PRESS-RELEASE

"THE TILE PROJECT, DESTINATION: THE WORLD"

Baku, February 11st, 2005

The opening of the art installation in the frameworks of "The Tile Project, Destination: The World" will be held on February 14th, at 15.00 in the State Art Academy (58, Moscow Avenue).

More than 100 artists from about 40 countries participated in this project held by the initiative of the "Transcultural Exchange" establishment of the USA. Project scope is free form erection of 22 copies of tiles (made of different material, but at same size) prepared by each participating artist. Forms will be erected in 19 different countries.

This project will be presented in Paris headquarter of UNESCO in 2006. As an example of erection points we can state Peace Park in Washington, Peace Museum in Seoul, Art Academy in Sarajevo, Modern Art Centre Bar in Berlin, Artemis Art Centre in Istanbul. Courtyard of Baku State Art Academy is also included into these 22 points. Tiles sent from all over the world are fixed on special "wall-obelus" installed in this courtyard. If one side of the "wall" is a symbol of diversity and contradiction of the world, the tiles aligned on other side as if present balance, stability and inner harmony. The famous Italian mosaics Bisazza presented free of charge by "Venetia" showroom is also used for decoration of this art "object".

The Open Society Institute - Assistance Foundation, "ARTS etc…", Modern Art Centre and "Zamanin Qanadlari" (Wings of Time) creative unions assisted realisation of the project in Azerbaijan. As per project terms, every art object must be presented at the presence of project participant from other country. Thus, last August Azeri artist Chinghiz Babayev participated in opening held in Hameenlinna city, Finland. An American artist, one of the coordinators of the project Miss Caroline Anderson will be visiting Azerbaijan to participate in project opening in Baku.

The Open Society Institute - Assistance Foundation (OSI-AF)/ Azerbaijan is a branch of the Open Society Foundation Network established by the famous investor and philanthropist George Soros in over 50 countries all over the world. The main goal of OSI-AF is to foster the transition of a closed society to a more open one. Since its establishment in the country in 1996, the Foundation has encouraged the development of the third sector by awarding grants and also through operational activity to support civic initiatives in education reforms, communication technologies, human rights and rule of law, mass media, public health, gender equality and arts and culture. Responding to new challenges of the country development, OSI-AF has recently concentrated on increasing civil society involvement in democratization process, good governance and transparency of national resources.