about me
When young, I first wanted to be a train conductor, then a pilot, then a guitarist, then a cameraman, and finally an archeologist. But when I opened the pages of the magazine “Photo Review”, and saw the photographs of Edward Weston, Duane Michaels, and Ralf Gipson my childhood dreams dissolved like morning fog. The sun came out. Light, texture, movement, the geometry of lines, contrast, shadow, tones, rhythm, asymmetry and symmetry. Something happened to me. I began to see, I began to scan the world. I was interested in the most mundane things, not big events, but small happenings – unidentified and inexplicable.
Sadness, memories, disagreement, a good mood, irony. Feelings visualized. Where there was a dialogue, there was a photograph. For some strange reason, I was not the only one who liked my pictures. People liked them, but never bought them; I never exhibited or published. Later, people began purchasing my pictures, publishing and exhibiting them, giving me awards for them – but it was a fleeting sensation of success. For me, it’s important to remain who you are, a bastion of yourself. Speaking of bastions, I was born inside a fortress, the Old City in Baku and it remains my favorite place to photograph. I also love Gobustan’s rocks, and taking pictures of people I know - and those whom I don’t know, if they don’t mind of course.
Sometimes I keep the shutter button pressed for fifteen minutes, sometimes I don’t have a camera in my hands for a week. During that time, I take pictures with my eyes, and the pictures remain in my head, which is the most reliable storage space. The subject of my photography is life itself, my understanding of it or lack thereof. I try to be truthful. Documentary facts are important in photography, but images must say more. There must be some mystery, some sort of joy from uncovering a secret, an answer to a question, a piece of knowledge or even wisdom. Another important thing for me is to understand stones, trees, houses, the road, eyes, the hands of a person. You must hear them.
Photographs change the essence of things. Fruits in photographs transform into human torsos. Animals share their sense of smell and foreboding with us. Trees speak of time, of beginnings and the end, of eternity. Heaven and hell are captured at 1/125 of a second. Love, birth and death in long and short exposures - these moments have lives and futures of their own. Symbols, signs, prophesy, legend - yesterday, today, and tomorrow - this is the real proof of life. This is photography.
You must see with your heart. You must think not only before but after you press the shutter button. You must wait until the morning to print the images, which might become photographs. You must not try to catch up with or run ahead of time; it’s a silly idea. You must live in that moment and space in time with your eyes wide open. I don’t want to surprise anyone. What I want is to portray the nuances, the thin threads that connect me to the outside world. In my kind of reality, in my photography I share my life and my understanding of it with you. And when I get a “Yes!” from you, I feel less lonely and somewhat happy.
Sadness, memories, disagreement, a good mood, irony. Feelings visualized. Where there was a dialogue, there was a photograph. For some strange reason, I was not the only one who liked my pictures. People liked them, but never bought them; I never exhibited or published. Later, people began purchasing my pictures, publishing and exhibiting them, giving me awards for them – but it was a fleeting sensation of success. For me, it’s important to remain who you are, a bastion of yourself. Speaking of bastions, I was born inside a fortress, the Old City in Baku and it remains my favorite place to photograph. I also love Gobustan’s rocks, and taking pictures of people I know - and those whom I don’t know, if they don’t mind of course.
Sometimes I keep the shutter button pressed for fifteen minutes, sometimes I don’t have a camera in my hands for a week. During that time, I take pictures with my eyes, and the pictures remain in my head, which is the most reliable storage space. The subject of my photography is life itself, my understanding of it or lack thereof. I try to be truthful. Documentary facts are important in photography, but images must say more. There must be some mystery, some sort of joy from uncovering a secret, an answer to a question, a piece of knowledge or even wisdom. Another important thing for me is to understand stones, trees, houses, the road, eyes, the hands of a person. You must hear them.
Photographs change the essence of things. Fruits in photographs transform into human torsos. Animals share their sense of smell and foreboding with us. Trees speak of time, of beginnings and the end, of eternity. Heaven and hell are captured at 1/125 of a second. Love, birth and death in long and short exposures - these moments have lives and futures of their own. Symbols, signs, prophesy, legend - yesterday, today, and tomorrow - this is the real proof of life. This is photography.
