The YARAT! Non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of contemporary art of Azerbaijan presented Fuad Salayev's project " Breath of the Earth " in Baku on Friday.
Rector of the Baku branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University, art director of UNS Theatre Nargiz Pashayeva, famous artist Altay Sadikhzade and other famous artists and public figures attended the event organized during 012 Baku Public Art Festival.
This metal composition is a sculpture that allows several levels of interpretation. Judging by the dynamics and formal aspects it resembles an erupting motion that is associated with a breath or a sigh, which desires to be released from the earth.
The fact that the sculpture is installed in the ground among the city surroundings is expected to create an insight of the earth breath (eruption) away from its natural environment. It is worth noting that the concept of this work came to the artist while he was observing mud volcanoes at a place called Lokbatan near Baku.
The very view of a pulsating volcano resembles the living breath of the earth. After its creation the work gained additional meanings, its contours can remind us of a dance created paradoxically by a metal construction.

A dance cannot be denied of its live component while the iron is something inert and clumsy. The artist deliberately made the sculpture semi-transparent to provide it with lightness, airiness and even some playfulness. Furthermore the sculpture has an interactive aspect to it - the viewer must observe it from various angles, depending on the angle of view the associations will differ. All in all the optimistic approach of the sculpture is undisputable -regardless of the perspective the viewer will always have to look up and his glance will be taken up with the stream...
Azerbaijan has the greatest number of mud volcanoes in the world. Mud volcanoes are widespread on the territory of Azerbaijan. Nearly 350 out of 800 mud volcanoes are situated in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Along with geographical term "mud volcano" they are also called "yanardag" (burning mountain), "pilpilya" (terrace), "gaynacha" (boiling water), and "bozdag" (grey mountain) by people.
Since 1810, on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan about 200 eruptions took place. The eruption of such volcanoes is accompanied by a strong explosion and underground roar. Gases soar from under the deep layers of the earth and immediately ignite. The height of the flame above such volcanoes sometimes reaches up to 1000 meters (Garasu volcano). It is said that the first eruption of a mud volcano took place in Azerbaijan 25 million years ago.
Mud volcanoes are normally close to oilfields. Expansive reservoirs of oil and gas condensate were found on the territories of mud volcanoes (Lokbatan, Garadagh, Oil Rocks, Mishovdag, etc.) Moreover, lava, mud, and liquid, erupting from mud volcanoes, can be used as raw materials for chemical and construction industries as well as for pharmacology. NASA scientists, who have examined Mars, came to conclusion that Azerbaijani mud volcanoes are similar to mounts of the Red Planet in terms of their structure.Azerbaijani mud volcanoes were ranked 5th on the list of Swiss non-commercial "Seven Wonders of Nature" organization.
Founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova, YARAT! is a non-commercial, private organization dedicated to the promotion and nurturing of Azeri Contemporary art nationally and internationally.

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