ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL IN A PERSON

The words "first" and "foremost" are often used alongside her name. Badura Afqanli was one of the first Azerbaijani women to receive an education at the Baku School of Fine Arts. She was also the first female theatre designer. At the beginning of the last century, Badura Afqanli did great service to the development and coming into being of set design and scenery art.

The landscape of Novxani

She fell in love with her profession while she was a child. Badura Afqanli was born on 25 October 1912. He father Malik Agamalov was a civil servant. In his free time he would either do drawings or, gathering the children around him, he used talk to them about literature and art.

In the summer the whole family would move to the dacha [country cottage] at Novxani. In those days, in the eyes of little Badura the world was a splendid place. She used to look at the sea, which was sometimes covered with ripples, at times the rough waves were rolling up to the cliffs. The play of colours on it had an enchanting effect on her. She not only remembered Novxani for its splendid landscapes, but the memories of its religious and folk festivals and the weddings in this settlement were unforgettable as well.

The summer holidays came to an end and classes at secondary school began, so she returned to the city. Badur tried to record on paper all she had seen during the summer. Her drawings attracted the attention of her fellow schoolmates and her teacher. The latter told her that she had "real talent" and advised her to go on drawing. The little girl was greatly encouraged by this, and her interest in the artist's profession was further boosted. But, when she left school, she decided not to apply to the Baku School of Fine Arts [Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts] (BSII). In 1929, she enrolled at the Baku Peda-gogical Technical College. But the desire to become an artist gradually got the better of her and her whole being. 

When she graduated from the college, she taught at a secondary school for five years. At the same time, in 1931, she enrolled in the graphic art department of the Baku School of Fine Arts, so she was working and studying. Her sister Sayara, who was just as much in love with art as she was, had chosen to become a professional sculptor.

Theatre designer and producer

While she was still a student, Badura Afqanli started to study the history of world art. She visited the galleries, theatre and ethnography museums in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Her love for the profession of artist grew stronger and stronger. Through the new ideas and new dreams connected with art she became acquainted with the actor Rza Afqanli, who was already famous at that time. She finally took the firm decision to become a theatre designer. The subject of the thesis for her diploma was Shakespeare's tragedy "Othello".

Once she had completed her education, Badura Afqanli spent the rest of her life working in the theatre. Her first mentor in this sphere was her husband Rza Afqanli. In 1930 she was already the set designer for Rza Afqanli's production of the show "Qacaq Karam". For many years after that they worked on productions together. Badura Afqanli enriched the productions in which she was the stage designer with interesting props and scenery designs. "Sheikh Sanan", "Asig Qarib", "In 1905" and "Sevil" which they staged together brought them great success.

They spent some time working at the Ashgabat Drama Theatre in Turkmenistan. Then they returned to Baku where they continued their joint career. In 1938 Badura Afqanli received an offer of a job at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre.

She began working as an assistant designer. But she very soon started to put productions on by herself. She went on to become the theatre designer and producer of a number of shows at the Azerbaijan Drama Theatre. She was the author of the designs for the costumes in a series of productions at the Azerbaijan State National Academic Drama Theatre ("Aydin", "Solgun Cicaklar". "Aslan yatagi", "Qatir Mam-mad" "Mahabbat" and others), for ballets ("Sevil" and "Leyla and Macnun") at the Opera and Ballet Theatre and at the Russian Drama Theatre ("Vaqif" and "Aydin" and so on). Not restricting herself to costume designs, she designed the scenery and the make-up for characters in many of the shows. The directors and playwrights enjoyed working with Badura Afqanli, since she helped them to fully uncover the idea of the works she was staging.

It was Badura Afqanli who did the set designs for most of the productions staged in the theatre during the war and postwar years. She was well-known as a talented artist and producer, and shows designed by her were regarded as an example to other artists.

A specialist in national dress

Ten days of Azerbaijani art and culture were held in Moscow in 1959. The show "Shirin and Farhad" produced together with the director Adil Iskandarov was successfully staged at [Moscow's] Vakhtangov Theatre.

Badura Afqanli not only worked in the theatre, but at the film studios as well, designing costumes for various films. From 1960 she was the costume designer at the "Azerbaijanfilm" studio. Her career in film began with the film "Koroglu". This was followed by other well-known films like "Leyla and Macnun", "Boyuk dayag", "Dali Kur", "Dada Qorqut", "O qizi tapin", "Qatir Mammad", "Mahabbat dastani" and others. Her daughter Xalida xanim [mark of respect in Azerbaijan] said, "Mama was famous for being the best film designer and producer in Azerbaijan. She always worked without an assistant. She worked together with such great masters as Soltan Dadasov, Adil Iskandarov, Latif Safarov and Hasan Seyidbayli.

