Exhibition in Astana shows beauty and diversity of Kazakh art: journey through century of cultural heritage
The National Museum of Kazakhstan opened the exhibition, Paintings of the Steppe: Symbols, Colors, and Images, in honor of the museum’s 10th anniversary, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The exhibition features 200 works by more than 160 artists. It presents vivid images of Kazakh national art, including paintings, tapestries, and handicrafts. Works of outstanding masters of art and contemporary creations of young talents are included from the rich collections of the National Museum.
Professor and art critic Olga Baturina and producer of the Art Society Anastasia Efrémenkova curated the exhibition. It was the first joint project of the National Museum with the involvement of an independent art expert.
Olga Baturina is a well-known art critic and teacher of art history at the Zhurgeniev Art Academy. She selected works for the exhibition that evoke positive emotions in viewers to create an atmosphere of joy and warmth.
“I wanted to create a festive atmosphere, but since this is, after all, a festive, stock exhibition, I selected only pleasing, warm, soulful works that have such energy of joy and human warmth. (...) The main idea of the exhibition is to show the range of diversity and beauty in Kazakh painting school, to show that this is already a phenomenon that has taken place over the course of a hundred years,” Baturina told Kazinform.
The exhibition presents seven sections, each of which immerses the viewer in different aspects of Kazakh culture and art. From The Spirit of the Ancestors to Love, Spring, Woman, and Family, each section reveals the unique features of the painting of this land.
Baturina said the exhibition will touch the hearts of the visitors.
“When a viewer comes to an exhibition, they do not remain passive, they become a participant, a co-author, because they are included in all these ideas, images, thoughts that the artists communicate to them,” she said.
The exhibition is not only an exciting event, but also an inspiring journey into the world of art and history. It brought a new perspective on the development of painting from ancient times to the present.
From the beginning of the journey through the halls of the exhibition, the viewer’s gaze is drawn to the life and history of the Kazakh people. Gradually moving from everyday scenes to historical details and picturesque images of people, the attention then turns to the splendor of nature to complete its journey with contemporary art.
This puts into focus the cyclicality and cycle of life as characteristic of Kazakh people and culture. Both a symbol of the cycle of migrations of ancestors through the seasons of the year and a circle personifying the Tengri and Shanyrak figures, this image remains unchanged in art.
This wealth of scenes and images drawn in different styles and eras reveals the richness and diversity of the Kazakh people, their traditions, and the spirit of freedom. It reminds us how history, life, and art are closely intertwined, creating a unique heritage that unites people.
Kamil Mullashev’s “Aura of Tenderness” became the headliner of the exhibition and attracted special attention.
This work, written in the style of the Renaissance, embodies all the main qualities of Kazakh painting and culture. Baturina describes the work of the artist, stating, “He created a world of complete harmony and tranquility when a person is in harmony with himself in his space.”
“This is not just a space of steppes. It is a space of traditional culture. This picture is painted in the Renaissance style. There is soft light, and the shared space is very beautiful. At the same time, in the foreground, there is a woman with a child in national clothes, and next to her, is an older woman. The whole cosmos and beauty of Kazakh traditional culture is manifested there. And it manifests itself surprisingly stereoscopically because Kamil Mullashev is an amazing painter,” she said.
In addition to “Aura of Tenderness,” the exhibition presents two other paintings by Kamil Mulashev: “Small Landscape after the Rain” and “The Museum is Under Construction.”
The latest work is directly related to the National Museum of Kazakhstan. During the construction of the museum, the artist captured this process, reflecting the efforts of many people invested in creating the museum.
The exhibition also presents artists from different regions of Kazakhstan, including Shymkent, Kyzylorda, Mangystau, and Aktau, among others.
Among the authors exhibited are also Abylkhan Kasteev, Aubakir Ismailov, and Ural Tansykbaev. Particularly noteworthy are the works of the famous artist and honored worker of Kazakhstan Marat Tuksaitov, who is rarely represented in museum collections but attracts attention with his expressive style.
The exhibition features not only paintings but also magnificent tapestries, complemented by works of traditional jewelry, weaving, crafts and musical instruments.
Particular attention is paid to the six-meter tapestries by an unknown artist, depicting the theme of koshas, resettlement and displacement.
Two felts by Zamzagul Oralbayeva from Astana, presented at the exhibition, symbolically convey images of the Tengrian universe. They are distinguished by their symbolism and unique execution, reminiscent of the infinity and harmony of this space. These works evoke admiration for their beauty and meaning.
Anastasia Efrémenkova, founder and producer of the Art Society, said, “Art expands the horizons of worldview, helps to look at the world differently, develops the qualities necessary for harmonious communication between people - and together, this improves our society.”
“We know for sure that the most important thing in our project is our listeners. Our audience is our co-producers; without a good audience, it is impossible to make interesting projects. We thank you for the opportunity to join such a large and significant project as the exhibition dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of Kazakhstan,” said Efrémenkova.
The public is invited to this unique cultural holiday to plunge into the world of beauty and depth of Kazakh painting. The exhibition will last until July 31, calling on every viewer to no longer be passive and become a participant in the great conversation about Kazakhstan's cultural heritage.
