Institut Français d’Azerbaïdjan  67 rue Füzuli, AZ 1014 Баку  19:00 – 21:00 On February 21, 2017 the French Institute in Azerbaijan (IFA) will host presentation of the project “Modern Aspects of the Art of Photography”. Presentation will be dedicated to discussion of current issues and trends in the development of photography and be the first one among the series of lectures/conferences with participation of well-known Azerbaijani photographers.
In recent years, photography is getting more and more popular in Azerbaijan with rise of a wider interest in street photography in the best traditions of Henri Cartier-Bresson. While speaking about the development trends we should not forget about an important role of art criticism including theoretical and critical thinking and analysis of the photographers’ works as well. In the light of these observations and trends, the project “Modern Aspects of the Art of Photography ” aims to examine the basic characteristics of the field via public discussions, meetings and lectures of the masters of photography in order to foster development of comprehensive review of photography as a social and artistic phenomenon.
The series of lectures that will take place during the next three weeks and involve three Azerbaijani photographers Sanan Aleskerov, Eldar Akbarov and Rufat Abas will offer the professionals and a wider audience a chance to address the topics of aesthetics, technical quality, photographer as an artist, different theories and make them familiar with personal experiences of these amazing individuals. The project will create a “personal gravity space” and support dialogue between creators and spectators.
The presentation will focus on discussion of urgent challenges of contemporary photography.
The event is organized by Initiative Curator’s Union (İCU) in the partnership with the French İnstitute in Azerbaijan (İFA) as part of the project “Capacity Building for Creation of a Cultural Lab in Azerbaijan”. The project is realized in the frames of the “Regional Art and Culture Project in the South Caucasus”, which is managed by the Culture and Management Lab with financial support of the Swiss Cooperation Office for the South Caucasus (SCO).
“Our days everything exist to be ended by the photography. The photography mumifithies the time”, said the french film critic Andre Bazin.
This wonderful art is filled with the desire to capture and store the beauty of the time passing by, the beauty, that is not permanent, and disappearing memory. 
This fascinating fine art is based on the desire to fixate the forever-momentary beauty of humankind, flying-by time and the memory, which we fear to loose. This piece of art is a passional story about our inclination to fixate and store the images of happenings and human beings surrounding us. When we speak about photography, we can’t do without mentioning its huge impact to development of modern culture, science and technology. 

Though the history of photography is new as compared to other arts, it is a part of the wide sector of art as well as of our society. It is also accessible for a broad audience, which makes it a trend of social