Lali Binyatova is an Azerbaijani visual artist and documentary photographer based in Berlin, Germany. Her multidisciplinary practice brings together personal narratives, everyday realities, and social research to explore the relationship between memory, identity, and belonging. Centering ephemerality, memory, forgetting, and loss as fundamental aspects of the human experience, her work examines how individual stories reflect wider social contexts.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the In-Visible Festival (2021), Bursa Photo Festival (2021), and Kolga Tbilisi Photo (2022, 2024), and featured in The Guardian, Zeit Online, Revue6mois, and Chai Khana Media. Binyatova is a member of the Women Photographers International Community, founder of "Tacili Photo", a photography community supporting contemporary Azerbaijani photographers, and a finalist for the International Women Photography Award (IWPA) 2024.
She was commissioned by TIME Magazine during COP29 (2024) and featured in BBC News’ Ultimate Azerbaijan(2024).
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the In-Visible Festival (2021), Bursa Photo Festival (2021), and Kolga Tbilisi Photo (2022, 2024), and featured in The Guardian, Zeit Online, Revue6mois, and Chai Khana Media. Binyatova is a member of the Women Photographers International Community, founder of "Tacili Photo", a photography community supporting contemporary Azerbaijani photographers, and a finalist for the International Women Photography Award (IWPA) 2024.
She was commissioned by TIME Magazine during COP29 (2024) and featured in BBC News’ Ultimate Azerbaijan(2024).
My practice centers on the human condition, drawing on my personal experience, memory, and family history. Frequent childhood relocations transformed my understanding of "home" from a physical place into a concept — a perspective that continues to drive my artistic work.
Working at the intersection of personal narrative, everyday reality, and social research, I examine the mechanics of memory and forgetting. I am interested in how we reconstruct the past and how these processes shape individual selfhood and our place in the world.
My projects investigate overlooked cultural narratives and recurring subjective experiences that shape local culture. By confronting sensitive issues surrounding gender roles, family dynamics, and local customs, I seek to question which experiences are structurally recognized and which remain systematically silenced.
In my work I combine oil painting and photography to construct my own visual reality. Alongside photography as a primary medium of expression, I create new meanings by merging visuality with materiality and seeking to capture the ephemeral essence of inner transformations through the use of metal, textile, and embroidery techniques. This gives me the vocabulary to excavate my own history, uncovering the quiet, heavy spaces left behind by displacement.
Working at the intersection of personal narrative, everyday reality, and social research, I examine the mechanics of memory and forgetting. I am interested in how we reconstruct the past and how these processes shape individual selfhood and our place in the world.
My projects investigate overlooked cultural narratives and recurring subjective experiences that shape local culture. By confronting sensitive issues surrounding gender roles, family dynamics, and local customs, I seek to question which experiences are structurally recognized and which remain systematically silenced.
In my work I combine oil painting and photography to construct my own visual reality. Alongside photography as a primary medium of expression, I create new meanings by merging visuality with materiality and seeking to capture the ephemeral essence of inner transformations through the use of metal, textile, and embroidery techniques. This gives me the vocabulary to excavate my own history, uncovering the quiet, heavy spaces left behind by displacement.
ARTIST STATEMENT
"Baku in Colors" 2025 — a special collection of photography and oil mixed media dedicated to the city of Baku. Organized by VarYox at Sara Bistro (Baku, Azerbaijan).
"Soul’s Revolution" 2024 — an art exhibition organized by Tacili Photo at Yuva (Baku, Azerbaijan).
2026
"In the Mountains" — art market at Festsaal Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany.
"Cizucu Photo Poster Project" — participated as an invited artist with the single image ‘The Mermaid at Caspian Sea’ at Salon am Moritzplatz, Berlin, Germany.
2025
"Her Art in Action" — an exhibition presenting the ‘My Mom’s Dowry’ photo project, organized by Var Yox at Union of Artists of Azerbaijan, Baku, Azerbaijan.
