention to the portraits, in which he unites male and female images in a generic type of a man from nowhere, who never looks into the eyes of viewers. All these add mystical aura to the works.
Symbolism of Mehdiyev's works is also striking. The artist uses ambiguous symbols, which makes audience to interpret each work based on his or her own experience.
Visitors can enjoy paintings and graphics of the artist including Angel Flight, Silence, Sufi and Four Seasons at Gabala Shooting Club.
Mehdiyev is a graduate of Baku Art School named after Azim Azimzade, Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Art and Turkish Mimar Sinan University, and the winner of the numerous international awards, including "Tears of Chanaggala" competition in Turkey and award of the Russian Public Foundation "Vera".
Doctor of Philosophy, Mehdiyev is the only Azerbaijan's artist whose works were displayed in the UN office in Vienna in 2006.
His creativity was also exhibited in Baku, Vienna, Venice, Istanbul, Tbilisi, St. Petersburg and Moscow.