Double exhibition | Solmaz Daryani & Sabina Shikhlinskaya

Solmaz Daryani | The Eyes of Earth

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In her solo presentation The Eyes of Earth , Iranian photographer Solmaz Daryani addresses the consequences of imperial and post-imperial environmental exploitation for Lake Urmia in the border region between the Iranian provinces of West and East Azerbaijan. Based on her personal childhood memories of Lake Urmia and the history of her family - her grandfather ran a hotel on the shores of the lake in the port city of Sharafkhaneh - Daryani explores the long-term effects of the ongoing environmental destruction on people and landscapes.

Solmaz Daryani is an Iranian documentary photographer currently living in both Iran and the UK. She is a fellow of the Magnum Foundation and the National Geographic Society and a member of Women Photograph and Diversify Photo. Her work focuses mainly on exploring the issues of climate change and the water crisis, with a keen interest in human relationships with the environment, communities and cultures.

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In her solo presentation The Eyes of Earth, Iranian photographer Solmaz Daryani addresses the consequences of imperial and post-imperial environmental exploitation on Lake Urmia in the border region between the Iranian provinces of West and East Azerbaijan. Based on her personal childhood memories of Lake Urmia and the history of her family - her grandfather ran a hotel on the shores of the lake in the harbor town of Sharafkhaneh - Daryani explores the long-term effects of the ongoing environmental destruction on people and landscapes.

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Sabina Shikhlinskaya | Life on Borrow

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In her solo exhibition, the artist Sabina Shikhlinskaya, who lives in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, explores moments of hope in the face of the manifold losses that people are inevitably confronted with in the course of their lives. Because of senseless geopolitical conflicts, endless wars or selfish political interests, countless people are in constant danger of losing their lives, their freedom, their habitats, their history or their cultural heritage. How can the human desire to preserve life, communities, memories and nature be maintained and strengthened in the face of recurring destruction?

Sabina Shikhlinskaya is an established Azerbaijani artist and curator. She graduated from the V. Mukhina Art Institute in St. Petersburg and the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Art. Known for her early modernist paintings, she began exploring multimedia practices in the 1990s as a pioneer of conceptual art in Azerbaijan. She drew on her intercultural background to create artworks that incorporate complex relationships between culture, politics and identity. Her works, which often border on the poetic, deal indirectly with political issues and are characterized by a balance between aesthetics and concept.

Shikhlinskaya has participated in numerous exhibitions and biennials in Azerbaijan and internationally. She was the curator of the first Azerbaijani exhibition pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennale. Shikhlinskaya is also co-founder of the experimental Sunday Art School in Azerbaijan. Between 1998 and 2002, more than 200 children from the Gindes Health Clinic were able to participate in art education programs, including several contemporary art courses. Since 2013, Shikhlinskaya has been involved in the educational programs of the YARAT organization, leading master classes and art projects with young artists. In 2022, she developed the concept of YARAT Contemporary Art Space and founded the first contemporary art school in Azerbaijan.

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In her solo exhibition, the artist Sabina Shikhlinskaya, who lives in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, explores moments of hope in face of the manifold losses that a person inevitably faces throughout her or his life. Because of senseless geopolitical conflicts, endless wars or self-serving political interests innumerable people are in constant danger of losing their lives, their freedom, their living environment, their histories or cultural heritage. How can human desire to preserve life, communities, memories and nature be retained and empowered in view of recurring destruction?

Sabina Shikhlinskaya is an established Azerbaijani artist and independent curator. She graduated from V. Mukhina Institute of Arts, St Petersburg, and from Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts. Being well known for her early modernistic paintings, she started to explore multimedia practices as a pioneer of conceptual art in Azerbaijan in 1990s. Using her intercultural background her artworks engage with complex relationships between culture, politics and identity. Dealing indirectly with political issues, she balances aesthetics and concept in her works that often verge towards the poetic.

The artist has participated in numerous exhibitions as well as in biennials in Azerbaijan and internationally. She was the curator of first Azerbaijani exhibition pavilion ever at 52 Venice Biennial. In addition, Shikhlinskaya is one of the founders of the experimental Sunday Art School in Azerbaijan. Between 1998 - 2002 more than 200 children from the health clinic Gindes could participate in art training programs, among them several courses of contemporary art. From 2013 Shikhlinskaya was involved in educational programs of the organization YARAT by leading master classes and art projects with young artists. In 2022 Shikhlinskaya authored the concept of YARAT Contemporary Art Space and started the First Contemporary Art School in Azerbaijan.

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Artists // Artists

Solmaz Daryani, Sabina Shikhlinskaya

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Events // Events

Vernissage
Tue 4.6.2024 | 7 pm, Foyer
7.30 pm | Performance | Sabina Shikhlinskaya

Wed 5.6.2024 | 8 pm
Talk: Contemporary Art Scene in Azerbaijan, Sabina Shikhlinskaya
Albert-Ludwigs University, University campus Freiburg, Lecture hall 1221

Thu 27.6.2024 | 7 pm
Film screening, Salaam Cinema Baku, young artist collective from Baku
Chamber Theater, E-Werk event rooms

Exhibition Tours // Exhibition Tours
Sun 9.6.2024 | 4 pm
Thu 13.6. | 6 pm
Thu 4.7.2024 | 6.30 pm
Meeting point: Gallery I

Further information // Additional information

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The exhibition is part of the festival Performing Democracywhich takes place from 6-16.6.2024 in Freiburg.

In cooperation with theTsvetaeva Center at the University campus Freiburg i. Br.