IBRAHIM SAFI: THE JUDGE OF COLORS AND LIGHT

Today in Azerbaijan, great attention and care is paid to our national culture, including all areas of art.

He raised the culture of the Azerbaijani people and made great contributions to the art of the people
Artists are researched, evaluated and introduced. The unity and connection between the peoples of Turkey and Azerbaijan has been manifested in all spheres of life since ancient times. This relationship is more in different spheres
was also intensive in nature. In the field of art, more important interactions can be found. Relations in this area have been going on since the Middle Ages. In all the works of art of the two peoples of the same origin, beliefs, cultures, mythological encounters are expressed very vividly and openly. These relations have developed successfully until recently and have not weakened. The first artistic activities of Azerbaijani architects and artists in Turkey date back to the 12th century. Azerbaijani artists took an active part in the construction and decoration of palaces, mosques, tombs and civilized buildings. Among the Azerbaijani artists we can name Babajan Usta, Mehemmad Majnun, Pir Hasan, Naqqash Ilyas Ali, Memar Ali, Ali Tabrizi and others. As Azerbaijan has an important geographical position on the Silk Road, it is possible to clearly see the innovations it brought to the world of art and trade, the harmony of colors and ornamental solutions. When Azerbaijani artists are ranked, there are many of our artists who are thrown into many parts of the world by fate and live a contrasting and transient life. Among them are those who died in foreign countries with nostalgia. These words can be applied to Ibrahim Safi (Rahman Gafar oglu Safiyev), who played a great role in Turkish culture and art, lived there and introduced Turkish art to the world.
Ibrahim Safi was born in 1898 in Sharur district of Nakhchivan and was a representative of a deep-rooted generation. His father named his son Gafar bey Rahman. It is as if the father saw his son's miserable life in the future and entrusted the Most Gracious to God in this name. It is safe to say that Gafar bey Safiyev was an educated man of that time, who loved fiction, read the works of Eastern classics, and with his words and poems aroused the first sparks in Ibrahim's heart against painting and art. His father died when Rahman (Ibrahim) was three years old. His mother, Hurnisa, was a simple, housewife. Although he was with his mother, the child grew up under the care of relatives. Rahman Safiyev (Ibrahim Safi) received his primary education at the Bash Norashen (now Jalilkend) school, where he was taught by the famous writer and playwright Jalil Mammadguluzadeh.
Little Rahman (Ibrahim) was interested in painting from an early age, and at the age of 12 he painted his first paintings "Araz fishermen" and a portrait of my mother. Rahman Safiyev (Ibrahim Safi) had a brother named Karim, four sisters named Gadirnisa, Khirdakhanim, Siyaman and Mina. After graduating from school, own
decides to continue his education to realize his dreams. While studying at the Yerevan Teachers' Seminary, his special inclination and talent for painting was noticed by the seminary's art teacher, the Romanian artist Koltsa (surname unknown), who guided him in this direction. After graduating from the Yerevan Teachers' Seminary, Rahman (Ibrahim) decided to become an artist while studying at the seminary. In 1913, he entered the Art Institute and studied for two years at the preparatory department of the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. It should be noted that at that time, the author of "Black Square" Kazimir Malevich also taught at this educational institution. Interestingly, the formation of the artist's later art method was not influenced by the popular suprematism. However, perhaps experimentally, there are three avant-garde-style paintings signed by the artist. Influenced by the political events in Russia at that time, the young artist dropped out of school and returned to his native land. The difficulties of those years do not go unnoticed by the artist. Thus, he was forced to earn a living by painting in Sharur. Rahman Safiyev (Ibrahim Safi), as a true patriotic young man, voluntarily opposed the Armenian aggressors at that time. In order to protect his homeland, he defended his homeland with the help of brave Azerbaijani children and Turkish soldiers, and voluntarily fought against Armenians in the battles of Zangazur as part of the Caucasus-Islamic Army. (His grandfather Nasrullah khan was killed by Armenians) During the First World War, he came to Turkey as part of the army in the Caucasus (with the army of Karabekir Pasha) and had to build his life here in Turkey. From now on he loses touch with his family. (During this period, his brother Karim Bey moved with his mother to Ganja and then to Lankaran. According to the information, his brother worked as a manager at the Ganja Malaria Station. 1951-52