You must see with your heart. You must think not only before but after you press the shutter button. You must wait until the morning to print the images, which might become photographs. You must not try to catch up with or run ahead of time; it’s a silly idea. You must live in that moment and space in time with your eyes wide open. I don’t want to surprise anyone. What I want is to portray the nuances, the thin threads that connect me to the outside world. In my kind of reality, in my photography I share my life and my understanding of it with you. And when I get a “Yes!” from you, I feel less lonely and somewhat happy.
Biography
Sanan Aleskerov
1956 - January 10 born in Baku, Azerbaijan
1982 - Graduated from State University of Azerbaijan, department of journalism
1989 - Chaired “Khazar” Photography Club
1999 - Chaired art committee of Azerbaijan’s Union of Photography
1999 - Joined “Labyrinth” Group of Azerbaijan Artists
1976-2000 - Specialized in Scientific, Commercial, Industrial and Journalistic Photography
1996-present - Teaches Photography
2000-present - Freelance Photographer
Group Exhibitions and Projects
1987 - “Marine Star” Exhibition. Murmansk, USSR
1987 - “Photograph for the Son. Personal Message.” Art Project. Varshava,Berlin, Moscow.
1988/91/96 - International Competition of Art Photography. Istanbul, Turkey.
1989/90/91 95/96/97/99
London Salon of Photography, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain
1990/91/93 - Salon of Art Photography, Chollez, France.
1991/94 - International Competition of Art Photography. Bursa, Turkey
1991/92/93/94/95 - International Competition of Art. Edinburgh, Scotland
1991 - International Competition of Art Photography. Jackson, Mississippi, USA
1991/93 - International Competition of Art Photography. Surrey, Great Britain
1995/96/97 - Austrian Super Circle Photography Competition, Lints, Australia
1995 - International Competition of Photography, Reus, Spain
1995/96/97/02/03/06/07/09 - Sheki Art Symposium, Azerbaijan Artists Union. Sheki-Baku, Azerbaijan
1999 - First Exhibition of Azerbaijan Union of Photographers. Baku, Azerbaijan
1999/02 - Landart I and Landart II Projects. Labyrinth Group. Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - “Fire” Project. Labyrinth Group. Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - International Art Salon “Art Manej-2000” Moscow, Russia
2000 - CDH 2000 Exhibition. Labyrinth Group. Moscow, Russia.
2000 - Labyrinth Group Exhibition. International School “TISA” Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - Joseph Koudelka Masterclass Exhibition “Fife Days in November” Open Society Institute, Baku,
Azerbaijan
2001 - “Image of Price WaterHouse Coopers” Exhibition. Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - Days of Caucasus Culture in the Caucasus “Appendix” Exhibition. Caravasala Museun, Tbilisi, Georgia
2001/06 - International Competition “Traditions and Modernity” Baku Art Center,
Azerbaijan
2002 - Caspian Countries Art Exhibition. “Humay” Azerbaijani Cultural Center, London, Great Britain
2002 - AINA -200 First International Photography Festival. Baku, Azerbaijan.
2002-2004 - “Aspects of Contemporary Photography in South Caucasus” Thessalonica, Greece, N-Gallery, Tbilisi
2003 - “Ada” International Art Project. Baku, Azerbaijan
2004 - “Twenty Azerbaijani Artists” French Senate, Paris, France
2005 - “Aluminum – Transformation” Contemporary Art Festival. Museum Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
2005 - “Landart-Oil” Labyrinth Group Project, Contemporary Art Festival, Giz Galasi Gallery, Azerbaijan
2005 - Photography Symposium of Turkic Countries – “Turksoy”, Mersin, Turkey
2006 - “KARAVANSERAI” Azerbaijan – idens rike. Archaeologist Museum, Stavanger, Norway.
2007 - “Dialog with Neighbor” Contemporary Art Exhibition. Efeshane Gallery. Istanbul, Turkey
2007 - “Modern Photography in Azerbaijan” Contemporary Art Centre. MOMA, Moscow, Russia
2007 - 52nd Venice Biennale, Labyrinth Project “Fire”
2007 - International Project “Recognize Neighbour”, Tophane Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2007 - “Art as Handicraft & Handicraft as Art” Sheki Photography Symposium. Contemporary Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
2007 - “Modern Photography in Azerbaijan”. Moscow, Russia.
2008 - “Art is Not Only Ugly”. Berlin
2008 - “www.ussr-remix.az” Centre of Contemporary Art. Baku, Azerbaijan
2008 - “Steps of Time” Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
2009 - “Culture Scapes Aserbaidschan” Culture scapes festival. Basel, Swiss.
