Tora Aghabayova
Tora Khanim Aghabayova is an Azerbaijani multidisciplinary artist based in Berlin.
Formally trained as a painter with a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Azerbaijani State Art Academy, Tora has experimented with performance and video art at the onset of her career. Her performance piece in a format of a video installation entitled ‘Mood’ was on display at the first Azerbaijani pavilion exhibition at the Venice Biennial in 2007.
Could you tell us more about your background and how you began creating art?
When I was 12, I started my painting education at an art Gymnasium in Azerbaijan and studied my way to a Masters's degree at Azerbaijani Art Academy in 2004.
What does your art aim to say to its viewers?
Being taught by soviet Social Realism masters has left a trace on my technics and the perception of the painting. As someone who never took ideologies or religions seriously, I have developed my sarcastic touch to storytelling through image.
Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your daily routine when working?
I moved to Berlin in 2015, which shook my entire way of functioning. When one is away from family and the usual stuff, one has to develop strict discipline and personal rules to follow. So I am functioning like a soldier of my ‘one-person band’ army. Coffee, metro, studio, groceries, back home, in bed before midnight, to be up early. Repeat.
Most important-always are working with pleasure. Load it all up with twists and turns
What is the essential element in your art?
As for the essential element- “story” is the essential element in my artwork. I place my characters in places and situations where the viewer's imagination can roam free.
In your opinion, what role does the artist have in society?
As an artist in society, I took a deliberate position of an entertainer. I don't overload canvases with reports on political and environmental issues. There are much better sources to get news than the artwork. I step out of the mass hysteria offered by mass media, and I don't concentrate on problems; I offer relaxation that may bring solutions. So I offer a story, a dream, and a good time for one’s intellect.
