Marilyn Monroe, Azerbaijani oilmen adjoin at Irina Eldarova's exhibition
By Nigar Orujova
A solo exhibition by Azerbaijani artist Irina Eldarova opened its doors for art lovers at "Yay" gallery on December 26.
The exhibition "Girls Prefer Oilmen", organized by the "YARAT!" Contemporary Art Space, features latest paintings and installations by Eldarova who got inspired by the classic films from 60th and the unfading image of Marilyn Monroe.
"Diamonds are girls' best friends," the most famous blonde-haired woman of the world cinematography was singing with her fascinating voice. However, over the past decades this slogan has considerably changed, according to Eldarova.
The time of nice, naive girls, ninnies, wishing to meet their millionaire at the beach of Saint-Tropez has vanished. Contemporary huntresses for success seek and find their prices among oilmen.
"It`s a Female`s time and today she independently makes her life choice," Eldarova said. Present beauty knows her own value and tends towards her happiness. Well, and diamonds, of course, will be attached.
On the canvases created by the artist magnificent Marilyn is neighboring with dashing Azerbaijani oilman, whose courageous, sunburnt, chapped face, seems like, has come off the newspapers of 1960s.
The image, disseminated by the artists, photographers and filmmaking and transforming its owner to myth. Miss Monroe-eternal symbol of female sexuality was quite the same myth for us.
The artist`s will and fancy united these two myth in one whole, and not just on a glossy surface of posters and movie billboards. Will we be able to perceive these two images together under suggested conditions?
Here is fascinating movie star, almost like eastern brides, modestly casting down her eyes accepts engagement ring from thick-browed oilman. Now turning her eyes towards the sky she follows the first flight of Yuri Gagarin.
On the other canvas, she is almost disappeared in the crowd and wants to remain unrecognized among the dancers. But Monroe`s image is clearly identified in a girl, whirling on the dance floor.
Some more fantasy- and naked Marilyn is flying on the swings over the slipping city! Perhaps, it is only a dream in the warm summer twilight or, maybe she has become someone`s dream.
This strange and amusing symbiosis is being very much adorned with a note of rowdy humor, being added to each and every subject by the author. All the art works are saturated with the taste of sea, sun, magic of the cinema and almost jazz motives.
Irina Eldarova is an artist, illustrator, and graduate of Saint-Petersburg State Academy named after Repin and Moscow State Institute named after V. I. Surikov.
Irina's creative work include not only painting and graphic designs, but also the development of large-scale publishing projects in Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
The range of the artist's professional interests covers photography, video art, and journalism.
Eldarova is also known as the author of the monumental marble panel fixed at Khalglar Dostlugu metro station in Baku.
The artist received the prize for Best Media Project, granted by the Kazakhstan Journalists Union, in 2007.
She also illustrated "A Proud Violin" in 2012, a children's book that received very warm feedbacks from art critics in UK.
Eldarova participated in major international projects, representing contemporary Azerbaijani art in the world. Among them is the "Fly to Baku" project, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, showcased in London, Paris, Berlin and Rome, and the "Home, Sweet Home" exhibition, held in 2013 at the Azerbaijani Culture Center in Paris.
Her works can be found in the Tretyakovskaya Gallery (Moscow), Academy of Arts of the Soviet Union, the Modern Art Museum (Baku), the Arts Museum named after Mustafayev, and the Baku Arts Center, and are part of many private collections.