Aruhan’s exhibition brings Kazakh culture to the UK’s Wetherby Festival

Gaukhar Bissengalieva
Photo credit: Gaukhar Bissengalieva

In October, the Wetherby Festival in the United Kingdom featured works by the Kazakh metamodernist artist Aruhan (Gaukhar Bissengalieva), Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

The Wetherby Festival is an annual cultural event held each October in the small town of Wetherby, UK, featuring a diverse program that includes concerts, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and other cultural activities. One of the key aims of the Wetherby Festival is to support local and international talent, as well as to promote the arts in its various forms.

Aruhan's exhibition "From Steppe to the City" is a unique project, the concept of which is aimed at demonstrating the connection between generations and the continuity of traditions. Aruhan, known for its innovations in the field of felt art, uses this ancient material to tell the story of the Great Steppe, exploring symbols of national identity, transformation and rebirth.

Bissengalieva, a member of the International Feltmakers Association, became the first Kazakhstani artist to take part in the Wetherby Art Festival in its long history, starting in 1977.

Aruhan’s works
Aruhan’s works. Photo credit: Gaukhar Bissengalieva

The central element of the artist's work is the national Kazakh carpet - a symbol of roots, strength and energy, embodying the connection with the traditions of ancestors. Her works are filled with natural symbols, conveyed in the natural colors of felt. These images reflect freedom, energy and connection with the Kazakh land, which has been a source of inspiration for generations of artists for centuries.

The exhibition also featured archival photographs of Kazakh craftsmen engaged in traditional crafts, and a video story, the materials for which were collected from the Central State Archive of film, photo, and sound recordings of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Gaukhar Bissengalieva
Aruhan holding wool-working tool, passed down to the artist from her grandmother. Archival photographs of Kazakh craftsmen are behind. Photo credit: Gaukhar Bissengalieva

Visitors to the exhibition could hear the melody of dombra music performed by Aruhan's grandfather. Compositions from the family archive added an authentic sound to the exhibition and immersion into the cultural space of the Steppe.

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