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Traditional and contemporary art of Kazakhstan

A Virtual Journey into the World of Kazakhstan’s Artistic Heritage

This Web Gallery presents the diversity of artistic practices in Kazakhstan, reflecting the continuity of cultural traditions and the dynamic development of contemporary creative processes. The virtual exhibition features works based on national images, symbols, and themes, as well as artworks by contemporary artists who reinterpret the country’s cultural heritage through contemporary artistic forms, expressive means, and modern technologies.

The selected works demonstrate the relationship between traditional and contemporary art, revealing the distinctive features of the national worldview, cultural identity, and cultural meanings. The presented materials allow viewers to trace how elements of historical and cultural heritage are reflected in contemporary artistic practice, while maintaining their significance and relevance in an increasingly globalized world.

The Web Gallery is aimed at promoting Kazakhstan’s artistic heritage, expanding public access to works of art, and fostering a lasting interest in national culture and art among a wide audience.

Harmony with the Universe, 2020. Felt, wool, felting. Source: https://www.ounce.group

Gulzhanat Kabizhanova

Кабижанова Гульжанат. Созвучие со Вселенной, 2020 г. Войлок, шерсть, валяние

‘Harmony with the Universe’ presents a philosophical and cosmological interpretation of the world. Here, the artistic language is built on the principles of painterly fluidity, soft transitions and an almost immaterial luminous environment. Wool is transformed into a kind of analogue of cosmic matter, whilst the surface of the work itself is perceived as a visualisation of the infinite space of the Universe.The key semiotic image of the composition is the shanyrak — one of the most important symbols of Kazakh culture. In the traditional worldview, the shanyrak signifies not only the structural centre of the yurt, but also the sacred axis of the world, connecting humankind with the heavens and the spiritual realm. In this work, its contours take on a cosmological significance: the shanyrak is transformed into a metaphor for a portal or an energy centre through which a person enters into dialogue with the infinity of the cosmos. The colour scheme plays a key role in shaping the emotional and symbolic space of the work. Deep blues, purples and pinkish hues evoke associations with cosmic nebulae, star clusters and the boundless night sky. The multi-layered application of wool fibres creates a complex optical depth, thanks to which the surface of the work appears to be in motion and glowing from within. Streaks of white wool function as symbols of stars and constellations, reinforcing the sense of cosmic infinity and the inner radiance of space.