"Last Weekend" — group sales exhibition featuring the ‘Soul’s Revolution’ edition at 8 ARTI 1, Istanbul, Turkey.
2024
"Shifting Witness" — exhibition presenting "My Mom’s Dowry" project in the framework of KOLGA Tbilisi Photo, Tbilisi, Georgia.
"Her Art in Action" — an exhibition presenting the "Whispers of the Past: Secrets of Azerbaijani Families" photo project, organized by Var Yox at Gazelli Art House, Baku, Azerbaijan.
IWPA & TAF Photo Challenge 2024 - "Masalli" photo series showcase presented by the International Women Photographers Association (IWPA) at (TAF), Tbilisi, Georgia.
2023
"Chromatic Reveries" — exhibition featuring a special edition of "Soul’s Revolution" at Gazelli Art House, Baku, Azerbaijan.
"30 Under 30 Women Photographers" — video screening of the "Masalli" series presented by ARTPIL during Torino Art Week at Recontemporary, Turin, Italy.
"9 Different" — contemporary art exhibition featuring the "Soul’s Revolution" series, organized by Var Yox & European Union in Azerbaijan at the EU Ambassador's residence, Baku, Azerbaijan.
Vienna Photo Book Festival — presentation of the handmade photo & oil mixed-media "Soul's revolution", Vienna, Austria.
"Force of Love" — collective exhibition featuring "More love" single image, organized by F37 Union & Nargis Magazine at Space 13, Baku, Azerbaijan.
2022
"Watch to Hear" — exhibition featuring the "Masalli" photo series, organized by F37 Union within the framework of KOLGA Tbilisi Photo at ArtArea, Tbilisi, Georgia.
"Women in Photography" — exhibition featuring "Qadin" and "Untitled" single images, organized by Var Yox at Gazelli Art House, Baku, Azerbaijan.
"A Palette of Perspectives" — exhibition featuring the "Masalli" photo series, organized by F37 Union at Dissolution Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia.
"Safe Zone" — exhibition presenting the "Bratsk" photography project at ARTIM Project Space, Baku, Azerbaijan.
"Black Sea" — residency exhibition presenting a photo series from Poti at Poti City Library, Poti, Georgia.
2021
"Dark Diaries" — project presentation as part of the official program at the Bursa Photo Festival, Bursa, Turkey.
"Monochrome: Yellow to Green" — group exhibition featuring the "Grandfather" single image, organized by F37 Union at Baku Photo House, Baku, Azerbaijan.
"Listen to Me, and You Will Understand" — collective exhibition presenting the "Dark Diaries" project (mentored by Rena Effendi) and handmade photobook as the final work of the In-Visible Fellowship program at Salaam Cinema, Baku, Azerbaijan.
