2nd International Baku Steel Art Symposium has started in Baku

The 2^nd International Symposium Baku Steel Art has started in Baku as part of the large-scale cultural festival Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW.

Co-organised by Baku Steel Company CJSC and QGallery, the initiative unites 14 artists from eight countries - Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Türkiye, Romania, Germany, Serbia, Iran, and Uzbekistan in a shared creative dialogue. This collaboration illustrates how metallurgy and art can merge to inspire environmental awareness and promote sustainable development. The symposium highlights the growing importance of ecological consciousness and accountability, offering a renewed perspective on the interplay between artistic imagination and industrial innovation in confronting global environmental challenges.

Over the coming days, participating artists will transform steel into compelling works of art forging large-scale installations, refined compositions, and conceptual pieces that address the defining issues of our time: sustainability, material reuse, and the dialogue between technology and creativity. Through the hum of grinders and the spark of welders, metal is reimagined as a poetic medium - capable of stirring reflection, evoking emotion, and embodying resilience. Upon completion, these sculptures will be unveiled in open-air exhibition spaces along Baku Boulevard (learn more on the festival"s website), inviting the public to experience a fusion of craftsmanship, technology, and art in the heart of the city.

As part of the broader Fly to Baku. Art Weekend festival, the symposium forms a vital component of a multidisciplinary cultural programme running from October 31 to November 2, featuring more than forty exhibitions, performances, and educational events across Baku"s most iconic cultural venues.

It should be noted that last year, from September 17 to 30, 2024, the region"s first international metal symposium - "Baku Steel Art 2024" - was held in Baku. Twelve artists from seven countries, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, Romania, Israel, India, and Bulgaria, participated in the symposium.

About the Partners:

• Baku Steel Company - the leading metallurgical company in the Caucasus region, recognised for its technological innovation, environmental responsibility, and commitment to fostering collaboration between industry and art.

• QGallery - founded in 1999 in Baku, QGallery is among Azerbaijan"s most influential contemporary art platforms, bridging local and international art scenes while championing the country"s leading and emerging artists.

Festival Context:

Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW is an international art and culture festival that transforms Baku into a living canvas of creativity, heritage, and ecological reflection. Rooted in the metaphor of water and inspired by the Caspian Sea, the festival interweaves memory with imagination - connecting tradition and modernity, nature and innovation, and art with the future.