The existence of colors is proved by light. In the darkness of the night, the world, which we call the most perfect painting created by the goddess, appears in one color. In the light of the sun, the beauty of the world, painted in a thousand and one colors, "listens" its music to our eyes with the language of colors.
Colors are the essence of the artist's work. He is a lucky artist who creates a thousand and one shades of the seven colors of the rainbow, and manages to show the beauties we see in his paintings in a new way. Yuran Mammadov was one of the artists who knew the miraculous aesthetic language of colors. The artist, who lived only 50 years, gained immortality thanks to his innate creative ability.
Yuran Ali oglu Mammadov (1934-1984) was born in the city of Nakhchivan, in the ancient Shahab neighborhood. He received his secondary education in Nakhchivan. His interest in painting brought him to Baku, to the Azerbaijan State Art College named after A.Azimzade. Here he learns the secrets of art with great enthusiasm from famous Azerbaijani artists Hafiz Mammadov, Eyyub Huseynov and Eyyub Mammadov. The young artist, who graduated from the technical school with honors in 1955, returned to Nakhchivan and worked as a teacher in a city school for two years.
With an endless love for art, he went to St. Petersburg to study. Admitted to the St. Petersburg Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after I. Repin (1957), Mammadov continues his education here in the class of People's Artist of the USSR V. Oreshnikov. After graduating in 1962, the artist stayed in St. Petersburg for some time, working as an assistant artist at the Lenfilm studio and the Pushkin Academic Drama Theater. Having mastered the art of art, the artist's love for his homeland does not leave him alone for a moment. He returned to Nakhchivan and dedicated his life to this land.
Y.Mammadov, who has been working at the Nakhchivan State Musical Drama Theater named after J.Mammadguluzadeh for about 20 years, prepares the artistic design of many stage works with high artistic enthusiasm. Among the artist's successful theatrical works are J.Mammadguluzadeh's "Dead", "Crazy meeting", J.Jabbarli's "Ogtay Eloglu", N.Vazirov's "We came out of the rain, we fell into the rain", Sh.Gurbanov's "Without you", H.Razi's "Sun" and other plays can be shown.
Mammadov, a member of the Artists' Union since 1970, has not had a solo exhibition of his works. This is not the fate of an artist who wants to organize a solo exhibition on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
Y.Mammadov has created many successful paintings, portraits and landscapes in the field of bench painting. He worked on oil paintings and tempera techniques. Looking at his works, we can say with confidence that he is a master of color, a talented artist who deeply feels the aesthetic nature of colors and the power of strong influence. Had death not ended the artist's life soon, he would have created several exhausted works of art in his wise age. Among the artist's plot paintings are "My Family" (1980), "Nakhchivan in the XII century" (1982), "Carpet weavers" (1982), "Builders in the mountains" (1983), "The sound of pipes" (1984) and others.
In "My Family", against the backdrop of the mountains of Nakhchivan, the artist sat with his family on the porch, around the table. The work has a perfect compositional structure and color solution. In the background, the description of the tomb of Yusif Kuseyir oglu attracts attention. The artist, holding a brush in his hand, stared at the audience. The image of a samovar and a cut watermelon on the table open the plot line of the work. On one of those hot summer days, the artist rested with his family in a harmonious way with the pictures of living nature.
The painting "Nakhchivan in the XII century" is like a symphony of colors of the great land. Sweet historical scenes such as the days of Noah, the miracle of the Companions of the Cave, the creation of Ajami, the fame of the believing woman, the ancient Silk Road, loaded camel caravans, and fairy tales come to life while watching the work.
The work "The Sound of the Trumpet" is also distinguished by its high artistic and aesthetic merits. The predominance of landscape painting is observed in the artist's plot paintings. The composition depicts a woman in national dress with her caring grandchildren, leaning on her base in the open nature, in the shade of trees, and a little to her left. One of the grandchildren plays the flute. In the plot, all the subtleties of rural life are reflected in a single table. Of course, this merit comes from the artist's skill.
Y.Mammadov created a gallery of memorable portraits and landscapes during his creative period. “The Imaginary Girl” (1978), “His Wife” (1979), “Sevil” (1981), “Morning” (1982), “The Magic World of Poetry. In "Hussein Javid" (1982), "Woman" (1984), "The World of Togrul" and other portraits, the artist penetrated into the inner spiritual worlds of the heroes, and was able to skillfully express their feelings and emotions.
In "The Magic World of Poetry", the artist depicts the world of Hussein Javid, the tragedy and drama of his life and work in the poet's meaningful face and the background that surrounds him with real reality. This painting was dedicated to the poetis one of the most successful works. The creative world of the poet H.Javid and the tragedy of the poet's life dominate the image of the hero and the color scheme of the work. The contrast of colors intensifies the drama of the content.
Mammadov became close friends with People's Artist of the USSR Togrul Narimanbekov and People's Writer Anar. In his work "The World of Togrul", he described T. Narimanbekov in his studio, together with a portrait of Anar. The artist said in one of his interviews about his friend T.Narimanbekov: “I can confidently say that I am indebted to Togrul first of all. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of our autonomous republic, my creative activity with Togrul taught me a lot. His creative path became a source of inspiration for me, a real school of art ... ”
“The land of ancient, great Nakhchivan is my eternal theme. Mountains, slopes, green forests await me, ”said the artist, who is not tired of lovingly depicting the nature of this land in his palette. “March in the Mountains” (1976), “Observatory Yard” (1980), “First Ray” (1981), “Autumn in the Mountains” (1982), “Buffaloes” (1983), “Afternoon” (1984), “Naimi's Tomb” and other landscapes are of this kind. In Mammadov's landscapes, it is as if the air of Nakhchivan, the scent of a thousand and one blessings of the nature of this land. Indeed, as a true artist, he enlivened the incomparable corners and fertile beauties of the fertile land on canvas with the artist's imagination. Y.Mammadov traveled around Nakhchivan, observed, saw and heard, together with his best friend, creative colleague Sattar Bahlulzade.
Writer Anar writes about the artist in his memoir "I had a friend": "You loved this land, you loved its unique scenery, you loved its hardworking people, you loved the past, you loved the present. You loved and sang your loved ones on the canvas ... ”
Undoubtedly, Y.Mammadov's creativity got its strength from the ancient carpet art of Azerbaijan, our fine arts. His palette embodies the colorful range of our carpets, miniature art, local color transitions, and as he lives, he keeps the name of the artist alive.
Asad Guliyev
art critic, dissertation of ANAS