Erkin Alakbarli | Azerbaijan

Erkin Alakbarli was born in Baku in 1992. He earned his bachelor’s degree (2010–2014) and master’s degree (2014–2016) in Painting at the Azerbaijan Academy of Fine Arts. Since 2017, he has been a member of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan.

Erkin Alakbarli presented a work entitled “Bones of Water” at the Baku Steel Art 2025 symposium. “This work is not merely a metal fish skeleton; it is a material embodiment of water’s own structure, memory, and recollection. The bones of water are the structural elements that carry the history and life of all creatures living in the oceans, seas, and rivers.

The installation tells its story in a subtle yet powerful language: it reminds us of the memory of the sea. The large fish symbolizes the maternal spirit of the seas, while its metal skeleton expresses the sea’s ancientness and wisdom. Small fish within and around it embody the living memories within that spirit. They symbolize not only life itself, but also how water lives, flows, and transforms.

The base of the piece resembles a dried seabed or the twisted course of a river, provoking reflection: What legacy will we leave behind? Will our seas stay vibrant and full of breath, or will only cold, metallic bones remain?"