Baku, 8 July, AZERTAC

On July 9, the YARAT Contemporary Art Space present an exhibition by UK-based mixed media artist TERRIBLEm86 (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'.

The artist said: '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 "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."

A Glasgow-based artist specializing in mixed media and installation art, TERRIBLEm86 graduated in 2008 from Toronto-based York University with an Honors Degree in Graphic Design. Since 2008 he has created work in Toronto, Vancouver, Jeffrey`s Bay (South Africa), London, Glasgow and Baku.

TERRIBLEm86`s aim is to bring new meaning to discarded objects that have spent their entire life supporting and in the background, but which have never been deemed as art. Qualities and flaws in objects create an emotional connection that can often present imperfections as strengths. The idea of 'glamourizing' or selecting items that contain remnants of their past life leaves the artist with a canvas for painting and shaping. This artistic process not only breathes new life into an otherwise discarded object, but preserves its forgotten history and memories.

Over the past year TERRIBLEm86 has displayed his work at the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, Glasgow School of Art, the Society of Scottish Artists` Annual Exhibition in Edinburgh, and the historic Lighthouse in Glasgow. He is a member of the Society of Scottish Artists in Edinburgh as well as Visual Artists Group (VAU) in Glasgow.

The location of the exhibition: YARAT STUDIOS, 1061, Academic Hasan Aliyev Street, Nasimi District (Chemistry City).