By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

A documentary "Foreword. Ten Words" has been shown in Baku  within YARAT's tenth anniversary.

The film screening took place at the Stone Chronicle Museum. Before the film, the guests of the event enjoyed a spectacular light show on the building's facade.

Famous artist, founder of YARAT Contemporary Art Space Aida Makhmudova, executive director of Baku Media Center Orman Aliyev, director of the International Mugham Center, People's Artist Murad Huseynov, director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Honored Cultural Worker Shirin Malikova and others attended the event.

In his speech, the executive director of Baku Media Center, the general producer of the documentary, Orman Aliyev, congratulated YARAT on its tenth anniversary. He noted that the film had been produced as part of the celebration.

The documentary  "Foreword. Ten Words" highlights YARAT's activities over the past years, including numerous art projects, international events and collaboration with local and foreign artists.

Orman Aliyev congratulated the YARAT team on the anniversary and wished for further success.

The film features interviews with artists, curators and other cultural figures talking about public and educational projects, festivals, exhibitions and other events implemented with YARAT during these years.

The documentary filmed by Fuad Guliyev was highly appreciated by the viewers.

The film screening completed a series of cultural events dedicated to YARAT's anniversary.

Founded in 2011  by Aida Mahmudova, YARAT Contemporary Art Space Public Union is a non-profit organization which aims at promoting contemporary art in Azerbaijan and providing a platform for local artists.

Since its official opening in 2015, YARAT has organized numerous individual and group exhibitions by both local contemporary artists such as Faig Ahmed, Rashad Alakbarov, Orkhan Huseynov, and Aida Mahmudova, and internationally renowned artists such as Shirin Neshat, Oscar Murillo, Shilpa Gupta, Michelangelo Pistoletto, and Taus Makhacheva.

With its role as an experimental platform for young artists, ARTIM Project Space continues to enrich the contemporary art of Azerbaijan with new talent.

The exhibition program of the Museum of Azerbaijani Painting of the 20th-21st Centuries (managed by YARAT since 2018) studies the creative activities of prominent modernist and avant-garde artists and presents their work from unexpected angles.

So far, YARAT has participated in the 54th and 55th Venice Biennales, the Art Dubai International Art Fair, the Viennafair Contemporary Art Fair, the Cosmoscow Art Fair, and many other large-scale art events that have contributed to the worldwide recognition of contemporary art from Azerbaijan.

Through its exhibition programs, public and educational programs, and photography and theater festivals, YARAT has attracted a wide audience from day one.

YARAT Contemporary Art Space organized 194 exhibitions, over 2000 education and public programmes during its existence.

Over the ten years, YARAT has collected its own unique collection consisting of artworks.

YARAT's collection includes art pieces of Rashad Alakbarov, Rashad Babayev, Orkhan Huseynov, Aida Mahmudova, Sanan Alasgarov, Mahmud Rustamov, Zamir Suleymanov, and other leading contemporary artists. Collection also features the works by world-known foreign artists such as Oscar Murillo, Shirin Neshat, Idris Khan, Afruz Amigi, Taus Makhacheva, Koka Ramishvili, Nilbar Guresh.

Being the first and the only contemporary art collection in Azerbaijan, YARAT's Collection demonstrates the role the organization played in the development of contemporary art.