top of page

DIV | 2019 | VIDEO

PAST SHOWS

2020 The warrior myth: Agents for peace. “Maiden Tower. To be a Woman” Festival of CA
2019 Experience. Thoughts. Conclusion. ARTIM project space. Baku, Azerbaijan

"DIV" is an immersive video installation that explores the entangled layers of collective memory, mythology, and historical trauma through a poetic lens. Constructed from a rich assemblage of personal and televised archival footage from 20th-century Azerbaijan, the work draws a conceptual parallel to the figure of the div—a mythological ogre from Azerbaijani folklore who traditionally embodies the climactic moment of conflict within a narrative structure.

In this context, the div emerges as a symbolic representation of collective fears and unresolved tensions during periods of political and societal transformation. The work is also informed by the theory of bifurcation points—moments of critical instability that precede systemic shifts—mirroring how cultural and historical narratives are shaped by sudden ruptures.

The video material includes footage from wartime broadcasts and public programming recorded shortly before the outbreak of armed conflict, as well as festive, news, and music television segments aired in the days preceding national tragedies. This temporal tension constructs a dissonant montage that invites the viewer to reflect on the fragile boundary between spectacle and catastrophe.

Presented through a spherical mirror and projection mapping, the installation envelops the viewer in a spatially distorted, immersive environment, echoing the nonlinear nature of memory and the distortion of historical continuity in times of upheaval.

Request access to watch the video

Shalala Salamzadeh 

Multidisciplinary artist

Contact ⡷ shalala.salamzadeh@gmail.com

© 2025 | All artworks remain the intellectual property of the artist.

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Потоки
bottom of page