YAY Gallery hosts group exhibition [PHOTO]
![YAY Gallery hosts group exhibition [PHOTO]](https://www.azernews.az/media/2018/04/03/yayg42.jpg)
By Laman Ismayilova
YAY Gallery presented the group exhibition "Think That
Everything That Exists, Does Not Exist" with works by the artists
Shahnaz Aghayeva, Aysel Amirova, Gunay Aliyeva, Leyli Gafarova,
Fakhriyya Mammadova, Aydan Mirzayeva, Chinara Majidova, Parvana
Persiani, Sheila Salamzadeh, and Leyli Salayeva on March 29.
The title of the exhibition relates to a rubai by Azerbaijani poet
Mahsati Ganjavi (12th century, born in Ganja) that talks about the
impermanence, transitoriness and ephemerally of all existing
things. Her poetry is a very early example of a strong female voice
against prejudice, hypocrisy and patriarchy, while upholding love –
both human and divine.
The exhibition features works by young female artists inspired and related to notable women of the past and the present from the region’s history and mythology.
The main goal of the exposition is to rediscover female voices
considering the richness of women’s attitudes towards relevant
topics of our times and dissolving gender stereotypes.
The installation "NUR" (Light) by Shahnaz Aghayeva is a convex
shaped shell made of highly polished steel, radiates a biting white
light in sequential order imitating the blink of an eye, but at the
same time makes it impossible to look at it. The work is inspired
by women who pioneered in natural sciences and medicine.
Aysel Amirova dedicates her work to Azerbaijani singer and
songwriter Diana Hajiyeva that is the contemporary voice of the
local music world. By using symbols such as the upside pyramid,
light and outer space imaginary the work becomes an object talking
in a more general sense about female figures, who influence the
world with their creative energy.
Gunay Aliyeva’s "New Object" relates to the collective’s name
"Zamanin ganadlari" (Wings of Time) founded by Leyla Akhundzade and
is a plaster cast of a wing object. Through the gesture of
imitation and reprint, the work preserves the past but also
explores the future, it shows how the creative process is passed
from one generation to the other.
The performance "Içinə" developed as a cooperation work by Leyli
Gafarova and Leyli Salayeva challenges the concept of female
modesty trough traditional dance. Selected rubais’ of Azeri female
poet Mahsati Ganjavi are performed by a group of women in a form of
a ritual.
Fakhriyya Mammadova’s wallpaper works form the background of the
exhibition and resulted from a cooperation with the artists and the
poet Leyli Salayeva. They are based on poems, writings by Leyli
Salayeva, the artists themselves as well as excerpts from the
original inspiration source of the works.
Aydan Mirzayeva reinterprets the tale of "Tiq-Tiq Khanum" with a
formal language that combines anime style and aquarelle painting.
In the artist's version, the protagonist becomes a strong anime
heroine, who, in contrast to the original story, can defend herself
against the threats of the creatures she encounters on her way.
Nevertheless, the artist retains the moral of the story, in the end
the heroine turns into the black beetle as a consequence of defiant
pride and vanity.
In her photographs Chinara Majidova plays with social habits to
push a girl to behave or dress more feminine, if her appearance
doesn’t fit into social expectations. In her video work "Voice" she
presents a women working on the Bazaar challenging the idea of
woman as defenceless and unprotected. She emphasizes that the model
of the strong man, breadwinner, head of the family doesn’t reflect
any more new realities. Increasingly hard work, the role of the
breadwinner, rests on the shoulders of women.
In the work by Parvana Persiani diode lights are flashing up on a
black mirror that forms the phrase "All Your Sadness Is Mine And
All Your Joy", an excerpt from the artist’s poetry. The work delves
into the topic of the emotionalisation of the virtual space, "old
school romance" poetry with nostalgia to the analogue world is
depicted in the cold aesthetics of the digital world.
Shalala Salamzadeh’s installation connects two historical women,
film director Gamer Salamzadeh and poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan,
who were among the few examples of their time to brake with social
stereotypes. These two objects do not only unite the idea of a
women's the struggle for equality and justice, missed opportunities
and regrets, but also about inexhaustible strength and renewal.
In addition, the exhibition features a film screening program in cooperation with international Media Platform "Chai-Khana".
Duration of the exhibition: March 29 – June 3
Opening hours: 12:00 – 20:00 (except Monday)
Free admission
Address: Icheri Sheher, 5, Kichik Gala str.
T: +994 12 505 2323
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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