"My way passes through Karabakh" exhibition launched

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

A ceremony has been held at the Baku Book Center to launch a drawing exhibition called "My way passes through Karabakh" and a catalogue of the same name.

Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the event.

Opening the ceremony, Director of the Baku Book Center Gunel Rzayeva said that the exhibition coincided with the 27th anniversary of the occupation of Shusha, one of the most beautiful corners of Azerbaijan. She noted that the exhibition features nearly 40 works by young U.S. artists aged from 12 to 18.

Although the parents of some of them once lived in Azerbaijan, most of these children have never been to Azerbaijan. Although these children did not see Karabakh, they beautifully depicted this piece of paradise with love in their works. The efforts and organizational skills of Alyona Badalova, the director of the My Way Center for Children and Youth’s Creativity, played a major role in this.

Speaking about the project, Badalova stressed that the Center has been operating in New York for five years, bringing together communities through art, dance, music, sports, and the study of cultural heritage. Children in the organization are U.S. citizens.

"We are holding the fourth exhibition already. Having received information about Karabakh and its bitter fate from their teachers and social networks, the children transferred their spiritual experiences to paper and canvas. Of course, these are not professional artists, they are taking the first steps in art. Perhaps someone, having continued this way, will become a world-famous artist, having improved the painting once created for the exhibition "My way passes through Karabakh" and will showcase it at larger and more prestigious exhibitions," she said.

Chairman of the Azerbaijan Writers Union, People’s Writer Anar, Rector of the Baku Academy of Music, People’s Artist Farhad Badalbayli, and Secretary of the Azerbaijan Artists Union, People’s Artist Aghali Ibrahimov shared their thoughts on the exhibition.

It was noted that for the Azerbaijani people the Nagorno-Karabakh topic is a bleeding wound. Shusha, known as the "Conservatory of the East", is the birthplace of a number of prominent Azerbaijani singers, musicians, prominent composers and conductors, they said.

The speakers expressed confidence that the works painted by children sincerely and with great love will be presented in the near future in Karabakh, which is an integral part of Azerbaijan, as well as in its beating heart, Shusha.

The exhibition was greeted with interest by visitors. The winners and laureates of Simurgh Children's Music Festival as well as students of the Bulbul Music School also performed at the event.