Nigar Helmi Abbasbayli poses with her works at the Atatürk Cultural Center, Istanbul.
Famous Azerbaijani artist Nigar Helmi Abbasbayli’s solo exhibition dedicated to the heritage of Karabakh has been opened at Istanbul’s iconic Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM). “The Legacy of Karabakh” comprises paintings reflecting the endless sky of Karabakh along with the ruins left behind and jewelry that are the culmination of traditional and modern trends.
The exhibition was launched in AKM by Deputy Minister of Tourism Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Consul General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Narmina Mustafayeva, and artist Nigar Helmi Abbasbayli. Important names from business, art, politics and social life also attended the opening.
Among the works that Abbasbayli dedicated to Karabakh at the exhibition, "Govhar Agha Mosque," “Ruins of the Nightingale’s House,” “Panakh Ali Khan Palace Ruins” and “Varazgun Temple” attract the attention. Boldly and vividly depicted through the eyes of the artist, these paintings reveal the heartbreaking ruins of Karabakh's vast skies.
In her speech at the opening of the exhibition, artist Abbasbayli said, “After our homeland war, which ended with the great victory of my country, we started to rebuild our lands liberated from the occupation. As you know, 2022 was declared by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as the "Year of Shusha" in Azerbaijan. It is a great honor for me to bring this exhibition to life in the year of Shusha, which was declared as part of the liberation of the city of Shusha in Karabakh from the Armenian occupation. The exhibition is on display in Turkey for the first time as a whole collection. I see the ‘The Legacy of Karabakh’ exhibition, which I prepared for the victory of our people, as another symbol of the spiritual unity, common historical and cultural roots of Turkey and Azerbaijan.”
Consul General Mustafayeva also said, “We are very happy that our esteemed artist Abbasbeyli exhibited her entire collection in Istanbul for the first time. Her paintings are very important symbols for Azerbaijan and Karabakh. As Shusha is the cradle of our civilization, recapturing it was a great victory for us. This is why this exhibition dedicated to our victory by Abbasbeyli is very valuable for us.”
Noting Turkey has always supported Azarbaijan during the recapturing of Karabakh, Mustafayeva continued: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”