Between 2008 and 2013 photographer Ad Nuis travelled to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan no fewer than ten times. Each time for a period of about 25 days. With Oil & Paradise Nuis portrays the absurd contradictions between the lives of the nouveaux riches in Baku and the ordinary citizens of Azerbaijan.

Nuis offers a sharp view of one of the most rapidly growing economics and simultaneously most corrupt countries on the periphery of Europe. And while the context of the recent tension between the global power blocks – Europe, Russia and the USA makes the Oil & Paradise a highly relevant project, the artists’s personal approach and his humorous tone make it a very approachable piece.

Nuis offers a sharp view of one of the most rapidly growing economics and simultaneously most corrupt countries on the periphery of Europe. And while the context of the recent tension between the global power blocks – Europe, Russia and the USA makes the Oil & Paradise a highly relevant project, the artists’s personal approach and his humorous tone make it a very approachable piece.