Christie`s, the world`s leading auction house, in cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and YARAT! Contemporary Art Space has staged its first exhibition in Azerbaijan at the magnificent surroundings of the newly built Four Seasons Hotel in Baku. Azerbaijan`s first lady, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and the Foundation`s vice-president Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony.

The exhibition will feature a diverse range of art and objects which have been selected to represent the best of the autumn sales held by Christie`s in London, New York and Dubai. This will include Impressionist, Post War and Contemporary painting, Oriental carpets, Contemporary Arab, Iranian and Turkish art. Along with the exhibition, YARAT! is also organizing a programme of exclusive events such as discussions, dinners, a tour of the YARAT! Contemporary Art Space and visits to artist studios in Baku. The founder of YARAT! will also co-host the opening of the exhibition with Chairman of Christie`s, Viscount Linley.

Founded in 2011 by Aida Mahmudova, YARAT! is a non-commercial, private organization dedicated to the promotion and nurturing of Azeri Contemporary art locally and worldwide. A key objective of YARAT! is to form dialogue and exchanges with non-commercial art foundations both in Azerbaijan and abroad. It also aims to provide educational initiatives as well as an international art prize.