10 Questions with Aylal Heydarova

Aylal Heydarova (b. 1990, Baku, Azerbaijan) is an emerging Azerbaijani painter whose works span various artistic styles and creative techniques, including pointillism, modernism, and abstract.
Strongly influenced by her family roots and the vibrant culture of Azerbaijan, Aylal began painting from a very young age in her father's workshop and has since led an invigorating career creating world-class artwork and showcasing them in international galleries, exhibitions, biennales, and art competitions.
With her distinct individualistic approach, Aylal's paintings are highly appreciated by her viewers, who are usually overwhelmed by the brightness and combination of colour, clear composition, and beautiful artificiality. Looking at her work, we are often met with a gentle breeze, where an optical effect comes to fruition, and we see an exact depiction of reality appear before our eyes.

Her creativity lies in parallel with a global vision of the cosmos, combining elements of nature, the culture of her homeland, and the universal values of human beings – all these deep concepts flow through together to deliver an abstract conceptualisation of reality that aims to connect people through the colours, techniques, and emotions she portrays in her artwork.

It is rare that we see such boldness and purity in one's art. The beauty in her creativity lies within the fact that her art is not bound by any rules – it's irreplaceable. It was created by a unique and unrepeatable soul, who strives to reinvent the way art is created so that the boundaries of established laws are trailed and given a new meaning and perspective.

Born and raised in Azerbaijan and strongly influenced by cultural roots, Ayla has a global vision of the world guided by the cosmos of her sensitivity towards nature, culture, and human values. In Aylal’s art, she delivers an abstract conceptualisation of reality that aims to connect people through the colours, techniques, and emotions I deliver in her artwork. Aylal constantly strives to reinvent the way she creates artwork so that the boundaries of established laws are trialed and given a new meaning and perspective.

www.aylalheydarova.com

INTERVIEW

First of all, who is Aylal Heydarova, and how would you describe yourself in 3 words?

Describing myself so specifically is difficult. I think people are very complex and full of depth, but as an artist, I might call myself unique, passionate, and bold.

Do you remember when you first decided you wanted to be an artist? 

Well, as a child, I would spend a lot of time with my father in his art studio. I was deeply influenced by this experience and felt that the decision was really just clear from the beginning. I was always going to be an artist. The decision to share my art with others, and be someone who delivers a conceptual world for viewers, is the heavier and more courageous path I've chosen to take than just making the art itself. 

Let's talk about your work. What inspired you to work with painting? 

Again, it was always just obvious to me. I'm influenced by my family members and other artists who use paint as a medium, so painting is how I learned to express myself. It's a beautiful way to capture the world around you and combine it with what you feel inside. 

You work with different styles, from pointillism to modernism and abstract art. How do you keep a coherent approach in your production?

I suppose I don't think about it all being coherent. I'm not trapped by my techniques; I just do what feels right every time. My style generally incorporates pointillism, and that's just how it comes out. If art is happening how it should, the cohesion and consistent feeling I create as an artist are happening on their own without my interference. 

Where do you find inspiration for your work, and what is your creative process like? 

Nature has been a consistent inspiration in my work. Coming from Baku, this is an easy subject to focus on. It's a beautiful city with beautiful geography all around it. Mountains, rivers, wildflowers, sea, and everything else beautiful. This comes out in my work because it's what I see all around me. I feel I don't have to reach far to be inspired. The process is to connect with my world and then do my best to express it on the canvas.

How would you define your style? And how has it evolved over the years?

I practiced a lot of different technics. In the last few years, I chose a pointillistic style as my favourite.

What do you wish to communicate to the public with your work?

I want to connect people with my work. My paintings are meant to deliver an abstraction of reality that can bring meaning to the world and help us all connect more with nature, culture, and the universe. I see myself as offering a portal to the people who view my work, where they can see and feel the purity of reality. If I can evoke that emotion for a public audience, I suppose that's the message, the thing I want to communicate. 

What are you working on now, and what are your plans for the future in terms of new projects? 

Currently, I am working on my new paintings and preparing for my next exhibition in Tokyo.

Do you have any upcoming shows or collaborations you are looking forward to?

Yes, my next exhibition is going to be at Tokyo Tower Art Fair on March 10-12. So if you are in Tokyo, come see my artwork! 

Finally, what are your goals for 2023?

This year, I would like to push my artistic boundaries, produce more work, and improve my social media presence.