Role: Head of Project

On September 15th and 16th, 2012, Christie’s, in cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and YARAT staged its first exhibition in Azerbaijan. Held in the magnificent surroundings of newly completed Four Seasons Hotel in Baku, the exhibition featured a diverse range of art and objects which had been selected to represent the best of the autumn sales held by Christie’s in London, New York and Dubai. They included Impressionist, Post War and Contemporary painting, Oriental carpets, as well as Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish art. Along with the exhibition, YARAT organized a programme of exclusive events such as discussions, dinners and visits to artist studios in Baku. The founder of YARAT, Aida Mahmudova, co-hosted the opening of the exhibition with Chairman of Christie’s, Viscount Linley. The aim of the event was to introduce Azerbaijan, and its cultural scene in particular, to global collectors.