A DISTANT OBSERVER

Jasar Mammadov graduated from the Azim Azimzadeh State Art School and the Academy of Arts in Baku. Now, when he has his own path in the fine arts, it seems that everything in his life was predetermined since his birth: passion for drawing, professional development, and a healthy desire for professional self-affirmation. Everything could have been different. And Jasar, as it sometimes happens in the families of artists, could remain indifferent to brushes, paints, and the mystery of canvas. But it happened the way it happened, and the fine arts for him became a style, meaning and content of his own life. He is almost 30 years old now but has a track record of participation at various exhibitions, including his personal exhibitions. He also holds the order of Honour of Europe issued by the European Academy of Natural Sciences for taking part in the international youth art exhibition Art without Borders" (1st place) in Hanover, Germany. The order was presented to him by Solmaz Amanova, the head of the Baku branch of the European Academy.

Paradigm

This is the title of Jasar’s personal exhibition. Whether a tribute to fashionable outrageous style, or an attempt to philosophically reflect on his relationship with the world, the exposition opened in the Port Baku and dedicated to the Art Bahar festival was visited by many residents of Baku. His work is attracting visitors. They have no internal tear, no hysterical protest, no denial of everything we call life. The artist intentionally evaluates or sees life from within. He looks from above. This is a view from the outside. And this view is not evaluative, it is ascertaining. The author is not a judge and not a participant in the process called "life." He is a distant observer: a little detached, even dispassionate because he does not tell us what is "good" and what is "bad", leaving right to determine to us. And in this seemingly non-participation, he really looks somewhat dispassionate. However, only at first glance: runaway and unattractive. In fact, everything is not so simple, not so serene and not so "pastoral" as it seems.

Jasar Mammadov has his own methods for inviting viewers in a dialogue: visual, intellectual, emotional. He selflessly depicts cities - Istanbul, Baku, Prague, Venice, Bodrum, Paris. But how does he depict them? It seems like he is looking from above. Here you can see the roofs of Prague, the Turkish city of Bursa, Paris ... And each of them has its own identity.

Paris

If you do not look closely and stay longer in front of the canvas, then at first you see nothing but the architectural chiс of temples like the Basilica of Secret Coeur. But the more you stay in front of the canvas, you can see the houses adjoining the temple architecture, and the grace of the towers and church bell-towers. All of this forms an image of the city, which seems to be worshiping the temple in search of a mental defense.

Prague

It is amazing to see the details depicted with meticulous scrupulousness on part of the artist. At first you only see one thing: roofs, roofs, and roofs. But gradually the city reveals itself to you, like a flower to the sun. And you notice a slow life: in the window, there is an artist and a model, just below to the left - instead of the shutters is a portrait of either Alfonso Mucha or young Shakespeare, or someone else you do not know. But that's the point of the author's provocation! He makes you think, remember, look for associative moves, analogies, etc. If you glance at the facade of the house to the right, you will see three windows in which the life flows: the cat walks along the window sill of the open window, next to it is a the girl sitting in the chair. In the third, there is a woman in the same position. And even further, downstairs, next to the neighboring building, is a grocery store, parked cars. Quiet and calmly measured life. Another day passes unnoticed...

Baku

In fact, the Torgovaya Street, currently named after Nizami. At home, people, lanterns, streamers are a familiar everyday occurrence. Houses brag about their historical sand facades, people slowly rush each on their own business. They are Baku people, tourists, men, women - not in dialogue with us. We, together with the artist, seem to have glimpsed through a short episode of the city's summer life.

Jasar Mammadov depicts boats, ships, longboats, fishermen, beaches. This is also his favorite theme - the sea and boats. Only the sea is not depicted in full, only part of it is visible, which is represented by coastal life. But here, too, people, if they exist, never contact with us. They are back to us. They live their daily lives, allowing us to "spy on" them. There are many bright colors, many joyful life-affirming tones. This is Jasar’s world. The world, which he only partially opens for us, leaving something unsaid, something that has yet to be solved. And only thanks to this color riot we read his sensation and perception of the world that surrounds him.

Boats

A lot of them. Just like people in the city. These are rowing boats. They cling to each other, as if frozen in anticipation of their masters: people who live in this city or a fishing village. They froze in the midday sun, and seem to fall asleep, too. A peculiar boat fiesta!

On the seaside

Here along the pier lined a boat. But these are motor boats. Boats of fishermen. They are ready to go to sea. But, as expected, at dawn. And now they doze under the midday sun. Boats, boats, barges ... Sea transport. The artist writes them a lot, selflessly and with ecstasy. And at some point you begin to feel that each of these boats, like people, also has its own character, its relation to the sea, and to people. There is an almost mystical feeling - not people, but the main boats.

And suddenly among the roofs of cities and boats you can see quite different works of the master such as Memoirs, Behind the Scenes, Breakfast, Rest, Queues!

Memories

In the Old Town, near the shelves with books sold, the old man stands with his back to us. He is as lonely as his dog sitting a little further away, with his back to the old man. We do not see the old man's face but the back is more eloquent than any words and looks. He is selling ​​old books, photos, antiquities. Seller of ​​the past. For someone it is a simple category of times. For the old man this is his life. There is a painful feeling of compassion and pity in this work.

Breakfast

A typical street cafe. People eat breakfast and talk to each other. They have a whole day ahead for business, impressions, relationships. The characters in this picture also live their own lives, preventing us from becoming part of their action. And although one of them casts a completely disinterested, glancing look in our direction, we still do not exist for them.

Queues

There is not a single person here. But there are people with their destinies, social belonging, characters. There are women standing in the queue. We see their feet, shoes, bags, and the bottom of their clothes. And, seeing this, we understand everything about them: their social environment, characters, thoughts and feelings. It strikes, as always, the expressiveness of the details drawn by the artist. Here are elegant heels, an umbrella, a glove, pulling together a woman's wrist, and here are trampled shoes, tight stockings casually stretched to the feet, just a carelessly opened bag ... Life. A wonderful job for student theater interpretations! There is a plot. There is intrigue. You can play.

The author, Jasar Mammadov, was born in an artist family, and took his professional lessons among artists, creative realization of his abilities - here and now. He believes his teacher and professional mentor was his father, Sakit Mammadov.

Jasar Mammadov travels a lot around the world. He likes other cities. Judging by his works, every city for him is a living being with its own special character. This is the character that Jasar likes to solve as an author. And it does not matter where and in which country this city is located - in France, Italy, Turkey or Azerbaijan. It will have its own individual "face" in Jasar's works: an intriguing, like in the "Tired City", attractive, like in the "Prague", mysterious, like in the "Paris" and joyful, like in the "Venice".