Culture policy

Culture policy

Exhibition of prints by the renowned Azerbaijani artist Alakbar Rzaguliyev held in Scotland

04 September 2010 12:29 (UTC +04:00)

The exhibition was held at Lang Byre Gallery, Woodend Barn, Burn oâ€™Bennie, Banchory, Scotland. It has been held by support of the personal representative of Rapid Solutions Company, Howard Lyn and personal representative of Jigsaw Energy Company, Alexander Burnett. Born in Baku, Rzaguliyev demonstrated artistic talent at an early age. He studied at Moscow Technical Art College from 1925-28, after which he returned to Baku. Rzaguliyev was amongst the first to be arrested during Stalinâ€™s Repression in 1936, when 70,000 Azerbaijanis were executed or exiled, having been accused by the Soviet authorities of advocating â€˜pan-Turkish ideasâ€™. Altogether, he spent 23 years in exile or jail, and his evocative work depicts many elements of life in early twentieth century Baku and scenes of the locations in which he was exiled.

On August 27, the barn resonated to the sounds of the Sabina Rakcheyeva Ensemble. Sabina is the first Azerbaijani graduate from the Juilliard School of Music in New York, and specializes in a cross-cultural mix of traditional and improvised music. Sabina captivated the invited audience of around 100 people with her versions of Azerbaijani mugham pieces and classical works. Audience members included Lord Fraser, Chairman, Anglo-Azeri Society; other Peers; and members of the Azerbaijani Diaspora living around Aberdeen, many of whom are employed in the North Sea hydrocarbon extradition industry.