NEW YEAR TALE OF DOLLS

Both adults and children love celebrations, especially the New Year event. Because the New Year promises miracles. Even if we no longer believe in Santa and know that the Snow Maiden is just an actress, we still support the rules of the game that creates a mysterious atmosphere of magic for our children. The Art Gallery of the Museum Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan understands this very well, and therefore they are happy to give a festive mood to the residents and guests of Baku by opening an exhibition of dolls of Georgian artists Under the Angel's Wing. The exhibition is held during the New Year holidays and is dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Fairytale for children

Georgian artists has brought dolls that are made in different techniques. Specialists and professionals alike: here and art dolls, and puppets, and a small sculpture, and souvenir dolls, and ethnic. In short, there is something to be surprised, to rejoice and learn from experience. Children are given a real fairy tale! Here a fireplace with candles and magic characters of unknown fairy tales, proud princesses, characters of the country of Lilliputia, dolls in national clothes! That is, there is everything for every visitor of the exhibition to feel himself in the atmosphere of a fairy tale.

The exhibition is also attended by Azerbaijani artists who master this kind of applied art. Their work on the idea, the embodiment and sounding is in no way inferior to the works of venerable, long-working in this genre of Georgian colleagues. Dolls "live" in the space of exhibition halls alternately with each other. They are located very professionally and competently - so that each of the halls is a small country where all dolls live: both angry, and funny, and kind, and ominous. They all have enough space and time to "talk" not only with each other, but also with children, adults, guests of our city. Therefore, the exposition as a whole really reminds one big space of a New Year's fairy tale. Fairy tales, where all the characters live by their own, only known laws that do not in the least violate the magical festive atmosphere, but on the contrary - successfully strengthen it, creating an additional charm and giving delight to visitors.

The works by the Georgian artist Helena TOITLANADZE:

Summer 

A girl in green summer clothes is holding cherries in her hands. She is looking at them with a pinch of sadness realizing that it is already mid-summer. Period of blooming! But all this will become the past soon because autumn is going to replace the summer.

Lady with a fan

Her head is leaning back and the eyelashes are half-empty, the dress is foamed with double flounces forming a sense of slow, languid, and invocatory movement around her figure. And her look is slightly diffused and surprised. She is waiting somebody. Whom? What? The rest is left for your fantasy. Everyone can come up with his own story.

The works of the Azerbaijani artist Olga ABBASOVA:

The Stray Juggler

He is a street artist. He is not young. But his profession obliges him to work always. Notwithstanding the weather and the state of mind. He must, must, must work... It does not matter where he performs: in the circus or in the city square. The main thing is to have the audience...

Fortune-Teller

A lovely old woman in clothes of summer colors and in a magic cap moves color-stones with a magic wand in her hand. Obviously, they help her to look into the future or the past. Either way, the old lady is very happy, full of a sense of her own worth. She just enjoys the moment of her power. It does not matter who or what. The main thing is that she is happy right now. 

In general, the works of Georgian artists refer to fairy tales, which help us to feel the magic of the New Year holidays. You can watch the dolls for hours.

Alice in Wonderland

Here is Alica along with the Cheshire Cat and the White Rabbit standing on a chess board! They are comfortable and secure here. Their fairy tale is yet to come, but they are already ready for yet another adventure.

Forest Fairies

They are standing on a blue stand, as in a forest glade. There are four of them. Forest fairies. Forest Sisters. They protect the forest and everyone who lives in the forest: birds, animals, insects, trees, grass and flowers. They live in harmony with nature and with each other. Perfect world. A world of joy and happiness.

Preparation for the New Year's Ball

The mirror has three graces. Three girls who are going to the ball. They have exquisite clothes. Two of them are already dressed. They show impatience. The third one is going to finish her make-up soon. The mirror reflects a snow-drenched tree. Outside the window is winter. A mysterious evening is ahead. What will it give them?

Leili and Majnun

Puppet dolls from Tarlan Gorchu's Leili and Mejnun performance. The joint work of the Georgian artist Bachany Halvashi and Tarlan Gorchu. One must see this perfection of lines and the rhythms of colours. Only a personal contact with an art object can present the aesthetic pleasure that the two arts can fuse: Georgian and Azerbaijani.

Ethnic costumes by Asmat Sigiridze

Each doll, like the costumes, has its own unique character. Svans, Mingrelians, Imeretians, Meskhetians, Dagestanis. This is an incomplete list of ethnic groups living in Georgia.

A Dagestani woman from the Dido tribe

Dido is one of the Nakh tribes who were part of the Alans Union. Dido is a Georgian word and means a giant. Perhaps giants really lived in ancient times. Judging by the doll representing the women of this tribe, they look similar to normal human beings. Bright colors of women's costume absorbed everything - the sky colours in the mountains, flowering bushes and trees, mountain flowers, mountain lakes and rivers.

A Kartli Woman

Kartli is an area that includes Tbilisi as well. The clothes that are most familiar for our perception, because most often we see such clothes on women in Georgian films.

For some, a doll is an element of magic, while others say it is only a phantom that comes to life thanks to human energy. But these are only theories from the adult world. Children can see what many adults cannot: a fairy tale that has a taste of New Year's holidays.

Afterword

This New Year's fairytale has a rather long life. Everyone will touch it if they wish to relive the feeling of magical dependence on mystery, miracle and magic. We will just add that the organizers of the Kukla Art Gallery in Azerbaijan are Lala Kazimova and Nana Okruashvili, the director of the International Center for Puppet Art of Georgia, as well as the project curator Liana Vezirova, the director of the Museum Center of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan and the Kukla Art Gallery.