Monday, November 8, 2010
Since 1993 artist, educator and curator Sabina Shikhlinskaya (born 1962) has organized more than 50 exhibitions and projects both, in Azerbaijan and at international venues. In 2007, Sabina Shikhlinskaya was the curator of Azerbaijan’s 1st pavilion at the 52nd Art Biennale in Venice. In 2008, Shikhlinskaya curated a group exhibition “USSR – Remix.” Later that year, “USSR – Remix“ was exhibited in Dresden Museum of Art along with another group show curated by Shikhlinskaya - “Steps of Times.” In 2009 Sabina Shikhlinskaya organized “Maiden Tower,” the international forum of contemporary art. In 2010, she curated international video art exhibition “ Openly” shown in Istanbul, Antrepo in the frames of “Istanbul 2010 – Capital of Culture of Europe.” In 2010 Shikhlinskaya presented new version of “USSR-Remix” group exhibition project in Norway.
 
In 1996, Shikhliskaya launched the “Labyrinth” project in Baku. Following the success of this project, the twelve participating artists, under the leadership of Shikhlinskaya, formed the Labyrinth Art Group. In 1999, Sabina Shikhlinskaya curated the first land art project in Azerbaijan with the artists from the Labyrinth Art Group. In 2005 within the framework of- Azerbaijan’s second International Biennial of Contemporary Art, Sabina Shiklinskaya curated a public performance of the Labirynth Art Group members.
 
Between 1996-2005, alongside her curatorial activities, Sabina Shikhlinskaya undertook a number of educational art projects in various institutions. She founded a school of painting for children, taught art in European Lyceum in Baku and TISA, the International School of Azerbaijan. She also conducted art therapy courses for vulnerable children.
 
In both, her educational and curatorial projects, Sabina Shikhlinskaya partnered with such organizations as the Solomon Guggenheim Museum, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIFEM, Open Society Institute, Appolonia Art Exchanges, Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports, Azerbaijan Center for Contemporary Arts, Azerbaijani Artists Union, Museum of Fine Art of Azerbaijan, as well as cultural representations of French, Italian, German, Norwegian, and Japanese embassy missions in Azerbaijan.
Presentation: National Identity in Azerbaijan Art
24.11.2010 / Goethe Institute Georgia
 
Topic of Sabina Shikhlinskaya's presentation at Goethe-Institut was a subject of questioning national identity in Azerbaijan art, through the demonstration of some of the projects of contemporary visual art from Azerbaijan on which Sabina is currently working as an artist and as a curator.
 
Residency stay of Sabina Shikhlinskaya was supported by Open Society Institute, Arts and Culture Network Program.