The exhibition “All Nomads” is dedicated to the central issue of Kazakhstani art in recent decades — national identity and the definition of one's creative, ethical, political, and cultural position in a world changed by recent historical events. The main task of the curators of the exhibition “All Nomads” is to present a current snapshot of the Kazakhstani art scene and the state of contemporary art in the country.
Contemporary art from Kazakhstan has not been prominently featured on the Russian art scene in recent years. The years of perestroika seemed to significantly shake the indestructible friendship of peoples and establish a completely new logic for realizing geopolitical interests in the creative environment, where Moscow and Almaty artists are more likely to meet at an exhibition in Strasbourg or Barcelona than in a studio in their homeland. The exhibition marks a new and emerging trend in the Russian art establishment — an interest in the art of neighboring countries, attempts to reestablish contacts and interaction zones, recuperate “black holes” of post-Soviet psychogeography, and finally introduce new, previously little-known but very worthy names to the Russian stage. The theme of “searches for lost time” is particularly relevant in relation to Kazakhstani contemporary art of the sovereignty era. The problem of radical socio-political changes of the 20th century is felt as a “phantom pain” in the collective creative consciousness. The search for a new national identity through overcoming the recent past is a process especially characteristic of countries and regions where this recent experience was palpably traumatic for local national self-awareness.
Kazakhstani artists today direct their thoughts towards a mental, imagined territory where the “inherently Kazakh” (nomadic, steppe, Asian, shamanic, mystical) begins to articulate itself through the language and strategies of Western contemporary art, yet with a strong “accent” of the Soviet artistic canon. This complex conglomerate of divergent artistic trends is presented to the Moscow audience in the exhibition “All Nomads.”
The curators bring together artists of several generations in one space: from the “progenitors” of Kazakh contemporary art (founders of the legendary “Kyzyl-Traktor” group Moldakul Narymbetov and Abilsaid Atabekov, as well as Georgiy Tryakin-Bukharov) and recognized classics with a solid track record, such as Almagul Menlibayeva, Erbosyn Meldibekov, Saule Suleimenova, and Rashid Nurekeev, to masters of the new generation who have recently emerged (the “new generation” Kyzyl-Traktorists such as Syrlybek Bekbotaev, Bakhyt Bubikanova, Gulnur Mukajanova, and others). The exhibition is named after Sergey Berdnik's 2003 work “All Nomads,” which represents a specific and unique blend of artistic traditions. The participants of the exhibition discuss blends of deep national identity with globalist trends, Asian with European, nomadic with post-industrial, Islam with paganism, Soviet mentality with capitalist order. The curators, by selecting works, aim to both recreate and dispel myths about contemporary art in Kazakhstan.
Contemporary art from Kazakhstan has not been prominently featured on the Russian art scene in recent years. The years of perestroika seemed to significantly shake the indestructible friendship of peoples and establish a completely new logic for realizing geopolitical interests in the creative environment, where Moscow and Almaty artists are more likely to meet at an exhibition in Strasbourg or Barcelona than in a studio in their homeland. The exhibition marks a new and emerging trend in the Russian art establishment — an interest in the art of neighboring countries, attempts to reestablish contacts and interaction zones, recuperate “black holes” of post-Soviet psychogeography, and finally introduce new, previously little-known but very worthy names to the Russian stage. The theme of “searches for lost time” is particularly relevant in relation to Kazakhstani contemporary art of the sovereignty era. The problem of radical socio-political changes of the 20th century is felt as a “phantom pain” in the collective creative consciousness. The search for a new national identity through overcoming the recent past is a process especially characteristic of countries and regions where this recent experience was palpably traumatic for local national self-awareness.
Kazakhstani artists today direct their thoughts towards a mental, imagined territory where the “inherently Kazakh” (nomadic, steppe, Asian, shamanic, mystical) begins to articulate itself through the language and strategies of Western contemporary art, yet with a strong “accent” of the Soviet artistic canon. This complex conglomerate of divergent artistic trends is presented to the Moscow audience in the exhibition “All Nomads.”
The curators bring together artists of several generations in one space: from the “progenitors” of Kazakh contemporary art (founders of the legendary “Kyzyl-Traktor” group Moldakul Narymbetov and Abilsaid Atabekov, as well as Georgiy Tryakin-Bukharov) and recognized classics with a solid track record, such as Almagul Menlibayeva, Erbosyn Meldibekov, Saule Suleimenova, and Rashid Nurekeev, to masters of the new generation who have recently emerged (the “new generation” Kyzyl-Traktorists such as Syrlybek Bekbotaev, Bakhyt Bubikanova, Gulnur Mukajanova, and others). The exhibition is named after Sergey Berdnik's 2003 work “All Nomads,” which represents a specific and unique blend of artistic traditions. The participants of the exhibition discuss blends of deep national identity with globalist trends, Asian with European, nomadic with post-industrial, Islam with paganism, Soviet mentality with capitalist order. The curators, by selecting works, aim to both recreate and dispel myths about contemporary art in Kazakhstan.