2009 - “Photoquai” Musee du quai Branly. Paris, France.
2010 - “THE SEVEN” Modern Azerbaijan Photography. Project Curator. Baku. Modern Art Museum.
Personal Exhibitions
1987 - Selected Works. Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, USSR
1988 - Selected Works. Baku Art Centre. Flower Salon. Baku, Azerbaijan
1988 - “I Love This Land” Photography Festival. Temirtau, Kazakhstan, USSR
1993 - Selected Works. Baku Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
1998 - “Elements of My Life”. TMS Gallery, Tbilisi, Geargia.
2003 - Selected Works. Strasbourg University named after Mark Bloch Strasbourg, France
2003 - “Martyrs Alley-1990” Istigal Museum, Baku. Azerbaijan
2008 - “Images” Retrospective Personal Exhibition. Contemporary Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
Awards
1987 - Laureate of II Festival of Folk Art. VDNH, Moscow, Russia
1990/91/93 - Gold Medal (90),
Bronze Medal (91),
Silver Medal (93)
Salon of Art Photography, Chollez, France
1991 - Honorary Ribbon. American Association of Photographers. Jackson, Mississippi, USA
1993 - Silver Medal, Honorary Ribbon. Federation of International Art Photography, Surrey, Great Britain
1994 - Honorary Ribbon. Federation of International Art Photography, Edinburgh, Scotland
1995 - Golden Medal. Australia Super Circle, Linds, Austria
1995/96 - London Salon of photography Honorary Medal. London, Great Britain
1996 - Bronze Medal. Federation of International Art Photography. Istanbul, Turkey
2000 - “Humey” award for Labyrinth “Landart I” Project. Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - Grand Prize “Image of PriceWaterHouseCoopers” Competition, Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - First Place “Tradition and Modernity” Competition Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
2006 - Special Prize “Tradition and Modernity” Competition Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
Masterclass
2002 - Conducted Masterclass “Art Mobility in Today’s World” Strasbourg University Named after M. Bloch. Strasburg, France
Museum Collections
Salvador Velaseca Museum, Reus, Spain; Photographic Library, Surrey, Great Britain; Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
Private Collection
USA, Turkey, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Norway, France
Sanan Aleskerov
1956 - January 10 born in Baku, Azerbaijan
1982 - Graduated from State University of Azerbaijan, department of journalism
1989 - Chaired “Khazar” Photography Club
1999 - Chaired art committee of Azerbaijan’s Union of Photography
1999 - Joined “Labyrinth” Group of Azerbaijan Artists
1976-2000 - Specialized in Scientific, Commercial, Industrial and Journalistic Photography
1996-present - Teaches Photography
2000-present - Freelance Photographer
Group Exhibitions and Projects
1987 - “Marine Star” Exhibition. Murmansk, USSR
1987 - “Photograph for the Son. Personal Message.” Art Project. Varshava,Berlin, Moscow.
1988/91/96 - International Competition of Art Photography. Istanbul, Turkey.
1989/90/91 95/96/97/99
London Salon of Photography, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain
1990/91/93 - Salon of Art Photography, Chollez, France.
1991/94 - International Competition of Art Photography. Bursa, Turkey
1991/92/93/94/95 - International Competition of Art. Edinburgh, Scotland
1991 - International Competition of Art Photography. Jackson, Mississippi, USA
1991/93 - International Competition of Art Photography. Surrey, Great Britain
1995/96/97 - Austrian Super Circle Photography Competition, Lints, Australia
1995 - International Competition of Photography, Reus, Spain
1995/96/97/02/03/06/07/09 - Sheki Art Symposium, Azerbaijan Artists Union. Sheki-Baku, Azerbaijan
1999 - First Exhibition of Azerbaijan Union of Photographers. Baku, Azerbaijan
1999/02 - Landart I and Landart II Projects. Labyrinth Group. Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - “Fire” Project. Labyrinth Group. Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - International Art Salon “Art Manej-2000” Moscow, Russia
2000 - CDH 2000 Exhibition. Labyrinth Group. Moscow, Russia.
