Ibrahim Hasanov’s first solo exhibition marked a defining moment in his artistic journey. Held in Baku in 1990, the exhibition offered audiences a rare and comprehensive look at the full breadth of his creative vision — spanning painting, sculpture, graphics, and his distinctive “soft sculpture,” an experimental form that would become one of the most talked-about aspects of his practice.

What set the exhibition apart was not only its stylistic range, but the emotional and conceptual depth behind each work. Visitors encountered an artist unafraid of boundaries — one who moved fluidly between disciplines, treating each medium as a different language for the same restless imagination.

The show drew considerable attention beyond Azerbaijan’s borders. Art enthusiasts and collectors from Norway, Germany, Turkey, and beyond were particularly captivated by the “soft sculpture” works — a genre that felt entirely his own, breathing unexpected life into material and form. The international interest generated by this debut laid the groundwork for what would follow just a year later: a solo exhibition in London, where the museum acquired every piece on display.

For a sculptor and painter who had spent years quietly refining his craft, the 1990 exhibition was the moment the wider world began to take notice.