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Summary
New media artist working with a focus on the representation of middle eastern culture through innovative art-making methods.
Biography
Orkhan Mammadov (b. 1990, Ganja, Azerbaijan) is a pioneering media artist from Azerbaijan who has emerged on the international scene since representing his home country in the Venice Biennial in 2019. He uses Islamic patterns and carpet illustrations and paintings as a dataset in his artificial intelligence & machine learning-driven cultural phygital data sculptures & paintings. His works reflect on the rapid and chaotic technological changes in the global context by rethinking middle eastern art & cultural heritage.
Artist Statement
Standing at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, my artistic journey aims to redefine the perception of Eastern culture through ground-breaking art-making methods. In a rapidly changing world, where technology continues to transform the way we perceive and interact with our surroundings, I am driven by the desire to explore uncharted territory where past meets present, where tangible and intangible heritage assets converge, and where the virtual and the real coexist.
Our rich cultural heritage, deeply embedded in the intricate patterns of carpets and the vibrant history of the Middle East, has long been a source of inspiration for me. This legacy, which I inherited from my upbringing in Azerbaijan’s culturally rich Ganja city, has fuelled my personal interest in digitising and regenerating our shared heritage. Today, I envision a world where the intellectual, emotional, and aesthetic implications of artificial visual cultural artefacts challenge our understanding of reality and inspire us to question our own existence.
In my artistic journey, I am constantly inspired by new media trends on the global stage, as well as by local youth subcultures that are seeking to redefine history and culture. My goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the legacy of tangible and intangible heritage assets from Azerbaijan and the wider Middle East while embracing innovative approaches that push the boundaries of artistic expression. I examine the alternative conditions of cultural heritage perception. I focus on the integration of cultural and historical codes into new media, aiming to create a seamless fusion of our everyday life with the digital realm.
Using cultural artefacts such as Islamic patterns, Orientalist paintings and carpet illustrations as datasets, I endeavour to create digital alternatives that represent and reposition the cultural heritage of the Middle East for future generations. By merging the official and unofficial emblems of our heritage, I initiate conversations about the evolving relationship between machine intelligence and cultural identity, and the potential impact of emerging technologies on the future of art and cultural representation.
As a new media artist, I am acutely aware of the responsibility that comes with exploring the intersection of art, technology, and cultural heritage. I strive to maintain an ethical and sensitive approach in my work, addressing power dynamics, fostering collaboration with communities and cultural practitioners, and navigating legal and intellectual property issues.
At this pivotal moment in the history of art, I invite you to join me in reimagining our Eastern cultural heritage through the digital lens, forging new connections, and challenging the boundaries of artistic expression. I believe that the interplay between utopia and dystopia, the body and technology, and the historical and the contemporary is essential to shaping our collective future. Together, let us weave a new tapestry of creativity, where the threads of our past intertwine with the promise of our future, and where the richness of our shared heritage is celebrated and preserved for generations to come.