‘Basic Values are Universal’ by Julia Hall

Leila

Azerbaijan, arr. 2014

Leila arrived in the UK in 2014. She had had an international academic career, but after 9/11 was no longer able to get a visa for the US. She returned to Baku where her family lived and started a think tank, but the Azerbaijan government began to increase their control of independent actors and arrest people. Leila was warned she was on the list, so she left for Georgia with her mum who had cancer. From there she applied for a fellowship in Oxford, but her mum didn’t want to leave everything she knew, so returned to Baku when Leila moved to the UK. 18 months later, her mum died suddenly in front of her eyes when they were on a skype call, but she was unable to go to the funeral. 

 Oxford gave her the space and peace to deal with her stress, and the university assisted her with her visa which helped her to feel more protected. She found it easier to adjust to the UK than to the States, as she realised we have the same sense of irony and self-irony in the UK and Azerbaijan, which made her feel at home. She did arrive with a lot of trauma from her situation, but was supported by CARA – the Council for At-Risk Academics, who provide help with jobs and psychological support. It has been hard to settle financially, but she has made a good circle of friends, and feels privileged by being supported as an academic. 

 Leila’s friends took her to a donkey sanctuary – she couldn’t believe how well-cared for the donkeys were. A journalist in Azerbaijan even used her photos to write a report showing how donkeys are taken care of in the UK. She has also been amazed by the NHS and bus passes, and also the lack of fences in the countryside. The wealthy oligarchs in Azerbaijan started building high fences around their summer houses, but in the UK she feels there is more trust and openness around people’s properties, and in the general way of life. 

After all her travels and work opportunities, Leila finds that everyone is basically the same. Culture is just a tool for manipulation, but basic values are universal. This scarf is made from silk produced in two different regions of Azerbaijan, and printed with a very traditional pattern. 

Oil and hand embroidery on linen canvas.

89H x 74W cm

2025