Maiden Tower International Art Festival

Project
Photo
Video

Maiden Tower International Art Festival has been organized since 2010 with the view of the global promotion of the Maiden Tower in Icherisheher, included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000 and considered the symbol of Baku. Participating in the festival, artists from different countries create works reflecting the synthesis of diverse cultures and traditions, having decorated mock-ups of the Maiden Tower in their national style. These unique works will play a significant role in the promotion of the Maiden Tower - an architectural monument of Azerbaijan - being demonstrated in various cities of the world.

More than 20 artists from 18 countries participated in the first festival organized in 2010 by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, “Icherisheher” State History and Architecture Reserve Administration under the Cabinet of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Museum of Modern Art. The second festival held in 2011 brought 25 well-known artists from 20 countries together.

Unlike previous festivals, the gazelle models were prepared and presented in the 3^rd Maiden Tower International Art Festival, held in 2002 and attended by artists from 24 countries, within IDEA environmental campaign in order to draw attention to the endangered "Caucasus five". The models were decorated by artists having participated in previous festivals, who are considered the Festival’s friends.

Another distinctive feature of the Festival was a video-mapping technology presented on Maiden Tower. In the closing ceremony, Maiden Tower reflected colorful images via the projection of the Maiden Tower models created in the previous festivals according to the architecture of the monument.

On July 4, 2013, inauguration of the 4^th Maiden Tower International Art Festival took place in La Croisette Boulevard. Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, the Foundation’s Vice-president Leyla Aliyeva, Mayor of the city of Cannes, deputy, Bernard Brochand, deputy UN Director General, head of UNITAD Philippe Douste-Blazy were present at the inauguration ceremony.

One of the features of the exhibition-festival held beyond Azerbaijan that draws attention is that a new component has been added to the popularization of the Maiden Tower in Cannes.

Within the festival, the project of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation associated with decoration of mock-ups of gazelles facing the peril of extinction was presented. In order to draw attention to the gazelles, an endangered species, at an exhibition to be held during 20 days, mock-ups of gazelles have been made and decorated by artists coming from various countries of the world.

In general, Maiden Tower compositions of 26 artists and gazelle compositions of 17 artists have been presented to the visitors.

On 7-9 May, 2014, the 5^th Maiden Tower International Art Festival was held in Baku. 28 artists from 26 countries participated in the Festival.

3D pictures, one of the most popular types of street art, was presented within the framework of this Festival.

On 11-14 June, 2015, the Maiden Tower 6th International Art Festival took place in Baku. 27 artists from 17 countries participated in the festival. At this festival, in addition to the Maiden Tower, artists have decorated mock-ups of a pomegranate and gazelle - the symbols of Baku-2015 1st European Games.