Azernews.Az

After ancient people discovered this dark liquid with a distinct smell, their dark nights saw a ray of light. Oil had bestowed light and heat upon people, and even served to improve human health as medicine. As time went by, this darkish liquid turned into "black gold," and into luxury. Oil catered to the needs and enriched everyone who worked with it - from rank-and-file people such as those drilling for oil and others who were transporting it to faraway lands on mules and camels, to owners of extractive industries. A lot of blood has been, and is still being shed, in struggles for oil. But this is a totally different topic. The point is, that whoever`s hand touches oil, it brings benefit and money. As for our subject, who dips his hand into oil every day, it has brought him fame and creative inspiration. This person is not an oil engineer, driller or a businessmen dealing in oil sales. He does not work at an oil refinery or laboratory, but works in his studio where he creates. This artist, who created fascinating drawings using oil as paint, possibly for the first time in the world, is Sabir Chopuroghlu.
It is not accidental that this idea came to an Azerbaijani artist`s mind. In this country, often referred to as the `Land of Fire,` oil, which has been gushing from the soil as a spring, has been both used and transported to other countries since ancient times.
Not only did he come up with a one-of-the-kind and extraordinary way of creating canvasses, but he also captured the hearts of art lovers in exhibitions seen around the world. Western art lovers were awestruck by what they saw. At the second international symposium and exhibition and contest in Erwitte-Horn, Germany, held in 2006, spectators and participants from all over the world were amazed at the skills of the little-known creator of this new technique in art. Chopuroghlu`s "Caspian Symphony" drawing won the top award there.
The artist invented a new painting style, though not with the goal to achieve fame. Rather, the reason was much more mundane. Chopuroghlu says that when he moved from Georgia and settled in Baku in the early 1990s, he was facing financial constraints and was looking for cheap material to work with. After a long consideration, he found that new material, oil, and continued working with it.
Today, the artist is perfecting his technique, contantly experimenting and often amazing others with his oustanding canvasses. The drawings reflect everything: they eulogize oil and the labor of those who extract "black gold," describe Azerbaijan`s history and feature the nation`s historical characters as subjects. The artist has also created a series dedicated to the Khojaly massacre, perpetrated by Armenians against Azerbaijanis, during the Garabagh war in the early 1990s, which he displayed at the Azerbaijan Museum of Independence.
Chopuroghlu has created such series of paintings as "Absheron," "Borchaly," "Ancient Turks," and "Dream horse." Baku has been profoundly reflected in his works, as well. The city is portrayed both in its past and present-day appearance. He has placed a special emphasis on Icheri Sheher, a historical monument located in downtown Baku.
"I don`t make preliminary sketches or drafts, but rely completely on insight, which helps me through the creation of new canvasses," the artist said, and showed the way he goes about developing his paintings.
The artist, who paints with a paintbrush or just strokes the canvass with his finger or nail, creates canvasses that are unique in terms of their shape and color. He does so with extraordinary energy of his own and the soil, which transcends through oil. It is this one-of-the-kind method that amazed visitors during the German contest, who unanimously called him "a master who knows the language of oil", to a round of applause.
Chopuroghlu demonstrated his skills once again at a recent Caspian Oil & Gas 2008 exhibition in Baku, which featured his exhibition. This opportunity was provided to him by the organizers of the event, who wished to expose the exhibition`s partcipants with the creative work of this unique artist.
As for Chopuroghlu`s future plans, according to him, he intends to captivate art lovers in Germany again. Moreover, he is expecting an invitation from Norway, which will host his exhibitions as well.
The artist says he plans to create a series of drawings reflecting the history of Azerbaijan`s oil industry from ancient times to the present day. He also said he would draw pictures about Balakhany, Surakhany and Bayil using oil that comes from there, as oil produced from each of these regions is different and produces different shades on the canvas.
Chopuroghlu`s paintings have long been part of major private collections in the United States, Britain, Spain, France, Belgium, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Japan, as recognition of the invaluable skills of an artist who paints with oil.
The artist can be reached at 560 06 65 (workshop), (050) 545 25 66 and [email protected].