Azerbaijan

Artist: Ibrahim Ehrari

* 1938 in Urmia

1966 Moved to Europe, Studied at the Hochschule für bildende Künste in Berlin.

1973 Assistant Professor in the Department of Fine Arts at the University Teheran

1975 Organized exhibition for the Goethe-Institute Teheran

1976 Moved back to Berlin, Studied Art History at the Free University in Berlin

Exhibitions include Berlin, Teheran, Mykonos, Amsterdam, Belfast and Dublin.

Group exhibitions include Japan, Türkey, Afghanistan, Brazil, Mexico and Algeria.

Interpretation

Azerbaijan - the Land of Fire

The fire-red flames cannot harm the Buddy Bear from Azerbaijan; they are actually his elixir of life. Before Islam took hold of the houses of worship of the Azerbaijani people, it was fire which put them under its spell, captivating the fire worshippers, some of which lived in this southern land at the Caspian.

Natural gas and oil are the godfathers of fire. These fortunes still partly lie undiscovered inside the depths of the earth of Azerbaijan and below the Caspian Sea.

A look into the eyes of the Bear reveals the lust for life that the people of Azerbaijan have. They are happy, hospitable and have a great deal of "Joy de vivre".

A trip from south to north reveals the full splendour of the numerous zones of vegetation. Azerbaijan's aromatic flower gardens and the blossoming almond and pomegranate trees were to inspire one of the most famous oriental writer, Abu Mohammed Iljas Nizami, who lived in the 12th century.

Ibrahim Ehrari

Sponsor: Berliner Wasserbetriebe