Maiden Tower International Art Festival has been organized since 2010 with the view of the global promotion of the Maiden Tower in Icherisheher,included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000 and considered the symbol of Baku.More than 20 artists from 18 countries participated in the first festival organized in 2010 by Heydar Aliyev Foundation, “Icherisheher” State History and Architecture Reserve Administration under the Cabinet of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Museum of Modern Art.
Unlike previous festivals, the gazelle models were prepared and presented in the 3rd Maiden Tower International Art Festival,held in 2002 and attended by artists from 24 countries, within IDEA environmental campaign in order to draw attention to the endangered “Caucasus five”. The models were decorated by artists having participated in previous festivals, who are considered the Festival’s friends.
Another distinctive feature of the Festival was a video-mapping technology presented on Maiden Tower. In the closing ceremony, Maiden Tower reflected colorful images via the projection of the Maiden Tower models created in the previous festivals according to the architecture of the monument.
3D pictures, one of the most popular types of street art, was presented within the framework of this Festival.
On July 4, 2013, inauguration of the 4th Maiden Tower International Art Festival took place in La Croisette Boulevard. Azerbaijan’s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, the Foundation’s Vice-president Leyla Aliyeva, Mayor of the city of Cannes, deputy, Bernard Brochand, deputy UN Director General, head of UNITAD Philippe Douste-Blazy were present at the inauguration ceremony.One of the features of the exhibition-festival held beyond Azerbaijan that draws attention is that a new component has been added to the popularization of the Maiden Tower in Cannes.
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