Global Art Masterpieces come to Baku in Christie's on the Caspian

Christie's on the Caspian

The Four Seasons Hotel, Baku

On 15th and 16th September 2012, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and YARAT Contemporary Art Space, in cooperation with Christie’s, the world’s leading auction house, is to stage its first exhibition in Azerbaijan, which will be held in the magnificent surroundings of the newly completed Four Seasons Hotel in Baku.

The exhibition will feature a diverse range of art and objects which have been selected to represent the best of the autumn sales held by Christie’s in London, New York and Dubai. This will include Impressionist, Post War and Contemporary painting, Oriental carpets, Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish art. Along with the exhibition, YARAT! is also organizing a programme of exclusive events such as discussions, dinners, a tour of the YARAT! Contemporary Art Space and visits to artist studios in Baku. The founder of YARAT will also co-host the opening of the exhibition with Chairman of Christie’s, Viscount Linley.

Viscount Linley comments: “Christie’s is delighted to have been asked to hold its first preview exhibition in Azerbaijan and we are most grateful to YARAT and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for their generous support of this event. There is a very strong appreciation for art in Azerbaijan, coupled with an exciting contemporary art scene; we are very excited both to be showcasing international art in Baku in September, and also to have the opportunity to exhibit Contemporary Azeri art to an international audience at Christie’s in London next year.”

The Baku exhibition will be followed in 2013 by an exhibition of Contemporary Azeri Art at Christie’s London. This will showcase works by the finest established and emerging artists in Baku who have been cultivated by YARAT! This is all part of Mahmudova’s ongoing work to help create a dialogue between Azeri artists and others around the world.

The founder of YARAT, Aida Mahmudova, comments: “This exhibition has been made possible with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. We therefore would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Foundation, and to the Foundation’s staff members. We are honoured to be co-hosting this event with Christie’s. In my opinion, it marks a significant chapter in Azerbaijan’s journey to becoming represented on the international art market. The Azerbaijani people possess rich cultural heritage as well as fine contemporary artists, and we are keen to promote this message. We are enormously grateful to Christie’s for their energy and commitment in making this event happen. As the founder of YARAT, I believe it is vital that we create as many intercultural bridges as possible, that will help forge a dialogue between our contemporary art community and that of the outside world.” 

The exhibition has been made possible with the organisational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the largest non-governmental, non-commercial entity in Azerbaijan, which has successfully implemented a broad range of development programs and projects in the fields of culture, education, healthcare, science and  thesocial sphere, both domestically and abroad. The Foundation pays particular attention to safeguarding national and spiritual values, wide promotion of Azerbaijani culture, and promoting the international image of the country worldwide.

Christie’s, the world’s leading art business, is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, passion, unparalleled service and expertise. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's conducted the greatest auctions since 18th century and today it has 53 offices in 32 countries and 10 salerooms around the world, where 450 sales take place annually.    

YARAT Contemporary Art Space was founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova. It is a non-profit organisation dedicated to nurturing an understanding of contemporary art in Azerbaijan and to creating a platform for Azerbaijani art, both nationally and abroad. Based in Baku, YARAT, (which means 'create' in Azerbaijani) carries out its mission through an on-going programme of exhibitions, educational events and festivals. YARAT facilitates dialogue and exchange between local and international artistic networks, including foundations, galleries and museums. A series of residencies further fosters opportunities for global cultural dialogue and partnerships.