Togrul Narimanbekov’s masterpieces presented in Baku

Source: AzerNews

Opening of an art exhibition entitled "Remembering Togrul", dedicated to outstanding artist Togrul Narimanbekov and organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was held at the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art in Baku on July 11.

Azerbaijani culture experienced a bereavement with the loss of People's Artist Togrul Narimanbekov, winner of state awards of the USSR and Azerbaijan. Narimanbekov died at the age of 82 on June 8, leaving behind an abundant legacy of contemporary painting art.

The opening event was attended by government representatives, parliament members, well-known intellectuals and colleagues of the artist.

Opening the event, Minister of Culture and Tourism Abulfaz Garayev spoke about the unique works of Narimanbekov.

Narimanbekov's works, which are ??in the painting, theatrical and scenery genres, adorn world-famous museums, galleries and private collections, which has brought the artist wide acclaim.

It was emphasized that the grave of Narimanbekov, who was buried at a cemetery in the center of Paris, will be a place to honor for Azerbaijani citizens who visit France.

Welcoming the participants in the Azerbaijani language, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Pascal Meunier said that Narimanbekov is an artist who belongs to all of humanity and spoke about his inimitable creative world.

Daughter of the eminent master, Honorary Artist Asmar Narimanbekova expressed her gratitude for the care and attention to the memory of her father.

"My father, in principle, was a child in his soul. So, it is mind-boggling that today I am getting condolences that my father is not with us... His works reflect his nature: he was a sincere, emotional and very pure person," Asmar said.

Narimanbekov was born in 1930 in Baku. He graduated from Azerbaijan Art College named after Azim Azimzade in 1950 and Art Institute in Lithuania in 1955.

The keynote of Narimanbekov's creative work was endless love for his home country and his hometown. With great affection he painted such historic monuments as the Old City, Maiden Tower in Baku and the lacy minarets of ancient mosques.

His first work, "Dawn over the Caspian Sea", created in 1957 and presented at an exhibition in Moscow, made him famous. "Dawn over the Caspian Sea" amazed and captivated art lovers with its extraordinary approach to the subject of labor, romantic elation, distinctive personal pictorial language, and the sincerity of images. The triumph was further relived at exhibitions in Kiev, Riga and Tbilisi, as well as in foreign countries. The success of this painting was continued by the creation of such works as "Farther out to sea," "Overpass" and "Stronger than the storm." His landscapes are not just colorful, bright and decorative, they also reflect the artist's extraordinary love for his native land.

His romantic paintings, which are full of rich colors, lacked illusory and false pathos, and easily and naturally shifted into the category of panoramic wall paintings: Narimanbekov designed the Milli Majlis (parliament), Puppet Theater, and the Moscow hotel.

In his still-life paintings everything is expressive and large-scale: huge-size pomegranates, pumpkins, melons and watermelons. He did not allow himself to draw small paintings depicting miniature abundance.

Narimanbekov always deemed it necessary for the art to return to the origins of the national culture. He described his works as a combination of abstract and figurative art.

Narimanbekov lived a rich and creative life that was full of experiences and managed to keep the utmost clarity of perception, and remained committed to his own principles of internal freedom, objectivity and independence of views.