Mrs. Hurnisa died in Lankaran in the 1930s). Thus, Rahman Safiyev (Ibrahim Safi) took important steps to catch the pulse of a foreign country and first entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Istanbul and graduated in 1923. It should be noted that the famous Turkish artist Namig Ismail also studied at this academy. Luckily, after graduating, Rahman (Ibrahim) works as a guest student in Namiq Ismayil's workshop. Rahman Safiyev is mentioned in the "guest student's certificate" issued by the workshop. Rahman (Ibrahim), whose life is not comfortable at all, meets many artists in Turkey and makes valuable friends in the community of artists.

The artist, who became known for his participation in exhibitions in 1924, was called up for military service with the outbreak of World War II. After completing his service as a senior lieutenant in the army (Adapazarı, superman), he permanently settled in Istanbul and devoted his life to art.
When he became a Turkish citizen, Rahman Safiyev wrote his name as Ibrahim Safi, because the name Rahman is forbidden by religion. Here, in 1953, at the age of 55, he married Zacharyna, a Greek woman with grandchildren. His friend Naji Terzi later said of the marriage, “Who gave the girls to the artists at that time because they had no financial means? Zachary didn't like people who loved Safi, he tried to prevent us from meeting him. But Ibrahim Safi was always in close contact with me and wrote letters to me wherever he went. Zakarina and I used to go to Athens ... Whenever I went home, I saw Safi painting ... ” Safi used to say, "There has never been a day in my life when I did not paint, and the day I did not paint is the day I did not live."

Ibrahim Safi also had his own characteristics. When he wrote a letter, he would write a letter in accordance with the subject or from within. Ibrahim Safi, who proved himself in the studio of well-known Turkish artists Ibrahim Challi and Namik Ismail, signed an event that will not go down in history for many artists. He twice painted a portrait of Ataturk in nature. The artist, who lived the glorious pages of Turkish history and heroes in his paintings, was able to convincingly express the image of the genius in this portrait, as well as the historical reality. Ibrahim Safiyev is known for his unique style in the history of Turkish painting and brings a new breath to Turkish art. In his work, Ibrahim Safi stood on the platform of ideas of nineteenth-century Russian realists, "traveling artists", and remained faithful to their creative principle. Ibrahim Safi used to say: "Without going out into nature, without seeing the greenery, the color and movement of the sea, without smelling, without seeing the movement and facial expressions of people, one cannot be painted, and those who are photographed will be soulless."

Thus, the artist with his art glorifies the beauty of life, nature, people, used the most effective means of expression of his art, realism, to achieve his goal, as well as French
was not indifferent to the progressive aspects of the Impressionists. He creates works in the style of free impressionism, addicted to the light and brilliant beauty that the style of impressionism brings to the palette. Pure colors work with strong, bold, his technique is dynamic and impressive.
According to art critic Suleyman Arisoy, "those who watch Ibrahim Safi's works are lyrical or romantic."

Ibrahim Safi is an artist belonging to the Turkish school of realism, such as modern Turkish artists Hikmet Onat, Sharaf Akdik, Vajih Barakatoglu, Naci Kalmykoglu, Zaki Gojamam, Namik Ismail and others. Ibrahim Safi was closer to one of the Turkish realists, Naji Kalmikoglu (Russian artist of Kalmyk origin Nikolai Kalmikov), and he loved and appreciated his art and stood with him on the art front. He and his friend worked on frescoes and interior design in the Nisantasi region, on the walls of the aristocratic kiosks. They would buy paint and canvas with the money they earned. In his memoirs, Naji Tarzi, an old Turkish collector and friend, remembered Ibrahim Safi and said, “Towards the end of his life, he cried and said to me, 'Naji bey, I do not feel happy. Naci (Naci Kalmikoglu) and I would not have money, we would eat fish between bread, then I was very happy. Now I have no financial problems, I do not care about my illness, but I am not happy ... Because the longing for the land where I was born will never leave me. " After 1946, the most productive period of the artist's work began. Despite being a well-known artist in Turkey, the artist, who is always in search, lived in Munich for two years, lived in European countries for eleven years and opened many exhibitions with his works, making his name immortal. The artist, distinguished by his creativity, was awarded the title of Rome and V by the Turkish state

