Leyla Aliyeva Attends Exhibition

On March 8, the opening ceremony of the 2026 edition of the "Her Art in Action" festival took place at "Gazelli Art House."

On the first day of the festival, a group exhibition titled "Home Opening to the Landscape" began, a collaboration between the VarYox art and culture platform and the "Gazelli Art House" Baku gallery.

Leyla Aliyeva's artworks are also featured in the exhibition.

The editorial office reports, citing AZERTAC, that Leyla Aliyeva attended the exhibition and reviewed the displayed works.

Leyla Aliyeva was informed about the festival, which is an annual program established and implemented by the VarYox art and culture platform. "Her Art in Action" is dedicated to promoting gender equality in art, increasing cultural inclusivity, and strengthening Azerbaijan's international cultural participation. This year, the festival will take place in various locations in Baku from March to May, spanning a three-month period.

It was noted that "Her Art in Action," held for three consecutive years, stands out as a rare festival in the region dedicated to women's creativity and intercultural exchange. The project actively brings together women from Azerbaijan and regional countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Georgia, Egypt, as well as the Balkan region, Spain, and Lithuania.

The theme "Home Opening to the Landscape" examines the home not as a fixed space, but as a fluid state shaped by women's experiences. Moving beyond the confines of daily routine, the theme explores how women create, define, struggle for, and reclaim space amidst the tension between public and private life, visibility and solitude, belonging and resistance.

Within the event, the birthday of a martyr's mother was celebrated, and Leyla Aliyeva presented her with a gift.

Exhibition participants also presented Leyla Aliyeva with gifts of their handmade works.

Finally, Leyla Aliyeva visited the memorial corner of Zarifa Hamzayeva, the founder and president of "Gazelli Group."

Sitara Ibrahimli, the curator of this year's festival edition and a multimedia artist, noted at the opening of the first exhibition on March 8 that works by 27 local and international artists were displayed: "We are opening the festival on March 8 for the third year. There will be a total of three openings. In April, a joint exhibition of students from Integration Training Boarding School No. 11 (Bilgah), created through dialogue with renowned contemporary artists, will be organized. The third project will take place in Icherisheher and will be an open-air photography night. In total, over 50 artists' works will be exhibited over three months."

Independent artist Kafiya Eyvazova participated in this year's festival with her work "View from the Window." "I have been participating in the festival for three years, and this is the first time I am presenting a work in carpet technique. The piece is woven in the pile carpet technique and invites people to question family structures. Although male motifs appear to protect female motifs here, they also restrict them. Gradually, the woman's facial features disappear because restriction pushes a person's identity to the background and makes it invisible. The work advises our society to value women, listen to them, and not restrict their freedom."

The festival will conclude on May 31.