In the second edition of the Her Art in Action festival, we celebrate the 26 artists – 23 Azerbaijani and 3 international – who have shared their artistic vision with us on the topic Free to Dream: What Do You Dream? Picturing Our Inner Lives.
The curatorial vision for the exhibition was to examine how women inhabit the complex identities that society creates for them in light of their own dreams and aspirations. The artists responded with concepts that highlighted how women negotiate their inner and outer personas throughout their lives, and the selected artworks were diverse in their approach and media, as well as their consideration of how these stories unfold across lifetimes.
The exhibition itself was organised as a non-linear journey through these thoughts and emotions – dreams realised and dreams that are left unfulfilled or cut short. From artworks celebrating women as holders and preservers of tradition as well as those who actively resist the constraints imposed upon them, and artworks that speak to the hope that dreaming offers and the sacrifices that are made in the pursuit of one’s dream, the artists invited us to consider the diversity of the experience of women in the past, today, and for generations ahead.
As the exhibition was held at the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan, we understood our responsibility to honor the institutional legacy of the space and saw an opportunity to build upon it. The Union of Artists of Azerbaijan has nurtured and exhibited artists across generations, and Her Art in Action represents a fresh conceptual direction. With this in mind, we knew there would be myriad reactions to the artworks and the themes they explore. We are grateful for the dialogue that the exhibition inspired amongst the many visitors and proud of the artists for their introspective and courageous artworks.
