OPINIONATED ARTIST

The works of the young artist Zohrab Salamzadeh represent a distinct world of unhurried contemplation, weaving in fascinating oriental myths and captivating creatures from those tales. Jinns and sages, devas and dervishes, dragons and stargazers all coexist here. The artist’s work demonstrates a refined calibration of pictorial narrative, referencing both subject matter and tradition—a favourite area of his research. Since 2009, Zohrab SALAMZADE has participated in numerous exhibitions organised by the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan (UAA), Art Council Azerbaijan, Yarat Contemporary Art Space, among others. His paintings have been exhibited in the UK, Dubai, Qatar, Poland, France, and Latvia. In 2019, he held a solo exhibition. He is a member of the SCA. His works reside in private collections, and his studio serves as a kind of portal to a fairy-tale world subtly infused with the spirit of medieval miniature art—leaving no room for coincidence. Instead, it offers a subtle and witty interpretation of folklore stories preserved by those who carry oral traditions.

"Gold paint appears almost always in your work. Does Oriental colouring influence this?"

"Gold, strangely enough, feels like a neutral colour to me—without specific attachments. Like white or black, it acts as a third tone that can be used freely. It sparkles and changes depending on how the light hits it, giving the piece an inner movement. While it serves as a decorative element in my work, gold also lends a fairy-tale quality to it. A subtle beauty emerges through its presence. Having an academic background, I know how to create a golden effect without actual gold paint, but to me, it is important that gold be presented in its natural colour. In the East, gold has always held more than just the meaning of wealth—it represents beauty elevated to a level worthy of admiration."

"How do you decide on your palette choices initially?"

"Sometimes my choices are driven by a specific idea. For example, when painting a diptych, I select the dominant colour first. Other times I pick a colour I haven’t worked closely with before. Occasionally this approach works well; other times it does not. But most often I don’t think consciously about the palette. Everyday life surrounds us with many colours. In this very room where we speak now, there are over a dozen colours that all harmonise together. Why? It’s about light and shadow. For instance, a yellow cushion placed correctly with proper light and shadow—even in a purple room—won’t seem out of place. But if the lighting angle is slightly off, it becomes a strange blotch. That’s more on the technical side. I believe any colour can be used without fear on canvas if you properly use light and shadow overlays."

"Geometry and mathematics in visual arts?"

"I don’t go that deep. There’s essentially an ABC of fine art—school and classical education—that every artist needs. We all find ourselves in rooms that might appear kitschy at first glance. Yet when you position the right lighting to create specific shadow angles, the space becomes harmonious instead of harsh on the eyes. So I insist that artists should use the full palette without fearing unusual colour combinations or breaking traditional rules. You just need to pay attention to the details."

"Still, what about detailing?"

"If I painted an object entirely in pure gold, I know it would look awful. But by applying the right light shades, it will ‘sparkle’. These are professional techniques from an artist’s ‘inner kitchen’. The actual drawing process itself isn’t particularly captivating—because invention is what really interests me: seeing some kind of result emerge. Sometimes I spend several days just standing in front of the canvas as an observer—simply sitting and looking at the future painting. By the way, I often explain to my wife that she shouldn’t think I’m lazy during those moments. At times like these, I am working through the technical aspects of creative execution: painting one detail before starting another, calculating drying times for colours—which vary—and factoring in room temperature."

"So creativity isn’t just about waiting for inspiration but managing stages?"

"In my case, yes—but not only that. Some painters take a canvas and immediately start applying colour without much thought. They maintain some distance from the canvas while adding lines or strokes that will later form a coherent picture using certain techniques. My work demands close attention—I often have to rest my nose on the canvas to avoid tremors in my hand by touching the surface firmly. I almost ‘breathe’ together with the canvas and colours to catch precise moments."

"Do you ever have to repaint your paintings?"

"Many times… Experience helps. Sometimes I even replace the canvas altogether. For example, the painting I’m currently working on is attracting quite a lot of attention. If I dislike any detail, I’m ready to spend hours finding a solution to harmonise it with the overall concept. Once I spent a week ‘communicating’ with an almost finished canvas because one small detail bothered me so much that I ended up painting over part of it and starting again."

"Do paintings resist?"

"I resist."

"In choosing fairy tale-bound subjects for your paintings—is there an element of resistance against today’s pragmatic and cold world?"

"Our modern world can indeed be described this way. But to me, since this is our current era, this world is simply our habitat without special peculiarities. I admit that after several decades someone may find unique traits within it. You don’t have to look far—just consider our Soviet period; there’s a sense that we differ from people who lived then. I believe this is natural with generational change. Society evolves under technological influence affecting development—it’s normal for our contemporaries. We can only appreciate it fully after many years pass. The miniatures I reference were also painted by people who likely gave little thought to their exclusivity—they saw them as ordinary because they had no alternative means of expression or were fulfilling particular societal demands of their time. I recall hearing in a film that angels painted during the Renaissance were like modern special forces dressed in uniform—there’s truth in that because those clothes were their ‘uniforms.’ Artists always reflect their surroundings; this is an axiom."

"Is there some tension behind your canvases?"

