Official opening of the ART Weekend Festival held at Heydar Aliyev Center
Participants in the opening included Leyla Aliyeva, initiator of the Art Weekend project, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and founder and head of the IDEA Public Association, along with Arzu Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva
Baku, November 1, AZERTAC
On October 31, the official opening of the ART Weekend festival was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center. Organized in the capital by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Association with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, ART Weekend brought together artists, cultural figures, and curators from several countries.
The opening 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, along with Arzu Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva, Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Adil Karimli, Minister of Culture, and other guests.
During the festival, exhibitions, meetings, and performances will be held at various exhibition halls, museums, educational institutions, and select historical and cultural sites in the capital. The festival’s opening at the Heydar Aliyev Center featured the presentation of the exhibitions My Seas, My Oceans and The Triumph of Form, showcasing works by the renowned Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero.
Guests at the opening also enjoyed a dance performance by DanceAbility Azerbaijan. The inclusive performance company DanceAbility Azerbaijan aims to contribute to the development of an inclusive society through workshops, teacher training programs, and joint dance and other performances involving people with and without disabilities.
Speaking at the opening of the arts festival, Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, noted that prestigious events are currently being held in Azerbaijan, particularly in Baku. For the first time, a major Art Weekend got underway in Baku on the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva. A. Alakbarov highlighted that around 40 art events are planned in the capital as part of the festival: “It is very gratifying that art enthusiasts have gathered here today. We welcome guests from different countries who have come to Baku. Taking this opportunity, we invite Baku residents and our guests to attend these wonderful events. Traditional exhibitions, concerts, and conferences are currently taking place at the Heydar Aliyev Center. Today, works by the renowned Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero are on display here.”
Lina Botero, curator of the The Triumph of Form exhibition and daughter of Fernando Botero, noted that her father’s creative work was characterized by the parallel development of painting and sculpture: “On one hand, he painted, and on the other, he created sculptures, shaping forms with the strength of his fingers. Today, his monumental sculptures are exhibited in many major cities around the world. His works have been displayed in the most famous locations — 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.”
Lina Botero emphasized that the works presented at the exhibition 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 always shown great interest 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.”
The event continued with a tour of the The Triumph of Form exhibition, featuring works by Fernando Botero.
By depicting people, animals, and various figures in exaggeratedly large forms, Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero created his unique style known as “Boterismo.” The personal exhibition The Triumph of Form, presented at the Heydar Aliyev Center, showcases over 100 of his renowned works.
The exhibited pieces span 70 years of the Colombian artist’s creative journey. Botero’s works are distinguished by their vibrant colors and life-affirming spirit. In total, Fernando Botero created more than 3,000 paintings and over 200 sculptures.
Botero has captured the attention of a global audience.
The artist, whose exhibitions have been held in museums in more than 30 countries and attracted millions of visitors, left Colombia at the age of 20. However, his homeland always remained his primary source of inspiration. Calling himself “the most Colombian of Colombians,” Botero explored themes in his works such as childhood memories, the life of Latin America, still lifes, and bullfighting. In doing so, he successfully blended the universal spirit of the Italian Renaissance with the vibrant energy of Latin America.
The main theme of the exhibition My Seas, My Oceans, presented at the Heydar Aliyev Center, is directly linked to the Art Weekend project. Water — symbolizing resilience, renewal, and shared memory — was chosen as the festival’s central motif.
The primary goal of the exhibition is to call for the preservation of water resources. It underscores the importance of protecting water sources — one of the planet’s most vital assets — in an era of climate change, global warming, and fragile ecosystems.
First debuted in Geneva in 2022, the exhibition laid the foundation for a global dialogue on the protection of aquatic ecosystems. It is being held in Baku for the first time.
The exhibition features works by contemporary artists addressing a range of global issues — from pollution and overfishing to the loss of biodiversity.
In these works, water is portrayed as a source of life, renewal, and imagination. Artists, sculptors, multimedia creators, and multidisciplinary masters explore themes of water, climate change, sustainable development, and marine biodiversity, using art to advocate for the preservation of our seas, oceans, and shared future.
The aquatic ecosystem — encompassing seas and oceans that cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface — is increasingly under threat. Through art, the exhibition sends a message to the world about the need to reduce and prevent this impact while raising awareness of global challenges.
Italian sculptor Giuseppe Carta told journalists that Art Weekend is an international-level event taking place across different parts of the city. He noted that today marks the opening of Fernando Botero’s exhibition, one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century: “I believe many are still unfamiliar with his work, and this exhibition will be a fascinating discovery for them.”
Art advisor and curator Viola Reikhel said she is very proud to be in Azerbaijan: “We are having a very exciting weekend. I was absolutely amazed to see so many extraordinary works of art here at the Heydar Aliyev Center.”
New York-based publisher Sam Morris shared that this is his first visit to Azerbaijan. He praised Baku’s magnificent architecture, delicious cuisine, and rich 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.”
Art historian and curator Zelfira Tegulova noted that the opening of Fernando Botero’s exhibition — one of the most prominent artists of the 20th century — coincides with Art Weekend in Baku: “His work appeals to everyone because it carries immense positive energy and is connected both to Colombian national traditions and the Mexican muralist school. At the same time, it reflects 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.”
The ART Weekend festival, held for the first time in the capital, will continue until November 2.
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