TODAY.AZ / Arts & Entertainment

Maiden Tower Art Festival to decorate capital anew

19 September 2016 [17:34] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Amina Nazarli

Maiden Tower Art Festival, which has already become a tradition in the capital city, will celebrate its seventh edition this autumn.

International Symposium “The song in the stone” exhibiting works of foreign artists will be held as part of the festival from September 24 to October 2.

The main goal of the symposium, which will host ten famous sculptors from Latin America, Europe and Asia, is to create various works from local natural stone such as Shamkir sandstone and Absheron limestone. The festival will also include four Azerbaijani sculptors.

There is no specific thematic restrictions for artists, who will work under the open sky in Baku’s Gala settlement. The sculptors have freedom of expression. The works to be created within the framework of the symposium, will be exhibited in one of city parks of the capital.

Sculpture is one of the oldest types of fine art, deeply rooted in history of Azerbaijan.

In ancient times Azerbaijan was famous with various natural stones of different features and color. Plastic features of Absheron limestone, Karabakh river stone and black marble, Shamkir’s yellow-white sandstone determine the uniqueness of the local architecture and its decorations.

The organizers plan to hold the event every year, and in the future to create an open air museum from art works by sculptors from different countries.

Traditionally organized on the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Maiden Tower International Art Festival, will be held in French capital Paris this year on September 18-21, within the framework of “Azerbaijani village”.

The festival, which has been held since 2000, aims primarily to contribute to the promotion of the Maiden Tower in Icherisheher (Old City), one of the most ancient and mysterious monuments in Azerbaijan, which is included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000. It also helps to familiarize international artists with Azerbaijan's art and culture.

Built in the shape of a cylinder on the Caspian Sea shore, the Maiden Tower is a construction which rather like a buttress, sticks out from the cylindrical tower on the sea side.

There have many calculations and speculations when it comes to determining the date of its construction. Some suggest that it was constructed in between the 4th and 6th centuries AD others have speculated it was built somewhere in between the 11th and 12th centuries. The tower rises to a height of 29.5 meters and has a diameter of 16.5 meters.

Last year the festival featured works of 27 artists from 17 countries, depicting models of pomegranates and gazelles, which were the official mascots of inaugural the European Games held in Azerbaijan in June 2015.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/entertainment/154316.html

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