Interview with artist Orkhan Mammadov
Orkhan Mammadov is an artist from Azerbaijan. He graduated at the faculty of Decorative and Applied Arts of the University of Art and Culture of Azerbaijan as an artist constructor with distinguished diploma. Between 2000-2002 years he studied at The Art Academy of Azerbaijan and graduated from the academy as an art critic. In 2004 at last he manages to develop up the principles of his own working manner on painting. In his picture, named “Top-to-tail” he manages to create entire tableau by cutting certain fragments of his own canvases and stitching them to each-other logically. Besides oil and canvas, after this artwork threads and ropes becomes the main attributes for Orkhan Mammadov to express his philosophy.
How it began, Mr. Orkhan Mammadov?
“Finding answer to the question “what to do”, is the half of the way!”
- These words of the artist whom I met years ago, urged me to ebb to
my native village, to buckle down to creative searches right after
completing my high education. Having ceased my connections with the
other artists, I hoped to fathom into my own world, to feel myself, to
discover my attitude to this world.
Why is it important that you discover your own attitude to this world?
- There is a banal saying, that, there is no irreplaceable man in this
world. But I believe quite vice-versa - THERE IS NO REPLACEABLE MAN
IN THIS WORLD! It is important to discover your attitude with the world
in order to find, whether what do you mean to this world and what is
your indispensable mission. Otherwise, I couldn’t have worked as
myself with no imitation of others in colors, in forms and in philosophy.
For several years spending my each day with making sketches,
continuously working in plein air, copying classic masters and reading a
literature, I came to conclusion that the true art is the reflection of
artist’s life on his art! In the other word, sincerity in attitude to your art.
So, I tried to scrutinize my life, to discern the main line of it, and finally I
found it!
What was that and how did that line reflect in your art?
-The life connected me with certain people, but after a certain period
of time, it ceased those connections with them, throwing me into
attitude with quite new ones in quite new atmosphere. And after which
it did the same thing to me with them too. It horrified me truly,
because, an attitude is just like a castle, and you build it in long period
of time, putting one brick onto another. But, imagine, something does
not let you build this castle of life, making its bricks incoherent. But,
one day I really grasped the philosophy of this line of my life, which
would be reflected on my art! I understood that, my art must consist of
incoherent fragments, which must be connected to each-other
afterwards!
Was not that crazy to cut the canvases into the pieces that you drew yourself and put a great labor on each of them?
- The significant thing you want to do, the big sacrifice you must
undergo. It demanded a courage to sacrifice my certain canvases to
witness the miracle of reincarnation! I decided to do it with my most
favorite pieces. Opening five canvases from their stretchers and cutting
them into fragments, I began to stitch them back in new order. Having
completed my “patchwork” I had to stretch it on a new, bigger
stretcher, which thrilled me a lot, thinking whether, would I be
successful or destroy everything. Yes, you thing right- I managed to do
it! Gazing the miracle from distance for about an hour, I felt that I must
say my last words with cords of different sizes on it. I named that first
experimental work of mine, “Top to tail”.
What could you extract from this first lucky experiment of you?
- Scrutinizing the first reflection of my life on canvas, I persuaded that
it is just me, and it must go on this way!
Making such “patchworks” one after another, filled my heart with
credence, that someday I will be able to connect those incoherent
fragments of my life with the thread of wisdom too!
