Installation view: Loud sirens of the Caspian bodies I (2019)

Group show: The Home Weather, Salaam Cinema, Baku, Azerbaijan

LOUD SIRENS OF THE CASPIAN BODIES is a series by the artist's drag persona, Lady Adele Rashida Baghlava, exploring Azerbaijani queer history and the region’s oil wealth through mixed media installations. The three-part series critiques political and social constraints, subverting the conventional display of trans identities and questioning how visual perception and pop culture assign meaning and value.

The **first part** of the series was exhibited at Salaam Cinema in Baku, integrating a critical perspective on the intersection of trans rights and Azerbaijan's oil industry. This installation addresses the abuse of queer rights, referencing the anti-gay raids of October 2017. Rashida’s gestures, coupled with gold-painted mud, criticize the lack of media coverage on these issues. The setting amplifies the connection between the exploitation of natural resources and the oppression of queer communities, creating a space where materialism and social taboos intertwine.

Moving to the **second part**, showcased at Triumph Gallery in Moscow near Red Square, the work delves into the implications of Russia's anti-gay law. This installation explores themes of anonymity and the suppression of queer spaces, particularly gay bars, amidst pervasive censorship. Here, the series challenges the visual conventions of identity display and critiques how pop culture shapes perceptions of queerness under oppressive regimes.


Installation view: Loud sirens of the Caspian bodies II (2019)
Group show: Off The Velvet Chest, Triumph Gallery, Moscow, Russia

The final segment ventures into Azeri-futurism through a queer lens, reimagining Azerbaijan’s past and future of queerness. This piece crafts a cultural aesthetic and philosophy that melds Azerbaijani diaspora heritage with technology, representing the lived experiences of Azeri queer people across time. It seeks to construct truths beyond the confines of a politically oppressive regime, weaving narratives that transcend the barriers of the past and present.



Installation view: Loud sirens of the Caspian bodies III (2019)

Group show: Gazelli Art House at Dubai Art Fair, Dubai, UAE




All the series developed and edited by Agil Abdullayev
with the generous support by drag artist and DJ Christos Gkenoudis aka Marika The Alien
at One Throsby Street Studios in 2018