YARAT! presents "Save the Earth" project
Baku, July 31 (AZERTAC). YARAT! Contemporary Art Space, an organization promoting Azerbaijani modern art worldwide, and artist Sabina Shikhlinskaya have presented "Save the Earth" project as part of Participate Baku Public Art Festival, which is a creative endeavour aiming to tackle environmental problems.
By transforming a local bus into a plastic-collecting vehicle parked in the widely used bus station, Sabina Shikhlinskaya hopes to heighten environmental awareness. The graffiti-decorated bus will be moved to various locations around the station with explanatory leaflets disseminated widely. An art piece by Ms. Sabina Shikhlinskaya directly refers to global environmental problems since waste material output keeps on increasing while recycling still leaves much more to be desired.
The Baku Central Bus Station was purposefully selected as an action venue because local residents visit this spot in the hundreds everyday leaving a plethora of garbage behind. On hot summer days, environmental negligence of Baku residents is most noticeable- a spot in front of the passenger building is spangled with water and pop bottles, ice-cream paper wraps and other “summer signs”.
In an attempt of keeping a public eye on environmental problems, the artwork author conceived a specific creative experiment. Her piece of art is an eye-pleasing decorated bus and, at the same time, bottlle bin. All passers-by are welcome to raise their voices in favor of cleanliness and order in their native city by throwing bottles into the bin. Both the female artist and YARAT Contemporary Art Space, the project organizer, strive to find out the most effective way of plastic reprocessing. At present, the bus is in motion and it is expected it will make inroads into some regions of Azerbaijan.
Sabina Shikhlinskaya is an established artist working in a range of media, from land art to textiles, painting and video. She was educated at both the State Unversity of Arts and Culture in Azerbaijan and the V.Mukhina Institute of Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia, In 2006 she received the title of “Honored Artist” and exhibitions include 30th Council of Europe Exhibition, German Historical Museum, Berlin (2012), Documenta 13, Pavilion of Critical Art Ensemble, Kassel (2012), Centre of Contemporary Art, Baku (2011), Proun Gallery, Paris (2011), State Museum of Modern Art of the Russian Academy of Arts, Moscow (2011), The National Art, Culture and Museum Complex, Kiev (2011), 52nd Venice Biennale for the official Pavilion of Azerbaijan (2007).
YARAT! Contemporary Art Space, founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova, and based in the Azerbaijani capital Baku, is fulfilling its mission through an ongoing program of exhibitions, education events and festivals. It facilitates dialogue and exchange between local and international artistic networks, including foundations, galleries and museums.