sent to the side. The prominent artist also participates in individual and mixed exhibitions in these countries, increasing the value of himself and his works. The artist, who opened only eight solo exhibitions in Marseilles until 1967, changed the style of classical painting to a new trend in Turkish art, distinguished from miniature and primitivism (deliberate simplification), and created his own line. Influenced by Repin's creativity and works, the artist, who received his first education in Russia, applied the subtlety of painting brought by Impressionism in his own way with a strong academic image. His touches on the canvas were extremely healthy, and his work was sensitive and lyrical. The artist, who described nature in different ways in his works, did not hide his romantic approach, paying attention to the ever-changing light and shadow. His work is very planned, precise, very figurative, strong composition is an indication that the artist is not afraid of difficulties, but enjoys his work. Ibrahim Safi is considered one of the most worthy followers of the style of post-impressionism. Safi used to say: “There is a great interest in fine arts in the Caucasus. Girls engrave their dreams on colorful carpets and their wishes on patterns; men weave straw and carve on wood. All these beauties gradually pushed me to paint. The academy graduates and teachers around me supported me and said that I would be a good artist in the future. I like the set line of the Russian artist Repin, I wanted to be an artist like him. " Based on childhood memories in the work of Ibrahim Safi, your homeland
You can also come across topics related to everyday life. Thus, his series of works "Oriental dancers in the mountains" depicting the life of nomads who went from the main Norashen to the Ayrica plateau in 1898-1899 can be shown. Ibrahim Safi is constantly experimenting, and a work in a different color, but from the same angle
transferred to canvas several times. It is known that the fresco "Oriental dancers in the mountains" is a magnificent work painted by the artist on the wall in the entertainment area called "Caravanserai" in Turkey. The work still amazes the audience with its monumentality and originality. His own principles in art, new features in the works of the artist, who has a perfect style of work in recent years, appear on a variety of topics. Each of Safi's exhibitions turns into a spectacular event, with the artist exhibiting 100-200 works at each exhibition.
Ibrahim Safi has more than 10,000 works and is known as the best-selling artist in Turkey. He had a big heart. Safi sold his works and transferred most of the money to orphanages and the army. Ibrahim Safi's personal physician, Anwar Tali, who was with him until his last breath, estimated the artist's 350 paintings at $ 7 million. Today, the presence of Ibrahim Safi's works in the most prominent personalities and collectors of Turkey is considered a prestige. Let me note that if there is no work of Ibrahim Safi in the collection of any collector in Turkey today, he will be considered a collector.
His friend Naji Tarzi used to say; “I had 21 works by Safi, I sold 20 of them and bought a kiosk in Beyoglu. "One of his works, Gypsy, is still the most valuable work in my collection, as Ibrahim signed it in the Cyrillic alphabet as Rahman Safiyev."

From 1975 to 1980, Ibrahim Safiyev gradually lost his sight, and on January 4, 1983, he died on the opening night of his hundredth solo exhibition. The 100th exhibition passed without it. He was buried in Istanbul's largest, Chain Well cemetery, the great Safi. After the death of Ibrahim Safi, the artist's most valuable works and sketches in his collection were taken by his wife, Madame Zachary, to Athens, Greece. He sells some of them to antique shops for nothing. During the Soviet period, the lack of contact with the homeland resulted in the ignorance of our people from our creative compatriots. Only in 1989, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art in Baku allowed the public to present the works of our banned compatriots. Ibrahim Safi was one of the artists whose works were exhibited at that famous exhibition. As you know, with great respect for the creativity and personality of Ibrahim Safi, the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic issued an order dated October 17, 2018. signed. This order serves to further study and study the life and work of the famous artist. I believe that many artists who have lived in exile with Ibrahim Safi will be introduced to our country through research. On the basis of this order, the Artists' Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

