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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.

The Main Prayer, 2025. Canvas, acrylic. From the artist’s personal archive

Kaboke Oralbek

Кабоке Оралбек. Главная молитва, 2025 г. Холст, акрил. Из личного архива художника

The painting is of interest in terms of the ‘sense of place’ it conveys: the entire canvas is occupied by the enormous head of a sacrificial ram with a cross-shaped mark on its forehead. The background of the painting is a bright scarlet, like the colour of blood. On either side of the ram’s head is the text of a prayer in Kazakh and English. The Kazakh tradition of marking the forehead of a sacrificial ram with a cross is called ‘bastyng jolyn ashu’, which literally translates as ‘offering the head for good fortune’. The head of the sacrificial ram is close to naturalism, yet distorted, creating an atmosphere of rejection. The red background with the inscribed prayers serves as an antithesis to the life-affirming meaning of the ritual of sacrifice, which brings about death.