Farah Mammadova
art curator
Baku
Summary
Art professional specializing in curatorial practice, project management, art production, and institutional programming. Proven capacity to advance museum education and expand public engagement through strategic collaborations and high-impact events. Strong record in managing teams, overseeing production processes, and developing partnerships across the cultural sector.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Artistic and Executive Director
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
Baku
04.2024 - Current
- Signed and approved budgets for new funding and program initiatives.
- Events and exhibitions programming.
- Leading the implementation of new projects.
- Organization of public talks, theater performances, concerts, film screenings, and festivals.
- Served as a spokesperson at press conferences or interviews.
- Worked with creative staff to develop design solutions for the website and social media.
- Organized and supervised exhibitions of artwork from the museum's permanent collection, as well as from the collections of internationally recognized museums and institutions.
- Established relationships with international museums and institutions related to collaborative projects involving shared collections.
- Collaborated with the finance and law departments on projects that involve freight movement or logistics management.
- Identified opportunities to reduce costs and improve productivity.
Chief Curator
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
Baku
11.2021 - 04.2024
- Assisted in creating catalogs and labels for gallery artwork.
- Collaborated with department heads to establish budget requirements and operational strategies.
- Developed educational programs related to museum collections and exhibitions.
- Planned lectures, workshops, and gallery talks for exhibitions and specific artworks.
- Promoted museum attendance through social media, email, and various communication channels.
- Drafted guidelines for the proper care of collection items.
- Coordinated contracts with vendors for preservation of collection items.
- Attended networking events to identify new talent and artistic works.
Junior Curator
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
Baku
07.2019 - 11.2021
- Guided curatorial staff in artifact care for storage and exhibition areas.
- Supervised and organized exhibitions showcasing emerging artists.
- Coordinated space, equipment, and personnel for successful event facilitation.
- Managed all phases of event production from conception to completion.
Curatorial and Research Assistant
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
Baku
03.2017 - 06.2019
- Managed multiple research projects, ensuring accurate record-keeping and timely progress reporting.
- Conducted primary and secondary research to gather relevant data for project development.
- Participated in team meetings to discuss ongoing projects and brainstorm future initiatives.
- Provided insights on potential new areas of inquiry based on current field trends.
Personal Assistant to Artistic Director
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
Baku
09.2015 - 02.2017
- Facilitated communication by typing correspondence and obtaining vital information.
- Acted as liaison between executive and artistic staff, fostering strong professional relationships.
- Prepared documents including reports, presentations, agendas, and correspondence.
- Coordinated meetings with internal departments and external partners to ensure collaboration.
- Organized travel arrangements encompassing flights, accommodations, and transportation logistics.
Art Gallery Manager
YAY Gallery
Baku
08.2014 - 09.2015
- Collaborated with creative director to develop exhibition programming.
- Managed projects within budget and scheduling constraints.
- Supervised artwork installation according to curatorial specifications.
- Coordinated shipping for loaned artwork to partner institutions.
- Organized monthly events, including artist talks, lectures, and workshops.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors for promotional material services.
Exhibition and Events Curator
Baku Creative Centre
Baku
08.2013 - 07.2014
- Developed exhibition proposals for review and approval to enhance exhibit quality.
- Created press releases, catalog texts, and event concepts for effective communication.
- Assisted in corporate sales efforts to expand revenue streams.
- Participated in fundraising initiatives to support project development.
Artist Liaison Manager
Baku Creative Center
Baku
02.2012 - 07.2013
- Served as primary contact for inquiries regarding artist performance schedules and public appearances.
- Identified mutually beneficial sponsorship opportunities to enhance artist visibility.
- Coordinated press engagements for artists, including interviews and promotional photo shoots.
Education
Master of Arts - Art History And Theory
Azerbaijan State Art Academy
Baku, Azerbaijan 05-2013
Bachelor of Arts - Art History And Theory
Azerbaijan Arts Academy
Baku01-2011
Skills
- Exhibition curating
- Project management
- Museum and art education
- Event management
- Negotiation
- Contract management
- Social media
- Media relations
- Partnership development
Languages
Azerbaijan
First Language
English
Advanced (C1)
C1
Russian
Proficient (C2)
C2
selected curated projects
2024. Voices of Silence. Solo exhibition of Aidan Salakhova. YARAT Centre
2024. Danger Cleared: No Mines. Group exhibition. YARAT Centre
2024. Monument to Freedom. Group exhibition. XX–XXI Centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2023. The Seventh Solitude. Group exhibition. YARAT Centre
2023. Insane. CHINGIZ’s solo exhibition. YARAT Centre
2023.Pink Black, Retrospective group exhibition. XX–XXI Centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2022. Ujal Hagverdiyev – Conversation in Presence, Retrospective solo exhibition. XX–XXI Centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2022. Postponed. Group exhibition. ARTIM Space
2021. Foreword. Ten Words. YARAT 10th anniversary festival week. Stone Chronicle Museum
2021. Look at You. Solo exhibition by Rashad Alakbarov. YARAT Centre
2021. The Last Flowers of the XX Century. Group exhibition. YARAT Centre
2020. Drastic measures. Elturan Mammadov’s solo exhibition. ARTIM Space
2019. Ashraf Murad – Love and Protest, Posthumous Retrospective Exhibition. XX-XXI Centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2019. Dadash Adna. Love me. Posthumous solo exhibition. ARTIM Space
