BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. Art in Embassies
(AIE) exhibition was held at the residence of the U.S. ambassador
to Azerbaijan on September 30, Trend reports.
The event was attended by guests working in the field of culture
and art of Azerbaijan and representatives of the U.S. Embassy in
Azerbaijan.
During the exhibition, U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby,
along with his spouse Danusia Libby, presented a collection of
American art paintings.
“This exhibition of American art reminds my spouse and me of
home. During our travels in Azerbaijan, we have greatly admired the
hospitality of its people and the diversity of its natural beauty.
Although separated by vast distances, Azerbaijan and my native
region of New England, the six northeastern-most states in the
U.S., share surprising similarities in their landscapes,” the
ambassador said.
He noted that Kate Hanlon's painting “Marblehead” reminds him of
maritime Massachusetts, which is dear to him, and his dream to one
day return to seaside New England.
The ambassador also introduced Michael Graves' Acadia, Boston
Study; Christiane Corcelle's Not Only Circles; Kate Hanlon's Down
the Garden; Sky Hoyt's Lotus Chair; Steve Imrich's Landable Fields,
and many other works.
Further addressing guests at the event, he noted that the Art in
Embassies program has played a vital role in fostering cultural
diplomacy for more than 60 years.
“It is a great pleasure for my wife Danusia and me to host such
distinguished members of Azerbaijan's vibrant cultural community.
This program highlights the creativity and diversity of the U.S.,
creating opportunities for dialogue and connection through the
universal language of art. I am very pleased to share with you all
our collection of American art on display here. We hope they will
serve as a bridge to deepen the sharing of our respective cultures
with one another,” he said.
During the event, Mark Libby also introduced the Embassy's new
cultural affairs officer, Randy Cole. He thanked the director of
the Azerbaijan Arts Council, Dadash Mammadov, for providing
Azerbaijani artwork for the exhibition.
Established in 1963, the U.S. State Department's Office of Art
in Embassies plays an important role in the country's public
diplomacy, carrying out an extensive cultural mission, creating
temporary and permanent exhibitions, programs for artists, and
publications.
In the early 1960s, President John F. Kennedy gave it official
status by appointing the program's first director. Now with more
than 200 venues, AIE curates temporary and permanent exhibitions
for the representative spaces of all U.S. chanceries, consulates,
and embassies around the world, selecting and commissioning
contemporary artworks from the US and host countries. These
exhibitions provide international audiences with a glimpse of the
quality, scope, and diversity of art and culture from both
countries, giving AlE a presence in more countries.
