Ahmet Öğüt demands early closure of Baku exhibition over political banner dispute

Ahmet Öğüt, a Turkish artist, called for the abrupt termination of his exhibition at Yarat Contemporary Art Space in Baku, Azerbaijan, three weeks ahead of its planned conclusion. He criticized the institution for utilizing his exhibition banner as a tool for propaganda amid the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, particularly objecting to the display of his name alongside the Azerbaijani flag on the building and in social media. The exhibition, which commenced in May 2023, coincided with the resurgence of hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region officially recognized as part of Azerbaijan but under Armenian control. Following Öğüt's appeal, the exhibition, initially set to last until November 20, was closed on October 28. Concerns have been raised about Yarat's potential funding ties to President Ilham Aliyev's administration, amid accusations of human rights abuses and corruption.