LONDON.- Gazelli Art House announced the first UK solo show of works by acclaimed Azeri artist Niyaz Najafov. Najafov is at the forefront of the contemporary art scene in Azerbaijan and his expressive oil paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in prestigious fairs and exhibitions, resulting in his fast-growing international reputation.

For this exhibition at Gazelli Art House the artist presents a new selection of works on canvas that epitomise his distinctive and dark style of painting. Populated by mysterious figures, his complex works reflect both the disturbing and humorous aspects of the human condition. Najafov has the ability to transform scenes of everyday existence into monumental depictions of underlying emotion. The unflinching gaze of the artist pries into the most intimate moments of his subjects’ lives making the viewer feel both fascinated and uneasy. Whilst his works can be sinister in their subject matter and palette, they reflect a spectrum of emotion from violent passions to tender gestures that the viewer can often relate to.

Najafov is an integral part of a generation of artists who have found renewed support on the burgeoning Azeri art scene. In the ever-expanding world of contemporary art, one of the newest frontiers is Azerbaijan where the collapse of the Soviet Union has not only given the country growing clout in international politics, but also a rich new cultural life, the effects of which have been seen internationally. In 2007 Azerbaijan participated at the Venice Biennale for the first time and at the following edition Najafov’s work was selected for Azerbaijan’s pavilion. In January 2012 he also participated in an exhibition of Azerbaijani art entitled ‘Fly to Baku’ which was held at Philips de Pury in London. Gazelli Art House pioneers the support of this flourishing artistic community through this exhibition, which is the first solo show of the Azeri artist to be held in London.

NIYAZ NAJAFOV
Najafov originally trained as a soldier as well as coaching hand-to-hand combat, and it was only in 2004 that he began to experiment with oil paints. Inspired by other self-taught artists such as Paul Gauguin and Francis Bacon, it was only five years before the artist came to represent his country at the Azerbaijan Pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Najafov has also exhibited in Paris, Moscow, Berlin and Geneva and his works are held in both national and international collections.