Artist Ahmet Öğüt accuses Baku art centre of using his exhibition as a ‘propaganda tool’ in Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict
Turkish artist Ahmet Öğüt has asked the Yarat Contemporary Art Space in Baku, Azerbaijan, to close down his exhibition three weeks early, claiming the exhibition banner was being used as propaganda in the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. In a statement circulated by email, Öğüt wrote: ‘As the institution has regrettably rejected my requests to take down the exhibition banner with my name appearing next to the Azerbaijani national flag on the facade of its building and the photo thereof on its social media sites, I have no other option but to demand the immediate closure of my exhibition’.
Öğüt’s exhibition opened in May before fighting resumed over the mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is officially part of Azerbaijan but is controlled by Armenian forces. The exhibition was meant to run until 20 November but was terminated on 28 October following Öğüt’s request.
Yarat Contemporary Art Centre is a nonprofit institution, founded by artist Aida Mahmudova. There are concerns in the artworld that the centre is funded via Mahmudova’s family connection to current Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev. Aliyev’s government is accused by several international organisations of human rights violations and corruption.