"To us it is ordinary because we have access to more information allowing greater choice. The periods closest to me—and those I can best express on canvas—are roughly from the 18th century to early 20th century Russian Empire era when people’s clothing was influenced by Europe but still retained national elements. It’s more pleasant for me as an artist to work within this time-frame. Honestly, trends from the Soviet period don’t appeal to me—it lacks fairy tale quality. Although perhaps over time I might find interest in Soviet styles too. For now, my characters wear clothes older than even that period."

"Why appeal to antiquity after all?"

"This love probably stems partly from Azim Azimzadeh’s influence. My artistic formation happened at the school named after this remarkable artist whose works are imbued with the spirit of his time in every brushstroke. I do not hide that I am a visualist; this plays a decisive role in my art—it’s my style: a love for meticulous detail and curiosity about how twisting familiar imagery looks visually. For example, imagining how devas would appear if hatched like chickens—that idea became a series of works including ceramics."

"Are you growing through your work?"

"Unequivocally!"

"I notice that despite dense subject matter, there is often ample free space on your canvases."

"I admire medieval miniatures—the elements where painting ‘goes beyond the frame’. To me this adds emphasised beauty. That’s why I leave space on my canvases to visually emphasise subjects and give them volume—as if continuing the narrative beyond frame edges. While I don’t refuse framing—which enhances paintings—I prefer showing depth through multiple painted layers; essentially working on effects."

"The effects can be ambiguous at times."

"As many people as there are opinions and perceptions—that’s natural today. As an author, I feel confident letting go of external opinions and trusting my own instincts. Whether right or wrong will be decided by time; what remains true is what I invest in my work: this is my world; I am its creator and master of its plots, characters, and visual content."

"Taking risks?"

"No—only within the boundaries of the canvas!"

"Your heroes… What do they live for? What do they live by? While you work on each piece they seem to have stories..."

"Of course it’s impossible not to speculate about their ‘moves’ during creation. I’m curious which character will emerge as lead and how their interactions will develop—it’s my favourite detail. For example: two figures in a car—though we’ll set aside its oriental stylisation since its passengers are individuals living their proposed situations at that moment in the story; or an oil painting where I wonder what thoughts occupy the owner of a luxurious mansion relaxing inside while his household contemplates their own concerns. My attention often turns to atmospheric ‘fillings’—everyday colours reflecting personalised references to protagonists from historical periods—offering viewers an invitation to share in an authorial dialogue that may inspire curiosity or understanding about progress for instance. Our lives consist of details forming history; my work reflects this."

"Could your personal tales expressed on canvas carry deeper meanings?"

"Perhaps so—after reading or imagining a story it grows in my mind adding new layers which then become visible on canvas—far beyond what was originally told in text form. It may seem selfish externally but it’s impossible to constrain me within fixed limits."

"You don’t work on commission often then…"

"Very rarely. It’s no secret students need money initially—and my family has always supported me practically in everything allowing me even then to rent a studio despite paintings bringing no income for long periods. Back then commissions meant dependence on clients’ desires or imposed opinions which complicated conveying an authorial vision; it didn’t always succeed but built valuable communication experience that today lets me accept commissions only if I truly like the resulting work—otherwise it remains mine."

"Building harmonious understanding?"

"Without that harmony working ‘to order’ is unacceptable for me. For example now I’m working on an oil painting where the initial small sketch was approved by the client even though I didn’t find it entirely successful; so to avoid future disagreements they gave me full freedom to add story elements during painting process—I just made an important visual addition yesterday and enjoyed it immensely."

"So outside opinions are not welcome?"

"In my case no—why should I want outside opinions? What benefit do they bring me?"

"So you paint without considering public opinion?"

"I don’t think so exactly. My spouse is an interior designer—we attended college together—and she is naturally artistic; she was even better at drawing than me at one point. Watching her work today I see how clients try to twist her projects according to their own tastes which creates difficulties; she must strike balance accordingly. My view is that those with genuine taste don’t need designers—and if you hire a professional you should listen to them fully. So if you think you know enough about art to advise an artist—then draw yourself! Creatives—musicians, directors, designers, architects—all should defend their positions rigorously because we shape society somewhat; we shouldn’t conform blindly or else chaos ensues with tastelessness everywhere. Just look at media today: television, radio, social media—the music played widely is tasteless not due to people but because they are ‘fed’ vulgar content daily replacing spiritual values with profit-seeking impulses; society becomes purely consumerist but history shows mass appeal isn’t beneficial for culture; taste mixed with base indulgences kills critical thinking."

"But world art is inconceivable without nudes!"

"So let them be aesthetically justified! Past masters elevated nudity into an aesthetic paradigm—each in their style but preserving beauty cults and philosophy—they did not follow society’s trends but stayed true to their artistic views which sometimes led them to poverty; yet artists like Picasso with his fragmented faces or Dali experimenting did what they wished bending their own rules. Creative people should create trends and show their visions—not chase sales—there will always be someone who appreciates your work enough to offer exhibitions or buy paintings. To bow down to society is losing yourself as a creator; as one might say: one day the world will bow to me instead! I wouldn’t want history to remember me by foolish works—it matters that when people see my paintings they gain aesthetic pleasure and reflect on meanings conveyed through canvas."