Muratbek Djoumaliev
Contemporary art of Kyrgyzstan
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
Despite the fact that the development of contemporary art in the post-Soviet
space occurred in identical conditions of institution's deficiency, absence
of dialogue with authorities, misunderstanding at local level and as result
— producing of artwork to export, — nevertheless the contemporary
art of Kyrgyzstan has its own features.
Speaking about the genesis of Kyrgyzstan contemporary art, it is impossible
to ignore the art situation developed at the end of 80-es, tremendous
activity of artists and architects of this period. This activity included
the movement "New Wave", and the participation of our artists
in a seminar of Underground Art in Estonia, and festival "Architectural
Alternatives".
On the one hand, young artists of «New Wave» supported the high temperature
of this boiling pot. The brightest of them did not limit themselves in
post modernism style and created sharply social artworks.
On the other hand there were representatives of so-called "Paper
Architecture". One of the centers alongside with Novosibirsk, Moscow
and Kazan was Frunze (now Bishkek). "Paper Architecture" as
the phenomenon has existed short time, but rendered powerful influence
on conceptual and creative activity of many young architects and designers
in Kyrgyzstan.
The beginning of 90-es became the period of "stagnation" of
art in Kyrgyzstan. During this period an architectural studio "Museum"
becomes a center where there were initiated interesting ideas, discussions,
and exhibitions on the themes of contemporary art. At this studio there
were conducted the meetings with poets, musicians and artists. All this
activity existed irrespectively of any official organization, and the
studio was, as a matter of fact, a club of creatively gifted people.
This activity resulted in three large exhibitions "Parallel city"
(1997), "Labyrinthos" (1998) and "Plus — Minus"
(1999).
All these exhibitions were conducted at the National Museum of Fine
Arts, with the participation of the artists from Kazakhstan.
The certain break-through in contemporary art of Kyrgyzstan was the participation
in the second annual exhibition of the Soros Center of Contemporary Art
in Almaty in 2000. Curators of the exhibition selected two projects: "Paradise"
of "Zamana" group (Muratbek Djoumaliev, Gulnara Kasmalieva,
Talant Ogobaev, Marat Sarulu, Shailoo Jekshenbaev) and "Runway"
(Ulan Japarov, Alexander U, Chingiz Tokochev, Ernest Abdrazakov and Valery
Ruppel).
As it is already known, in 2002 there were three significant events
in Central Asian contemporary art. These are the exhibitions "NO
MAD'S LAND" in Berlin, "Reorientation" in Weimar and "TRANS-FORMA"
in Geneva.
One of the participants of the project in Berlin and Geneva was Shailo
Jekshenbaev. As artist-photographer Shailo Jekshenbaev was formed not
at a short period of time. The professional architect, one of the authors
of the building of the Kirghiz National Museum of Fine Arts, suddenly
tears his career and devotes himself to cinema and animations. Now he
is a known film designer and the photographer with his own inner vision
of the world. A series of photos "Between the Centuries" has
been submitted at exhibition "No Mad's Land" in Berlin. (DISPLAY
of VIDEO)
Other creative tandem is "Art Connection". Shaarbek Amankulov
and Lizzy Mayrl have presented in 2001 the project "Signs of Eternity".
The participants of the project lived in deserted coast of the Lake Issyk-Kul
for one month and created the objects, video, and photos, using only local
material.
One of video installations has been submitted at the exhibition in Berlin.
Installation has consisted of the long, made of yak hair, ladder departing
from the monitor. On the monitor the spectator could see video film showing
the process of manufacturing of this ladder.
In 1999, at the studio "Museum", there were conducted a number
of photo-exhibitions of Alexander U. He, together with Roman Moskalev
and Ira Dekker, formed a group "Armour Train", and made numerous
video films, such as "Tea Ceremony" and "Artist 2".
Distinctive feature of group — irony and remarkable sense of humor.
At the exhibition in Berlin Ulan Japarov has presented a series of photos
from the action "Unheard Song".
Now Ulan Japarov is known not only as the architect, editor of literary
and art almanac and curator of projects, but also with his actions as
"I am", shown on festival of arts in Almaty, "Hot Head
— Cold Heart". Last one had been submitted within the frameworks
of the international exhibition "Inner Asia" 2002, and at the
Geneva exhibition the same year. Under the statement of Ulan, hot head
and cold heart became a symbol and source of problems of our time.
In 1998 Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djoumaliev became initiators
of creation of a group "Zamana", which has carried out three
projects: interactive installation "The Wall of Talking Clay"
on Soros festival of arts in Bishkek, the video project "Paradise"
first at the annual exhibition of the Soros Center of Contemporary
Art — Almaty in 2000 and then in the exhibition "No Mad's Land"
and the photo project "Encounter with the Shadow" also in Berlin.
In 2001, at the exhibition "Hand Made" in Saint Petersburg,
Gulnara Kasmalieva for the first time showed performance "Farewell
Song". Subsequently it will be shown in 2002 at the exhibition "Inner
Asia" (Curator Vladimir Nazansky from Novosibirsk) and at the exhibition
"Transforma" in Geneva.
Unfortunately it is impossible to show all artworks of all these artists
within such a short period of time. Nevertheless, I will be happy if something
has touched you. Thank you.
©SCCA 2001-2002
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