I LOVE WHAT I DO

Famous Azerbaijani artist and director of the Centre for Contemporary Art, Bahram Khalilov, believes that an artist should dedicate himself to the pursuit of Truth. The most important thing is to have sincerity and passion for art. And it does not matter who is on this quest - a renowned master or a beginner painter. By the way, the centre, which is led by our interviewee, has a special regard for young talents. Perhaps to make their journey less difficult.

"When artists say that they are not interested in anything other than creativity, the following question always intrigues me: if it's not exhibitions, recognition, success, then who is this creativity for? Is it an inner need of the artist or is he working for the future?"

"Artists are just people, with different personalities and opinions, who have lived in different places and times. The only thing they have in common is a genuine love of art. Assuming that this is the case, of course. The artist lives, or should live, in the search for Truth and a personal, original expression of it. And in doing so, he or she often works for the audience of the future, since the mass public recognises the already understood, accepted or familiar. Although, based on the above, the artist works for his personal growth and a small group of people who comprehend his vision. Like all other people, he seeks to be understood, accepted or valued for who he is.

"Like others, an artist can be more or less sincere, snobbish, greedy, etc., which are simply human traits. But if someone does art for the sake of fame or money, that's not an artist, of which I sometimes think there are many. And I pity them all, because they sacrifice their spirituality for the sake of external validation. An artist burns from within. He must burn. After all, you have to love what you live for, otherwise there is no point in the vanity of existence.

"A true and established artist is the toughest critic of his or her own work. That is why artists call the process of searching "work". The process of searching, finding, analysing and transforming an empty space into a persuasive image that sincerely conveys a personal truth about a reality or experience is a great effort and responsibility that requires certain knowledge and skills. This is why artists are often protective of their work, i.e. works of art."

"What is the percentage of young artists exhibiting at the Centre for Contemporary Art compared to the established masters?"

"I would say that it is 50/50. It is obvious that famous masters do not need special advertising and promotion. We have children's and youth exhibitions, competitions, etc. For example, we, the United Artists' Club, and Faber-Castell (a German company manufacturing products for artists) are holding a children's competition for secondary school students for the fourth time at the Centre for Contemporary Art."

"Azerbaijan is a conservative country in every sense of the word. Does this hinder the development of contemporary art, not only painting?"

"Everything is learned by comparison. We may be more or less conservative than someone else. I consider Azerbaijan a conservative country. It should be made progressive by young people themselves. Our society is very dynamic. Sometimes too much so. So I see the desire of progressive youth to change. At the same time, I do not see a strong resistance of conservatives . Although I do not think that one should blindly and indiscriminately adopt European or Western values and influences. No one can foresee what the majority will choose. It is a struggle of individual level of each person as an integral part of society as a whole. I hope we will use the wise experience of the past in the present to avoid mistakes in the future, to build a more harmonious society. We can and must become a unique example for all humanity. Young people want to be strong, progressive and developed, but this does not mean giving up their roots or useful traditions, or rejecting the harmful remnants of the past and the present without question. There is a favourable balance of both directions, and it is necessary to ensure their peaceful dialogue. Young creators need to be more open and less hostile to the opposite point of view. Maybe the rejection of the "other" is the biggest obstacle in the development of any society."

"What are the developments in Azerbaijani painting over the past five years that have pleased you and what have upset you?"

"I was happy to see that our creative circles have a good presence on the world stage, and that a talented generation is growing up, loving and practising art. The recent exhibition of my father, Farhad Khalilov, whom I regard as one of the best artists in Azerbaijan, and the way it was received by the audience were a delight. I was saddened by the pandemic that claimed the lives of many creative friends and luminaries of domestic - and not only - art."

"Organising an exhibition is not an easy task for a novice artist. What are the steps for someone who, not being a member of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan, decides to organise a personal exhibition?"

"You know, there is no specific algorithm. We organise and host many exhibitions of emerging artists. Both privately and at official venues, including youth exhibitions of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan. Not to mention that the Union has a whole section of non-professional artists. The only problem is the lack of initiative of young artists to organise exhibitions or participate in them. Although in practice I see many capable and active young people participating in the cultural life of contemporary Azerbaijan."

"Do you agree that during the period of independence the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan has lost its original influence on the creative life of our artists. Or does the Union still dictate what Azerbaijani talents should create about? In general, what does membership in a creative union give an artist today?"

"I can only express my personal opinion as one of the members of the union. For me, the Union is a public organisation that still unites and supports creative people of different profiles in many ways. In this, it has not only not lost its influence, but has increased it, especially supporting those artists who were not officially recognised under the USSR. After the 1987 Congress of Artists, any thematic or style censorship on works of art was lifted. On the other hand, the Union is an organisation of the artists themselves, for which we are all accountable. There are few examples of the usefulness of their activities left in the world.

"Since Perestroika, the organisation has stopped dictating anything. Today, it is a completely liberal structure: artists are given complete freedom of expression with as much support as possible."

"Can we say that the cultural life of Azerbaijan, or at least of Baku, is very active? With the exception of touring travellers, our internal cultural life is either poorly covered in the  media or..."

"Like I said, there are a lot of cultural events going on. Of course, there can always be more and better. It depends on the activity of artists and organisations willing to present and exhibit them. Exhibitions, concerts, holidays, festivals are held regularly... The work done by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, our union, Yarat, fine and contemporary art museums... Artists participate in projects in the restored territories of Garabagh. So, yes, cultural life is active.

"But I agree with you that the cultural activities of the creative community are very poorly covered. Maybe it's the lack of quality, training or interest of the media and their management. The quality of the audience's perception of ongoing events depends on the quality and timeliness of the presented information. In this, the audience, surprisingly, relies on the media. So this is more of a question for you."

"Who visits the Centre for Contemporary Art? Is your target audience tourists or the local public?"

"Since our doors are always open to everyone, the centre is visited by everyone who loves and is interested in art, from artists and art professionals to spectators and guests of Azerbaijan. Of course, tourists are keen to visit our exhibitions; they are not only interesting from an artistic perspective, but also as a way to learn about the cultural code of the country and our people."

"What projects are you involved in apart from your work at the centre?"

"I teach at the Azerbaijan Academy of Art, I work on creative projects with youth groups like Attic, I participate in exhibitions, I work in a studio..."

"Your work goes beyond just painting, it is also photography and other genres of fine art."

"I usually say that I am not bound by genre. Therefore, my creative interests include whatever is needed to maximise the expression of desired feelings, ideas, objects of contemplation. These include painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, computer installations, animation, land-art, design."

"What should we look out for in the coming months in terms of exhibitions or projects?"

"All artists need to be socially active and engaged. The media should pay attention to direct communication with the above-mentioned and other cultural organisations for a better and more timely coverage of their activities. Then there will be direct and feedback communication with the audience. Art lovers should follow the announcements, love and visit the centres of culture, be curious about them in any formats or forms, and as often as possible. And we will take care of the number of events."