Aidan Salakhova's Censored Artworks Now on Display at Italian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

The Italian pavilion announced yesterday that it put on display "Black Stone'' by Aidan Salakhova. The marble sculpture is based on a black stone in Mecca held sacred by Muslims. In Ms Salakhova's version the black stone appears to be flowing like a tear, out of the white marble case that holds it. She takes this to symbolize the tears of penitent and suffering individuals who come to Mecca with their prayers.

"Black Stone'' was removed on June 6 from the Azerbaijan pavilion even though the artwork's presence at the Azerbaijan pavilion had been approved several months before. On Monday June 13, "Black Stone'' was moved to the Italian pavilion's additional space in the Arsenale (not the main Italian pavilion in the Giardini).

Also on June 6, the Azerbaijan government ordered removed from its pavilion Ms Salakhova's black marble sculpture, "Prestanding". It shows a woman in a black veil from head to foot. However, the 1.7 meter high sculpture, weighing almost 2 tons, will not be put on display at the Italian pavilion due to weight restrictions on the floor.

Aidan Salakhova expressed her thanks and gratitude to the Italian pavilion, and specifically to its curator, Vittorio Sgarbi, for accepting Black Stone. She also hopes that her artworks will be appreciated and remembered for their artistic merit, and not for the censorship.

Aidan Salakhova is a Russian artist and gallerist. She was born in Moscow in 1964, and is of Azerbaijani descent. She mainly works with gender themes and Islam. She is also owner of Aidan Gallery in Moscow. Ms Salakhova's works can be found in many private and state collections, including the State Tretyakov Gallery, and the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. She is one of six artists exhibiting at the Azerbaijan pavilion during the Venice Biennale.