New Pavilion from Azerbaijan debuts at Venice Biennale 60th Anniversary

The Azerbaijani national pavilion, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in collaboration with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy, officially opened in Venice on Friday under the theme “From Caspian to Pink Planet: I Am Here.” This year marks the 60th Venice Biennale, running from April 20 to November 24.

The pavilion is situated in Campo della Tana, a significant architectural monument from the 16th century in Venice. During the opening ceremony, Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, emphasized the support provided by the Foundation to Azerbaijani artists in the past. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved in organizing the national pavilion, including curator Luca Beatrice, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, and the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Italy.

Luca Beatrice, the curator of the Azerbaijani pavilion, encouraged participants to visit Baku to experience the cultural and artistic richness of the ancient country. Among the visitors were Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva Tatiana Valovaya and Minister of Culture of the United Arab Emirates Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi.

Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Adil Karimli held meetings with Minister Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi and other cultural counterparts to discuss collaboration in the cultural field and potential joint projects. Azerbaijan has been actively participating in the Venice Biennale since 2007.

The national pavilion will showcase works by esteemed Azerbaijani artists Irina Eldarova, Rashad Alakbarov, and Vusala Agharaziyeva. The exhibition promises to be a highlight of the Venice Biennale, celebrating Azerbaijani culture and art on an international stage.