53 high-quality photos of the artist's works were printed on canvas and displayed in the exhibition hall named after Bahruz Kangarli, scientific-practical conferences dedicated to Ibrahim Safi's works were held in Nakhchivan branch of ANAS, Azerbaijan Ataturk Center and reproductions of 15 works of the artist were demonstrated. The participation of well-known representatives of science and art of our country in the event organized by the Artists' Union of Nakhchivan AR, Reading Academy and Azerbaijan Ataturk Center aroused great interest in the artist's activity. Ibrahim Safi, whose works have gained a wide audience in Turkey, is known as an "artist from the Caucasus." The artist, who deservedly represents the Turkish state in Europe with his works, has so far published only 4 exhibition catalogs. The largest of these catalogs is the 281-page book-catalog "Ibrahim Safi" from Anwar Tali's collection. Today, it is already possible to restore the independence of our country, to conduct research on famous people living outside Azerbaijan, to collect information about them. Thus, in addition to being a prestigious exhibition in Ankara to study Ibrahim Safi, the Turkish Hearth Center held a scientific-practical conference entitled "Common Art Language of the Turkic World" held on March 16, 2019 at the Ankara National Library. Speaking about Ibrahim Safi, our common language, which serves as a bridge between Turkey and Azerbaijan, I tried to present to the public, emphasizing the Azerbaijani side of the artist in my speech. Following in the footsteps of the "Giant of Colors and Lights" Safi, I came to Istanbul and tried to learn more about the famous artist. First with Cengiz Celebrity (Hor-Hor Gallery)
and one of the organizers of the 100th exhibition of Ibrahim Safi). The tomb would not have been possible without Genghis Khan. But as I approached, I felt like I was in an artist's space. We were greeted by a large palette of tombstones and a four-line poem about Safi.

,, A giant of color and light Safi Aramadi rank, loved the glory of art Safi to recognize Safi in insatiable beauty
It is enough to look with your eyes,

The next stop was the places and houses where Safi lived and worked. The artist and his friends visit Safi's works "Rumeli Fortress", "View from the Anatolian side", "View from the European side", "Island tower", "Girl's tower", etc., and accept the artist's genius. The works reminded us of portraits, still lifes, landscapes, original compositions, and we felt pity and good feelings in our hearts. Safi, who considers himself rich, has never had a home of his own. He settled on the second floor of a three-story house rented to the Greeks (Greeks in Turkey) by their religious community, which he used as a workshop. After Safi's death, she moved to Athens, and the spirit and empty house of her beloved Saka bird returned to its owner today.
is waiting. While there, strange feelings overwhelmed me. Safi is the only artist we know today who is known in Turkey and Europe. If we own Him, He is the artist who introduced us to the world. He knows us better than many of the great artists we know today. His works are sold at high prices in various collections and auctions, and are preserved in our museums. This is not the return of the artist after a long time, but what? Cengiz Bey, who came here with me, has a lot of photos and documents. It would be great if there was a House Museum of our famous artist in Turkey. The house is empty, waiting to be bought. There, our diaspora could hold various exhibitions and promote our forgotten artists. Our "neighbors" do not have such an artist. Maybe that's why it's good for them to stay as an artist from the Caucasus? Because their collection also includes works by an artist who speaks a sweet, Azeri dialect. I would like Ibrahim Safi to have a private museum both in Turkey and in the place where he was born. Let all the countries that know him recognize the people to whom he belongs. Yes! He represented us worthily ... It's time for him to return to his homeland

Ulviya Hamzayeva

Chairman of the Artists' Union of Nakhchivan AR, honored artist, MP.