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Hamburger Portfolio Review — Shortlisted Artist, reviewed by Jay Davies, Martina Bacigalupo, Fiona Shields, and Laurence Tan | Hamburg, Germany, 2024
IWPA & TAF Photography Challenge — Finalist, exhibited at the Tbilisi Art Fair | Tbilisi, Georgia, 2024
Women Photograph — Member of the International Platform | 2024
KOLGA Tbilisi Photo — Visual Storytelling Mentorship with Daro Sulakauri (6-month program) | Tbilisi, Georgia, 2023–2024
Chaikhana Media — Featured in ‘Editor’s Picks: Photo Stories of 2023’ | 2023
‘Black Sea’ Artist Residency — Resident Artist, mentored by Guram Tsibakhashvili | Poti, Georgia, 2022
IN-Visible Mentorship Program — Mentorship with Rena Effendi at Salaam Cinema (6-month program) | Baku, Azerbaijan, 2021
Chaikhana Media — Featured in ‘Editor’s Picks: Photo Stories of 2021’ | 2021
IWPA & TAF Photography Challenge — Finalist, exhibited at the Tbilisi Art Fair | Tbilisi, Georgia, 2024
Women Photograph — Member of the International Platform | 2024
KOLGA Tbilisi Photo — Visual Storytelling Mentorship with Daro Sulakauri (6-month program) | Tbilisi, Georgia, 2023–2024
Chaikhana Media — Featured in ‘Editor’s Picks: Photo Stories of 2023’ | 2023
‘Black Sea’ Artist Residency — Resident Artist, mentored by Guram Tsibakhashvili | Poti, Georgia, 2022
IN-Visible Mentorship Program — Mentorship with Rena Effendi at Salaam Cinema (6-month program) | Baku, Azerbaijan, 2021
Chaikhana Media — Featured in ‘Editor’s Picks: Photo Stories of 2021’ | 2021
MENTORSHIPS, RESIDENCIES & AWARDS
Articles, Features & Interviews
Die Zeit (Online) — Selected photo publication | 2025
Turan News Agency — ‘A Different View of Reality: Lali Binyatova’s Exhibition in Baku’ by Nargiz Abbasova | 2024
Heritage AZ Culture — ‘Interview with Artist Lali Binyatova’ by Zeinab Jahan | 2024
Chaikhana Media — ‘Whispers of the Past: Secrets of Azerbaijani families’ | 2023
Nargis Magazine (Online & Offline) — ‘Road to Harmony’ | 2023
Baku Magazine (Online & Offline) — Photo series about Novruz Bayram | 2023
Baku Magazine (Online & Offline) — ‘About Baku: Baku Day and Night’ | 2023
The Guardian — ‘Women behind the lens: Friendship in photography’ | 2022
Chaikhana Media — ‘Dark Diaries’ | 2021
Video Interviews & TV
BBC — ‘Ultimate Azerbaijan’ | 2024
Mədəniyyət TV (Local TV Program) — Interview about project 'Bratsk' in the framework of exhibition 'SAFE ZONE' in ARTIM Project Space | 2022
First Channel (1TV Georgia) — Interview about project 'Masalli' in the framework of exhibition 'What I See' during KOLGA Photo festival | 2022
Çağdaşçılar — ‘Sənətçi dostlar #10: Leyla Musayeva, Lali Binyatova və Emin Mathers’ | 2021
Die Zeit (Online) — Selected photo publication | 2025
Turan News Agency — ‘A Different View of Reality: Lali Binyatova’s Exhibition in Baku’ by Nargiz Abbasova | 2024
Heritage AZ Culture — ‘Interview with Artist Lali Binyatova’ by Zeinab Jahan | 2024
Chaikhana Media — ‘Whispers of the Past: Secrets of Azerbaijani families’ | 2023
Nargis Magazine (Online & Offline) — ‘Road to Harmony’ | 2023
Baku Magazine (Online & Offline) — Photo series about Novruz Bayram | 2023
Baku Magazine (Online & Offline) — ‘About Baku: Baku Day and Night’ | 2023
The Guardian — ‘Women behind the lens: Friendship in photography’ | 2022
Chaikhana Media — ‘Dark Diaries’ | 2021
Video Interviews & TV
BBC — ‘Ultimate Azerbaijan’ | 2024
Mədəniyyət TV (Local TV Program) — Interview about project 'Bratsk' in the framework of exhibition 'SAFE ZONE' in ARTIM Project Space | 2022
First Channel (1TV Georgia) — Interview about project 'Masalli' in the framework of exhibition 'What I See' during KOLGA Photo festival | 2022
Çağdaşçılar — ‘Sənətçi dostlar #10: Leyla Musayeva, Lali Binyatova və Emin Mathers’ | 2021
2021
2023
2024
2025
2022
lalibin,ph@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM: @lamonkeeey
BErlin, GERMANY,
AVAIBLE WORLDWILD
INSTAGRAM: @lamonkeeey
BErlin, GERMANY,
AVAIBLE WORLDWILD
Contact
INQUIRIES & COLLABORATIONS