Azernews.Az

The Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku will host a series of exhibitions featuring internationally renowned artists, contemporary installations and interactive projects as part of the second edition of the "Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW" festival, which begins on October 30.

Organised at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder of the IDEA Public Union, the festival will bring together artists from different generations, cultural backgrounds and artistic disciplines.

This year's programme explores themes ranging from cultural heritage, memory and identity to biodiversity, environmental responsibility and the relationship between humanity and emerging technologies.

Alongside exhibitions at various locations across the capital, the Heydar Aliyev Center will host the festival's official opening ceremony and several major artistic presentations.

Caucasus wildlife takes centre stage

One of the central themes of this year's Art Weekend is the "Big Five of the Caucasus", an artistic concept highlighting five emblematic species of the region: the Caucasian leopard, brown bear, grey wolf, imperial eagle and goitered gazelle.

The initiative explores the relationship between nature, cultural memory and collective identity, presenting wildlife not only as part of the natural environment but also as an important element of regional mythology and heritage.

The exhibition "When Nature Speaks. Heirs", developed from an idea by Leyla Aliyeva, will examine humanity's responsibility towards the natural world and the legacy left for future generations.

Through installations, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and mixed-media works, participating artists will explore the interconnected themes of heritage, responsibility, memory and environmental preservation.

At the heart of the exhibition is a central question: What kind of natural world will humanity leave behind?

The artworks will be presented to the general public for the first time during Baku Art Weekend.

Another project, "Legendary Creatures: An Azerbaijani Bestiary", will open in the park surrounding the Heydar Aliyev Center on October 30.

Connecting the Caucasus's five emblematic animals with mythological creatures from Azerbaijani folklore, the exhibition will examine how wildlife has shaped local knowledge, storytelling and artistic traditions.

The outdoor presentation will feature six original works by six artists, including carpet art, sculpture, photography, metalwork and mixed-media compositions.

All six works will make their public debut during the festival.

Chinese artist Zhang Ji brings architectural traditions to contemporary painting

The festival will also feature "The Skin of Truth", an exhibition by Chinese artist Zhang Ji, organised by the Heydar Aliyev Center as a joint project of Baku Art Weekend and JD Malat Gallery.

The exhibition will bring together works from the artist's "The Skin of Truth" and "Ultima" series, combining architectural traditions from different civilisations with contemporary painting techniques.

Drawing inspiration from the decorative patterns of mosques, synagogues, Catholic churches, Hindu temples and Buddhist places of worship, Zhang Ji reinterprets historical architectural forms through a modern artistic language.

Several works presented in Baku were inspired by prominent Spanish architectural landmarks, including the Great Mosque of Córdoba and the Alhambra Palace.

The artist described Azerbaijan's cultural position between East and West as a major source of inspiration.

"Azerbaijan has always been a meeting point of Eastern and Western civilisations. Your country's rich cultural synthesis has long attracted my attention and sparked great interest in me. Presenting my works here as part of Art Weekend 2026 is a long-awaited moment for me and an important milestone in my artistic career," Zhang Ji said.

His artistic technique is also distinctive. Rather than applying paint with conventional brushes, Zhang Ji uses syringes to create raised surfaces on canvas, producing textures resembling sculptural reliefs.

His works have previously been exhibited in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, China, France, Spain, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, among other countries, and are represented in international collections.

Judy Chicago's interactive project makes regional debut

Another major highlight will be a presentation by renowned American artist Judy Chicago, whose project "What If Women Ruled the World?" will be exhibited in the region for the first time.

The work explores memory, storytelling and collective self-expression, inviting audiences to consider alternative perspectives on society and leadership.

Since its launch in 2022, the project has developed into an international archive encompassing contributions from the United States, Germany, Argentina, the United Kingdom, France, India, Mexico, the Netherlands and Türkiye.

Visitors to the Heydar Aliyev Center will be able to participate directly in the project through an interactive audio-recording booth, where they can answer questions and contribute their perspectives to the expanding archive.

The installation transforms visitors from observers into active participants, allowing their voices to become part of the artwork's continuing development.

Michelangelo Pistoletto explores artificial intelligence and human identity

Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto will also present his project "Mirror of Eternity" at the Heydar Aliyev Center on October 30.

The installation combines the artist's longstanding exploration of mirrors with artificial intelligence, creating an interactive experience centred on identity, memory and the continuity of human life.

Throughout his career, Pistoletto has used mirrors to incorporate viewers into his artistic compositions, challenging the traditional distinction between artwork and audience.

"Mirror of Eternity" extends this concept into the digital era.

Participants can upload their portraits into an AI-powered system, which combines their images with those of other individuals to generate entirely new faces.

Through this process, the installation explores the idea of continuous renewal across generations and the relationship between human identity, technology and collective memory.

The project has previously been presented internationally, including at The Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach and the India Art Fair in New Delhi in February 2026.

Art, heritage and technology converge in Baku

The exhibitions at the Heydar Aliyev Center will form part of a broader programme designed to connect contemporary artistic expression with questions about humanity's cultural and environmental future.

While the Caucasus wildlife projects focus on biodiversity and the preservation of natural heritage, the exhibitions by Zhang Ji and Judy Chicago explore cultural identity, shared experience and collective memory.

Pistoletto's installation, meanwhile, introduces artificial intelligence into the festival's artistic dialogue, examining how emerging technologies may reshape perceptions of human identity.

Together, the projects will offer visitors an opportunity to engage with art through traditional techniques, contemporary installations and interactive digital experiences as Baku prepares to host the second edition of Art Weekend.