09 Jul 15
YARAT Contemporary Art Space was present an exhibition by UK-based mixed media artist Daniel Marrable who tries to give new life to the otherwise neglected medium of wood. His residency with YARAT started in April 2015 and will soon culminate in a solo exhibition featuring a series of emotionally charged works constructed using wooden blocks from ‘Sovetskaya Street’.
TERRIBLEm86 (Daniel Marrable): ‘I’ve been fascinated by the speed of Baku’s development and construction since arriving in the city from Scotland in February. The affect that this growth has had on the surrounding area, formerly known as ‘Sovetskaya’, has been of particular interest to me. The area’s urban renewal is happening right now and as one of the oldest areas in a city that is constantly changing, I believe it deserves acknowledgment.
‘The work I am creating is a direct visual reflection of ‘Sovetskaya’ in its current state. The core materials used are discarded items from areas around repurposed residences – wood, wallpaper, tiles and other articles. The idea that beauty still remains everywhere is at the core of this project. Each item taken from ‘Sovetskaya’, once part of someone’s private space, is treated with respect. The objects are given the responsibility of representing all the materials left behind, and will be enhanced with acrylic paint to reflect construction, architecture, progression and history.
‘This project is a visual representation of what I have observed over the past three months, and a tribute to the materials used for construction and decoration. My goal is to encourage open conversation about the development of Baku and the renewal taking place in local communities.’