2018. ARTIM LAB participant graduation show.
2017. Neither War nor Peace. Group Exhibition. ARTIM Project Space
2017. ALL_AND. Zamir Suleimanov’s solo exhibition. YAY Gallery
2017. Far horizons. Group exhibition. ARTIM Project Space
2017. MADE IN AZERBAIJAN. Group exhibition. ARTIM Project Space
2017. Molotov Gulab, Farhad Farzali solo presentation. ARTIM Project Space
2016. Comfortably Numb, group exhibition. ARTIM Project space
2016. Traces of Time. Travelling group exhibition. Gakh Art Gallery
2014. Makhmoud Bakhshi. Talkcloud. Solo exhibition. YAY Gallery
2013-2014 Azerbaijan Art Festival, group exhibitions and public programs held across 20 towns in Azerbaijan.
2013. First Baku Galleries Festival
2012. Aluminium V International Baku Biennial. Memory/Retrospective group project, Absheron Gallery.
2011. Keywords. Group exhibition. Baku Creative Centre
2011. Performance project for the Decorative Applied Arts Festival, Art G
selected co-curated projects
2022. Metacode. Group exhibition, co-curated with Sabina Shiklinskaya and Shirin Melikova. XX-XXI centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2020. Baku Speaking: 1900–1940s, Retrospective exhibition, co-curated with Suad Garayeva-Maleki. XX-XXI centuries Azerbaijan Painting Museum
2017. In Between the Sea and a Mountain. Group exhibition, co-curated with Bjöern Geldhof. YAY Gallery
2015. Regime of Images. Solo exhibition of Margaret Eicher, co-curated with Anastasia Blokhina. YAY Gallery
Research projects
2023. Heaven Can Wait. Aida Mahmudova solo exhibition. V. Tseretelli Centre, Tbilisi
2023. In a multiple-perspective. Group exhibition of Turkish artists. YARAT Centre
2023. Panopticon. Michele François solo exhibition. YARAT Centre
2020. Fragile Frontiers – Visions on Iran’s in/visible borders. Group exhibition. YARAT Centre
2018. For, in Your Tongue, I Cannot Fit. Shilpa Gupta’s solo exhibition. YARAT Centre
2018. Do it. Solo show by Michelangelo Pistoletto. YARAT Centre
2017. Crumbling down, up and up we climb group exhibition featuring works by Jan Fabre, Reza Aramesh, Steven Rodes and Goshka Macuga. YARAT Centre
2017. Suns and Neons above Kazakhstan. Group mapping exhibition. YARAT Centre
2016. Little Lies, duo exhibition of David Claerbout (Belgium) and Soren Thilo Funder (Denmark), YARAT Centre
2016. 300 Words on Resistance, group exhibition, YARAT Centre
2016. It is what it is. Solo exhibition of Faig Ahmad. YARAT Centre.
Research and curatorial interests
- Intersections of colonial and postcolonial identities within contemporary art discourse
• Memory, heritage, and representation in conflict and post-conflict contexts
• Environmental humanities and climate-oriented artistic practices
• Archival methodologies in curatorial and artistic research
• Cultural identity formation and post-Soviet transformation narratives
• Local subcultures as sites of resistance and their contemporary reinterpretations
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Artistic and Executive Director
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
04.2024 - Current
Chief Curator
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
11.2021 - 04.2024
Junior Curator
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
07.2019 - 11.2021
Curatorial and Research Assistant
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
03.2017 - 06.2019
Personal Assistant to Artistic Director
YARAT Contemporary Art Space
09.2015 - 02.2017
Art Gallery Manager
YAY Gallery
08.2014 - 09.2015
Exhibition and Events Curator
Baku Creative Centre
08.2013 - 07.2014
Artist Liaison Manager
Baku Creative Center
02.2012 - 07.2013
Master of Arts - Art History And Theory
Azerbaijan State Art Academy
Bachelor of Arts - Art History And Theory
Azerbaijan Arts Academy