Azerbaijan International

Autumn 2006 (14.3)
Pages 70-71


Russian Orthodox Chapel
Lena Hagverdiyeva Finishes Chapel Iconography

by Shams Asgarova

The iconography in the Chapel of Apostle Varfolomey at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Baku was dedicated in November 2006. The paintings were done by Ujal Hagverdiyev and later finished by his wife Yelena and friends when he passed away in 2004. To see Ujal and Yelena Hagverdiyeva's own canvases, search at AZgallery.org.

Finally, the walls of the little chapel of Apostle Varfolomey are covered with angels, archangels and Biblical scenes from the life of Christ.


On November 26, 2006, the church officials at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Baku dedicated what truly is an extraordinary accomplishment. It was a project that
began in 2000 with artist Ujal Hagverdiyev.

Click photos to enlarge

   
 


The iconography in the Chapel of Apostle Varfolomey at St. Michael the Archangel Russian Orthodox Church in Baku was dedicated in November 2006. The paintings were done by Ujal Hagverdiyev and later finished by his wife Yelena and friends when he passed away in 2004. To see Ujal and Yelena Hagverdiyeva's own canvases, search at AZgallery.org.


Actually, it was a dream come true for Ujal to get to work on this project. He had always wanted the chance to paint wall murals for a church, despite the fact that during the Soviet period such dreams were impossible to realize.

Curiously, when Ujal had tried to enroll in the Art Institute in Tallinn (Estonia), he submitted a canvas covered with angels along with his application. But it seems it was those very angels that blocked his admittance into the program. Angels, of course, symbolized religion, and it wasn't politically correct to glorify them in a government system that embraced atheism. Ujal felt sure that he had qualified in every other way.

So to be chosen for such a task to adorn the walls of this small chapel was a dream come true for him. And so he started the work but then four years later in December 2004, Ujal, 44, had heart failure and passed away. There was at least two more years of work to complete. What would happen? Who would finish the work? The half painted canvases in his studio could be left unpainted but not the walls and ceiling of the chapel.

At the time that Azerbaijan International featured Ujal's work at his death, the question still begged to be answered. See "Ujal Hagverdiyev: Of Angels and Archangels," AI 12.4 (Winter 2004).

The situation clearly concerned the Russian Orthodox priests. Immediately following the traditional restrictive 40 days following a family death, they approached Ujal's wife Yelena and asked her if she would continue his work. Yelena is an extremely talented artist in her own right. Ujal and Yelena had been together for 17 years. Knowing how much it would mean to Ujal if he were still here, she accepted.

Was it hard to follow in her husband's footsteps? "Yes," says Yelena. Not only stylistically but emotionally as well. "I guess being in the church was the best place for me. Not only did I have to concentrate on very difficult work but also I was surrounded by friends. In total 10 people assisted her. "Those 10 people became like family and they helped me a lot in the healing process after Ujal's death."

"We worked so hard. All day from morning till night. For almost two years," said Yelena. "Now the job is done. The main thing that I learned about this work was not to be afraid of it. At first, it was really quite overwhelming. You're up there on scaffolding in awkward positions, painting angels and archangels on the ceiling, it's a huge responsibility."

"I gave everything I had within me to finish this chapel. To undertake such a project, your heart and soul needs to be full. Now I need to withdraw and fill myself again. I want to go back and paint in my studio as I did before, and also I want to work again with cloth and make replicas of our national clothes for a National Exhibition. I really hope everyone is pleased, including Ujal.

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