Exhibition of English artist to be opened in YARAT

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

An exhibition by UK-based mixed media artist Daniel Marrable, who tries to give new life to the otherwise neglected medium of wood, will be held at the YARAT Contemporary Art Space on July 9.

His residency with YARAT started in April 2015 and will soon culminate in a solo exhibition featuring a series of emotionally charged works constructed using wooden blocks from ‘Sovetskaya Street’.

‘I’ve been fascinated by the speed of Baku’s development and construction since arriving in the city from Scotland in February,” the artist said. “The affect that this growth has had on the surrounding area, formerly known as ‘Sovetskaya’, has been of particular interest to me. The area’s urban renewal is happening right now and as one of the oldest areas in a city that is constantly changing, I believe it deserves acknowledgment.”

Daniel noted that work he is creating is a direct visual reflection of ‘Sovetskaya’ in its current state.

“The core materials used are discarded items from areas around repurposed residences – wood, wallpaper, tiles and other articles. The idea that beauty still remains everywhere is at the core of this project. Each item taken from ‘Sovetskaya’, once part of someone’s private space, is treated with respect. The objects are given the responsibility of representing all the materials left behind, and will be enhanced with acrylic paint to reflect construction, architecture, progression and history,” he said.

The project is a visual representation of what the artist has observed over the past three months, and a tribute to the materials used for construction and decoration. “My goal is to encourage open conversation about the development of Baku and the renewal taking place in local communities,” he stressed.

A Glasgow-based artist specializing in mixed media and installation art, TERRIBLEm86 graduated in 2008 from Toronto-based York University with an Honours Degree in Graphic Design. Since 2008 he has created work in Toronto, Vancouver, Jeffrey’s Bay (South Africa), London, Glasgow and Baku.

TERRIBLEm86’s aim is to bring new meaning to discarded objects that have spent their entire life supporting and in the background, but which have never been deemed as art. Qualities and flaws in objects create an emotional connection that can often present imperfections as strengths. The idea of ‘glamourising’ or selecting items that contain remnants of their past life leaves the artist with a canvas for painting and shaping. This artistic process not only breathes new life into an otherwise discarded object, but preserves its forgotten history and memories.

Over the past year TERRIBLEm86 has displayed his work at the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, Glasgow School of Art, the Society of Scottish Artists’ Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh, and the historic Lighthouse in Glasgow. He is a member of the Society of Scottish Artists in Edinburgh as well as Visual Artists Group (VAU) in Glasgow.

YARAT is a not-for-profit art organization based in Baku, Azerbaijan. Founded by Aida Mahmudova and a group of artists in 2011, YARAT is dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and internationally.

YARAT (which means create in Azerbaijani) has commissioned over 140 projects to date, the majority of which have been in Baku, Azerbaijan. Education is at the heart of YARAT’s work, they hold artist residencies, workshops, lectures and screenings. In 2014 they launched a summer school and a new building housing artists’ studios and spaces to support their residency programme. YARAT’s programme ARTIM (meaning progress in Azerbaijani) supports young practitioners in the arts providing opportunities to curate and feature their work in exhibitions.

YARAT Contemporary Art Centre opened in March 2015 and is the organization’s first permanent space. The 2,000m2 centre, converted from a former Soviet-era naval headquarters, overlooks the Caspian Sea and is a dedicated hub for contemporary art and art education in the region. The centre features both temporary exhibitions and exhibitions from YARAT’s permanent collection. The permanent collection focuses on work by leading artists from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and neighboring countries, as well as international artists whose work has a resonance with Azerbaijan.

In 2012, YARAT opened YAY Gallery a social enterprise where proceeds of sales are shared between the artists and YARAT. YARAT has also produced two Public Art Festivals in Baku, exhibitions in collaboration with the city’s museums and international projects such as a collateral event for the 55th Venice Biennale. In 2015 YARAT participated in the 56th Venice Biennale with a collateral event.

The address of the venue is YARAT STUDIOS, 1061, Academic Hasan Aliyev Street, Nasimi District (Chemistry City). The entrance is free.