Agil Abdullayev b. 1992

 

Agil Abdullayev manifests his practice by blending conceptual essays, poetry, and social commentary in a combination of video, installation, and performance. His practice examines representations of Azerbaijani identity and its relationship to the history, culture, queer thoughts, and radical South Caucasian traditions, that often interwoven in explorations into his alter-egos and post-modern narratives. Interdisciplinary research-based practice, Agil is presenting, frequently references and incorporates theoretical models concerning imposed gender roles and embedded social class inequalities.

Agil makes films and visually rich conceptual essays to address contemporary social issues by using storytelling techniques. Due to his teenagehood in abusive communities and schools, Agil grew up with multiple alter-egos and imaginary friends, today he uses these characters to establish a dialogue on how eastern identity has been shaped by both eastern and western standards on masculinity and questions the certainty of existing political and social conditions and situations in Azerbaijan as well as its neighboring Caucasus countries. The mild visuals and biting irony and dark humor in the language focus attention not only on the perception and the changes in the context of contemporary society but refer mainly to the critical problems of social reality in which he positions himself as a commentator and offers his opinion.