BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 21. The Heydar Aliyev Center will soon host another exhibition featuring sculptures; the personal exhibition "Reclaimed Beauty" by Nigerian sculptor Dotun Popoola is set to open on November 7, TurkicWorld reports.
Dotun Popoola's 7th solo exhibition aligns with the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP29) taking place in Baku. While the participants of this significant international event emphasize the importance of climate awareness at annual meetings and conferences, sculptor Dotun Popoola echoes this theme through his innovative artworks. He creates sculptures from metal components repurposed from industrial waste, moving away from traditional materials.
Since 2012, Azerbaijan has been hosting the international festival "From Waste to Art," supported by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, aiming to raise public awareness about environmental issues. The artworks, primarily made from household waste, showcase the potential to transform waste into art.
The opening of the museum "From Waste to Art" in 2015 at the Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve is a testament to the successful efforts in this domain within Azerbaijan.
Through his works crafted from metal waste, Dotun Popoola draws attention to the critical issue of climate protection and the importance of environmental care. His creations celebrate human imagination, showcasing the ability to create stunning art from what is deemed "nothing" or waste.
Popoola has represented Nigeria at various art exhibitions, including the Metal Art Exhibition in Qatar in 2019, the Global Arts Festival in Gujarat, India, in 2020, and the "Coexistence" exhibition in Türkiye in 2021. His hybrid sculpture, displayed prominently at the Nigerian pavilion during the Dubai Expo 2020, also captured many visitors.