2000 - Labyrinth Group Exhibition. International School “TISA” Baku, Azerbaijan
2000 - Joseph Koudelka Masterclass Exhibition “Fife Days in November” Open Society Institute, Baku,
Azerbaijan
2001 - “Image of Price WaterHouse Coopers” Exhibition. Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - Days of Caucasus Culture in the Caucasus “Appendix” Exhibition. Caravasala Museun, Tbilisi, Georgia
2001/06 - International Competition “Traditions and Modernity” Baku Art Center,
Azerbaijan
2002 - Caspian Countries Art Exhibition. “Humay” Azerbaijani Cultural Center, London, Great Britain
2002 - AINA -200 First International Photography Festival. Baku, Azerbaijan.
2002-2004 - “Aspects of Contemporary Photography in South Caucasus” Thessalonica, Greece, N-Gallery, Tbilisi
2003 - “Ada” International Art Project. Baku, Azerbaijan
2004 - “Twenty Azerbaijani Artists” French Senate, Paris, France
2005 - “Aluminum – Transformation” Contemporary Art Festival. Museum Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
2005 - “Landart-Oil” Labyrinth Group Project, Contemporary Art Festival, Giz Galasi Gallery, Azerbaijan
2005 - Photography Symposium of Turkic Countries – “Turksoy”, Mersin, Turkey
2006 - “KARAVANSERAI” Azerbaijan – idens rike. Archaeologist Museum, Stavanger, Norway.
2007 - “Dialog with Neighbor” Contemporary Art Exhibition. Efeshane Gallery. Istanbul, Turkey
2007 - “Modern Photography in Azerbaijan” Contemporary Art Centre. MOMA, Moscow, Russia
2007 - 52nd Venice Biennale, Labyrinth Project “Fire”
2007 - International Project “Recognize Neighbour”, Tophane Gallery, Istanbul, Turkey
2007 - “Art as Handicraft & Handicraft as Art” Sheki Photography Symposium. Contemporary Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
2007 - “Modern Photography in Azerbaijan”. Moscow, Russia.
2008 - “Art is Not Only Ugly”. Berlin
2008 - “www.ussr-remix.az” Centre of Contemporary Art. Baku, Azerbaijan
2008 - “Steps of Time” Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
2009 - “Culture Scapes Aserbaidschan” Culture scapes festival. Basel, Swiss.
2009 - “Photoquai” Musee du quai Branly. Paris, France.
2010 - “THE SEVEN” Modern Azerbaijan Photography. Project Curator. Baku. Modern Art Museum.
Personal Exhibitions
1987 - Selected Works. Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, USSR
1988 - Selected Works. Baku Art Centre. Flower Salon. Baku, Azerbaijan
1988 - “I Love This Land” Photography Festival. Temirtau, Kazakhstan, USSR
1993 - Selected Works. Baku Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
1998 - “Elements of My Life”. TMS Gallery, Tbilisi, Geargia.
2003 - Selected Works. Strasbourg University named after Mark Bloch Strasbourg, France
2003 - “Martyrs Alley-1990” Istigal Museum, Baku. Azerbaijan
2008 - “Images” Retrospective Personal Exhibition. Contemporary Art Centre. Baku, Azerbaijan
Awards
1987 - Laureate of II Festival of Folk Art. VDNH, Moscow, Russia
1990/91/93 - Gold Medal (90),
Bronze Medal (91),
Silver Medal (93)
Salon of Art Photography, Chollez, France
1991 - Honorary Ribbon. American Association of Photographers. Jackson, Mississippi, USA
1993 - Silver Medal, Honorary Ribbon. Federation of International Art Photography, Surrey, Great Britain
1994 - Honorary Ribbon. Federation of International Art Photography, Edinburgh, Scotland
1995 - Golden Medal. Australia Super Circle, Linds, Austria
1995/96 - London Salon of photography Honorary Medal. London, Great Britain
1996 - Bronze Medal. Federation of International Art Photography. Istanbul, Turkey
2000 - “Humey” award for Labyrinth “Landart I” Project. Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - Grand Prize “Image of PriceWaterHouseCoopers” Competition, Baku, Azerbaijan
2001 - First Place “Tradition and Modernity” Competition Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
2006 - Special Prize “Tradition and Modernity” Competition Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
Masterclass
2002 - Conducted Masterclass “Art Mobility in Today’s World” Strasbourg University Named after M. Bloch. Strasburg, France
Museum Collections
Salvador Velaseca Museum, Reus, Spain; Photographic Library, Surrey, Great Britain; Baku Art Centre, Baku, Azerbaijan
Private Collection
USA, Turkey, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Poland, Hungary, Denmark, Norway, France