Badura Afqanli did not just rely on her own talent. She made a thorough study of the works that she had to create the designs for, studied the history and culture and the manner of dress in the epoch when it took place. She really enjoyed working without stopping. Afqanli designed the costumes for dance ensembles and amateur arts collectives. The Song Theatre troupe headed by Rasid Behbudov wore costumes recommended by Badura Afqanli for many years.

Xalida recounts that: "Mama designed folk costumes for most regions of Azerbaijan, for the dance ensembles of Russia and the republics of the Northern Caucasus. She made these ensembles known to the world in their national costumes. She also designed costumes for Azerbaijani puppets. Her first successful personal exhibition was held at the "Mosfilm" studios in Moscow. Although she was offered a job at the Bolshoi Theatre and at "Mosfilm", Mama could not bear to be away from her homeland. Her last exhibition took place in Baku five years before she died. Most of her designs are kept at the Azerbaijan State Theatre Museum and at the A, A, Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum in Moscow."

A theatrical tandem

Her husband Rza Afqanli became a Merited Artiste at the age of 39 and a People's Artiste at the age of 44, and in 1948 he was awarded the State Stalin Prize for his role as Farhad in Sarqin sahari" ("Morning in the East"). In 1949 Badura Afqanli was awarded the title of Merited Figure in the Arts. Her daughter recounts that "When he did not see Mama's name in the honours list, Mir Cafar Bagirov, the leader of Azerbaijan at that time, asked, 'Why isn't the name of the young theatre artist Badura Afqanli on it? Every year she puts on several shows'. After that, the Mama's name was added to the honours list."

In 1974, Badura Afqanli was awarded the honourable title of People's Artiste. She was also awarded the Order of "Saraf nisani" ("Mark of Honour"). Xalida xanim recalls: "Mama was an affable, thoughtful person. People often came to see us from the arts world. Our home was referred to as 'a branch of the Union of Artists'. A lot of people in our family had taken up drawing. My uncle, her brother, had played a big part in Mama becoming interested in this profession."

Her husband, Rza Afqanli passed away in 1973. He had already been married twice before he married her. He had children from both marriages. But neither the first nor the second marriage had lasted long. He had better luck with the third one. Badur was not only his wife, but his companion-in-arms. They did a great deal together for the development of culture and theatre art in Azerbaijan. Badura Afqanli made the first timid steps in this sphere, drawing on the experience of her husband. It was not until later that she perfected it and lived a happy life in art thanks to her personal talent and her boundless love of her profession.

Life in the theatre

Badura Afqanli lived to be 90 years old, 70 of those years she gave to the theatre. She became famous and was well loved by many people owing to her mastery. But the last years of her life were shrouded in sorrow. "Mama lived her last years, longing for the past. She had never been interested in the material side of things. One of the first professional female artists in Azerbaijan, the first Azerbaijani female theatre designer, she lived in an undecorated flat without any conveniences," her daughter recalled. 

Many years ago, we talked to Xalida xanim in that flat. The daughter of two unforgettable masters, in her declining years, she recalled the past and spoke with bitterness about her mother's memory being buried in oblivion. "Fate dealt my mother a pitiless blow. She lost her son. Her health deteriorated with every passing day and she was bed-bound. There was a time when her name was on everyone's lips, all the actors and dancers strove to appear on stage in costumes designed by her. Now they "have forgotten" her. But no matter what trials life subjected her to, it could not break down her pride. She never asked anyone for anything, neither for a flat or a studio. She did not ask for help in her declining years. The decision to refurbish her flat was adopted many years ago, but remained on paper.

She was not worried by financial or material problems either. Shortly before the end of her life she began to receive a presidential pension, which was sufficient for her to live on and purchase medicines. Most of all Badura Afqanli was hurt by the lack of purely human attention and care. So, she ended her path through life in this flat, suffering the unbearable pain of being forgotten. The first Azerbaijani female theatre designer passed away on 7 May 2002. She was not able to make all her art-related dreams come true. Even when she was ill, she spent months completing an album on national dress. But she was not able to publish it owing to lack of funds. She dreamt of completing a series of 50 costumes of the Nagornyy Karabakh region. She hoped that her works would remind people of her at some point… Time has proved that the artist was not mistaken. Even today the extremely rich heritage that she left behind, her designs and her works, are a teaching aid for film and theatre designers.