Press Release

Gazelli Art House, an international art gallery with locations in Baku and London, along with VarYox, an art and media platform based in Baku, are organizing a month-long festival called Her Art in Action, which focuses on female artistic practices. The festival, running from March 8 to 31, aims to support the professional development of Azerbaijani female artists and introduce their work to new audiences. It will feature an exhibition at Gazelli Art House and a series of workshops, public talks, and events centered around the artists and their work. The theme, “The Feminine Gaze: Seeing Ourselves and Each Other,” will be explored through new commissions and works by established artists from Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, highlighting how women’s lives are depicted in art.

The exhibition will showcase 13 Azerbaijani artists selected via an open call, along with works by invited artists from Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It will include paintings, videos, performances, and installations spread across the gallery’s three floors. Curators Sitara Ibrahimbayli, Lesley Gray and Olga Seleznyova aims to foster a dialogue on women’s issues in the region through this curatorial framework.

Additionally, the festival will offer two photography workshops by international photographers for Azerbaijani artists to refine their practice. Participants will also have the opportunity to have their portfolios reviewed by an international curator and attend public talks by visiting artists. 

Throughout the one-month duration of the festival, children from Integration Training Boarding School No. 11 will actively participate in all the scheduled activities, fully immersing themselves in the rich array of events designed to inspire and cultivate their talents. Following their engaging experience during the festival, these aspiring young designers and artists will showcase their creativity and original creations at Nine Senses Art Center. The showcase will feature an exhibition of their artworks as well as a fashion show on the runway.

VarYox, led by Sitara Ibrahimbayli and founded in 2018, is the first Azerbaijani and English language art and cultural platform initiated by local artists. It aims to showcase Azerbaijani artists’ work, emphasizing the role of culture in uniting people. The festival seeks to support women in the arts in Azerbaijan, aiming to change the stagnant trends of recent years and inspire both artists and audiences.

Gazelli Art House Baku, as the hosting and curatorial partner, will be the main venue for the events and will announce additional opportunities for the public to engage with the exhibition and meet the artists.

This project is supported by Red Hearts, Pasha Travel, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Azerbaijan, and the German Embassy.