Getting to know interesting people – well, that’s the most amazing part of my work. And so far this region of Russia, the North Caucasus, still surprises me with the people I meet.

Last time that happened in Grozny. I went there for “City Day” but I also wanted to meet a girl many people told me about. She managed to open the first modern art gallery in the city.

You would think now, “and what’s so interesting about it? Art galleries are being opened every now and then.” Well, she did it that in Chechnya, a region well known outside of Russia for being one of the most volatile and dangerous places in the country. Indeed, just some 10 years ago Grozny was completely destroyed after the two Chechen wars and the capital looked like a number of shattered and empty carcasses instead of a city, but now this girl wants to be among the first to make it look different.

Ayshat Adueva, a petite young woman with big eyes and beautiful hands, was very shy at the beginning. But as soon as we entered the gallery, she was another person. She was completely taken by her project, enthusiastically telling us about the plans for the gallery and how she managed to overcome all the challenges on the way to opening it.

Ayshat Adueva, the gallery owner

Ayshat is an artist herself, having graduated from the St. Petersburg design institute. She then worked as a designer in her hometown, getting more and more involved in the local art society.

The gallery is situated right in the center of Grozny. It opened less than a year ago, but has already earned a reputation as a place to visit. Before the war there were only state museums in the city, and there was nothing dedicated to the world of modern art. The gallery we visited was the first private art center, and it was launched by this young woman.An exhibition of works by an artist from the neighboring region of Dagestan, Apandy Magomedov, opened the gallery. At the moment Ayshat is preparing the second exhibition, this time dedicated to a local artist.

Rosary, by Apandy Magomedov

Ayshat says the idea was born at a forum of Caucasus women artists.First it was just a dream. But despite the fact that hardly anyone believed it could actually be done, slowly it transformed from paper into a small three-room gallery.

“From time to time I still receive calls from different people asking me to lend the area for a shop or a beauty salon,” she laughed. “Almost a year has passed, but they still think I’m going to change my mind.”

One of her most difficult tasks was to find money to launch the project. Her family ended up supporting her; they found the place and invested their personal savings.

Ayshat believes now is the time to build a new Chechnya, and she hopes there will soon be more projects like hers in Grozny.

“Slowly but surely we are building our own local art society,” she said. “There are very few of us, but we are getting bigger every day. People here are hungry for something new that will enrich their minds.”

“Among the first to come here were a lot of students, and this shows that there is growing interest not only for traditional kinds of art, but also the young generation wants to know more about modern art,” Ayshat pointed out.

“Maybe there is a hidden talent in one of these students coming to the gallery,” she smiled.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.