Last-Minute to Mandrilli: A Journey of Art and Urgency
Just five days before departure and only a week before the exhibition's opening, we received an evening call from Nargiz Asgarova, artist and now the curator of a newly opening gallery in Cassine, Italy. The invitation to participate came unexpectedly, but with excitement. Despite having a scheduled early-morning trip to the Sheki Festival, we accepted the offer without hesitation. With four hours on the road ahead and four more on the return, we decided to make the most of the journey.
By the time we arrived in Sheki, all the artists we had in mind were informed about the opportunity. Over the weekend, those interested submitted their photographs in response to the theme: "Motherland – Me". Thus, the first phase of our high-speed preparation was complete.
After meeting with the organizer Farida Quluzadeh on Monday at the S1S's Baku office and being inspired by her determination, vivid ideas, and description of the exhibition space, we began working on the photography prints. What followed was a race against time. We had just three days to print and prepare the works. The Baku Center of Photography
played a crucial role in this process. Though we began printing at 5 PM with the hope of finishing in three hours, thanks to Kamil’s from BCOP dedication and attention to tonal detail, it wasn’t until 2 AM that the final prints were ready.
The final hurdle was framing. For this, we turned to Khatai Art Center, whose fast-paced yet precise approach matched our urgency. t was at this crucial juncture that Kamil Abbaszadeh from our F37 union arrived at the Khatai center to assist with transportation and production.
After a short delay waiting for keys to the studio, we had just enough time to rest and recharge before diving into the last phase: mounting and assembling the prints. It was a process requiring quality, speed, and precision, especially with the shipment of the works scheduled for 8 PM that very evening. Nargiz and Kamil's help was invaluable; not only did they deliver the materials, but he also framed most of the works. These hours passed quickly, filled with intensity and joy. Much of that energy was fueled by the environment the curator fostered - collaborative, supportive, and driven.
By the time we packed the final works and handed them over, it felt as if we had passed a creative relay baton to the team of Gallery Palazzo Mandrilli.
Just five days before departure and only a week before the exhibition's opening, we received an evening call from Nargiz Asgarova, artist and now the curator of a newly opening gallery in Cassine, Italy. The invitation to participate came unexpectedly, but with excitement. Despite having a scheduled early-morning trip to the Sheki Festival, we accepted the offer without hesitation. With four hours on the road ahead and four more on the return, we decided to make the most of the journey.
By the time we arrived in Sheki, all the artists we had in mind were informed about the opportunity. Over the weekend, those interested submitted their photographs in response to the theme: "Motherland – Me". Thus, the first phase of our high-speed preparation was complete.
After meeting with the organizer Farida Quluzadeh on Monday at the S1S's Baku office and being inspired by her determination, vivid ideas, and description of the exhibition space, we began working on the photography prints. What followed was a race against time. We had just three days to print and prepare the works. The Baku Center of Photography
played a crucial role in this process. Though we began printing at 5 PM with the hope of finishing in three hours, thanks to Kamil’s from BCOP dedication and attention to tonal detail, it wasn’t until 2 AM that the final prints were ready.
The final hurdle was framing. For this, we turned to Khatai Art Center, whose fast-paced yet precise approach matched our urgency. t was at this crucial juncture that Kamil Abbaszadeh from our F37 union arrived at the Khatai center to assist with transportation and production.
After a short delay waiting for keys to the studio, we had just enough time to rest and recharge before diving into the last phase: mounting and assembling the prints. It was a process requiring quality, speed, and precision, especially with the shipment of the works scheduled for 8 PM that very evening. Nargiz and Kamil's help was invaluable; not only did they deliver the materials, but he also framed most of the works. These hours passed quickly, filled with intensity and joy. Much of that energy was fueled by the environment the curator fostered - collaborative, supportive, and driven.
By the time we packed the final works and handed them over, it felt as if we had passed a creative relay baton to the team of Gallery Palazzo Mandrilli.
Palazzo Mandrilli: From Ruin to Revival
The venue for this exhibition was no ordinary space. Palazzo Mandrilli (Guerrina) is a 17th-century historical mansion nestled in the heart of Cassine, a small, medieval Italian town. Abandoned since the 1970s and heavily damaged, the Palazzo was recently revived thanks to a major restoration effort by a team from Azerbaijan. This included the preservation of its authentic roof, original frescoes, antique floors, and many architectural details.
The restoration was more than just a structural endeavor—it was a cultural gesture. As a multicultural country with a deep respect for global heritage, Azerbaijan could not remain indifferent to the slow decay of such an exquisite historical treasure.
In May 2025, "SEN1SEN" opened an International Art Gallery in the Palazzo’s main hall. This cultural initiative aims to promote talented voices, strengthen cultural bridges, and support contemporary artists globally. The opening also marks a symbolic moment in Azerbaijani-Italian cultural collaboration—where heritage, art, and new narratives meet under a shared roof.
- Works Exhibited
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- Installation Views of 'Motherland - Me'
ARTICLES
about "Motherland - Me" exhibition
Nella piccola cittadina medievale di Cassine in Piemonte, circa 3000 abitanti in provincia di Alessandria, all’interno di Palazzo Mandrilli, dal 19 al 21 luglio 2025 sono state esposte due mostre originali: “Giovani Emozioni”, dedicata ad artisti emergenti azerbaigiani, e “Motherland Me”, una celebrazione internazionale di fotografia. Entrambe le mostre sono state supportate dal Comune di Cassine e si sono tenute presso la Galleria del Palazzo.
19-21 iyul 2025-ci il tarixlərində İtaliyanın Kassine şəhərində “SƏN1SƏN” Beyin Mərkəzi, Azərbaycan Fotoqrafları Birliyi (AFB) və F37 Union müstəqil fotoqrafiya platforması ilə birgə sərgi təşkil olunmuşdur.a
A joint exhibition of the "Sen1Sen" Think Tank, the Azerbaijan Photographers Union (AFB), and the independent photography platform "F37 Union" was organized in the Italian city of Cassino.
Gallery Palazzo Mandrilli official page
This exhibition aimed to explore the spiritual connection between a person and their homeland, as well as the relationship between identity and geographic and cultural roots. Homeland is not merely a piece of land; it is a unity of emotions, memories, childhood, belonging, and identity. The “Me” within this unity is both an observer, a bearer, and a creator.
AFB.az
From July 19 to 21, 2025, an exhibition was organized in the city of Cassine, Italy, through the joint efforts of the “SƏN1SƏN” Think Tank, the Azerbaijan Photographers Union (AFB), and the independent photography platform F37 Union.
kultur.az
‘Vətən mən’ adlı beynəlxalq foto sərginin əsərləri insanın vətənə mənəvi bağlılığını, şəxsiyyətin coğrafi və mədəni köklərlə münasibətini araşdırır. Eyni zamanda Azərbaycan özünü təbiət mənzərələrində, şəhər küçələrində, tarixi abidələrdə, insan simalarında və adi, lakin yaddaqalan detallarda təqdim edir. Hər kadr həm şəxsi baxış, həm də kollektiv yaddaşın vizual parçasıdır.
QHT
On July 19-21, 2025, an exhibition was organized in Cassine, Italy, jointly with the "SEN1SEN" Think Tank, the Azerbaijan Photographers Association (AFB) and the independent photography platform F37 Union.
