ART Weekend Festival opens at Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku
The ART Weekend Festival officially opened at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku on October 31, bringing together artists, cultural figures and curators from several countries.
Organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Association with the support of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture, the festival will feature exhibitions, meetings and performances across exhibition halls, museums, educational institutions and selected historical and cultural sites in the capital, News.Az reports, citing local media.
The opening ceremony was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, initiator of the Art Weekend project, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and founder and head of the IDEA Public Association. She was joined by Arzu Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva, as well as presidential aide and Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov; Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova; Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, and other guests.
The opening featured the presentation of the exhibitions My Seas, My Oceans and The Triumph of Form, showcasing works by renowned Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero.
Photo: AZERTAC
Guests also enjoyed a performance by DanceAbility Azerbaijan, an inclusive dance company that promotes an inclusive society through workshops, teacher training and performances involving people with and without disabilities.
Speaking at the opening, Anar Alakbarov noted that major cultural events are increasingly taking place in Azerbaijan, particularly in Baku. For the first time, a large-scale Art Weekend has been launched at the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, with around 40 art events planned across the city.
“It is very gratifying that art enthusiasts have gathered here today. We welcome guests from different countries who have come to Baku. We invite city residents and visitors to attend these wonderful events. Traditional exhibitions, concerts and conferences are under way at the Heydar Aliyev Center. Today, works by the renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero are on display here,” Alakbarov said.
Photo: AZERTAC
Lina Botero, curator of The Triumph of Form and daughter of Fernando Botero, said her father’s artistic career developed in parallel in painting and sculpture. “On the one hand, he painted, and on the other, he created sculptures, shaping forms with the strength of his fingers. Today, his monumental works are exhibited in many major cities around the world — on the Champs-Élysées in Paris and Park Avenue in New York. Last year, another exhibition of his sculptures opened in the historic center of Rome,” she said.
She emphasized that the works presented reflect Fernando Botero’s distinctive artistic style — simple in form but profound in content.
Farhad Khalilov, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan and People’s Artist, noted that Azerbaijani artists have long been interested in Latin American art. “Our masters have approached both the visual arts and the literature and music of Latin America with deep interest. Many of our artists drew inspiration from the works of Latin American masters,” he said.
The event continued with a tour of The Triumph of Form, featuring more than 100 of Botero’s works.
By depicting people, animals and various figures in exaggeratedly large forms, Botero created a unique artistic style known as Boterismo. The pieces displayed span 70 years of his creative career. Botero’s works are known for their vibrant colors and life-affirming spirit. Throughout his life, he created more than 3,000 paintings and more than 200 sculptures and earned worldwide recognition.
Photo: AZERTAC
Botero’s exhibitions have been held in museums in more than 30 countries and attracted millions of visitors. Although he left Colombia at the age of 20, his homeland remained his primary source of inspiration. Calling himself “the most Colombian of Colombians,” Botero explored themes such as childhood memories, Latin American life, still lifes and bullfighting, blending the universal spirit of the Italian Renaissance with the energy of Latin America.
My Seas, My Oceans, also presented at the Heydar Aliyev Center, is closely linked to the Art Weekend project. Water, symbolizing resilience, renewal and shared memory, was chosen as the festival’s central theme. The exhibition calls for the preservation of water resources — one of the planet’s most vital assets — in an era of climate change, global warming and fragile ecosystems.
First premiered in Geneva in 2022, it laid the foundation for global dialogue on protecting aquatic ecosystems and is being held in Baku for the first time. The exhibition features works by contemporary artists addressing issues such as pollution, overfishing and biodiversity loss. Water is portrayed as a source of life, renewal and imagination.
The participating artists — painters, sculptors, multimedia creators and multidisciplinary masters — use art to highlight climate change, sustainable development and marine biodiversity, urging protection of seas, oceans and the shared future of the planet.
Photo: AZERTAC
talian sculptor Giuseppe Carta said Art Weekend is an international-level event taking place across various venues in Baku. “Today marks the opening of Fernando Botero’s exhibition, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. I believe many people are still unfamiliar with his work, and this exhibition will be a fascinating discovery for them,” he said.
Art advisor and curator Viola Reikhel said she was proud to be in Azerbaijan. “We are having a very exciting weekend. I was absolutely amazed to see so many extraordinary works of art at the Heydar Aliyev Center,” she noted.
New York-based publisher Sam Morris, visiting Azerbaijan for the first time, praised Baku’s architecture, cuisine and culture. “I believe art should be used as a platform to spread important messages worldwide. Waste recycling, reducing carbon footprints and protecting ocean life can make a tremendous contribution to keeping our oceans clean,” he said.
Art historian and curator Zelfira Tegulova noted that the opening of Botero’s exhibition coincided with Art Weekend in Baku. “His art appeals to everyone because it carries immense positive energy and is connected to Colombian national traditions and the Mexican muralist school, while also reflecting a deep understanding of European classical art. Botero uniquely combines all these influences. It is a great joy for us to organize such an artistic event in Baku,” she said.
The ART Weekend Festival, held for the first time in the capital, will run until November 2.
Photo: AZERTAC
Similar news
