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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.

Mural from the series ‘Sheksizdik’ (‘Infinity’). 38 Saryarka Avenue, Astana. Photo from B. Asemkul’s personal archive. https://vlast.kz/gorod/60212-stolicnye-graffiti.html

Artist Beibit Asemkul

Команда художников «AirG» - air_g_art. Мурал Иле-Каратал. @air_g_art

This monumental art installation is executed in a graphic style reminiscent of academic drawing in charcoal or soft pencil. The composition of the mural is an expression of gratitude to the artist’s mother, who raised him in a large family.The deep wrinkles on the face of the elderly woman wearing a multi-layered headdress convey a sense of inner strength and lived experience. Her image embodies Time and Memory themselves. The drapery of the headdress, rising upwards towards the heavens, connects the female figure with the Higher Divine World. The work makes a strong impression, particularly through the combination of its almost monochromatic graphics and the psychological expressiveness of the image. Its visual language evokes, on the one hand, a sense of human vulnerability and, on the other, dignity and the traces of a life lived.