About

Publications

Knowledge Database

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.

Craftsman’s residential house. 17th–18th centuries

Craftsman’s dwelling • 17th–18th centuries. Kultobe settlement, Turkestan Region

Craftsman’s residential house. 17th–18th centuries

This residential building is of considerable interest as a monument to urban culture and traditional housing construction in late medieval Kazakhstan. The architecture of such houses reflects the characteristics of the daily life of the artisan population, which was closely linked to productive activities and the way of life in an Eastern city. The layout of the dwelling is characterised by its rationality and functionality. The house typically comprised living quarters, utility areas and a workshop, arranged around an inner courtyard. This spatial organisation provided insulation from the outside environment and created comfortable conditions for family and professional life. The inner courtyard served as an important compositional centre around which the family’s daily activities were organised.The hearth or tandyr occupied a central position, serving not only as a source of heat but also as the sacred centre of the dwelling. Niches in the walls were used for storing utensils and simultaneously formed a rhythmic structure within the interior space. The simplicity of the architectural forms was combined with a well-thought-out organisation of daily life and the aesthetics of the everyday.