Art Exhibition at AUCA

March 23, 2012

Kayirgul Kazybekova

Background

Kaiyrgul Kazybekova is a talented Kyrgyz artist and designer. She began and continues her career in oil painting and graphics, but has lately focused on exterior and interior design, decoration and glass painting. She participated in decorating the archeological center Koshoi-Korgon in At-Bashi, the Supara ethnic center (where she painted a chandelier 3.5 meters in diameter), the Dordoi mosque, and other facilities. Says Kaiyrgul, “In my work with glass (chandeliers, ceiling and wall lamps, stained windows, and glassware) I like to open and experiment with new material and new methods. Glass is a challenge to work with, but the product brings joy to people and creates a special atmosphere.”

 

Please tell us a little bit about your educational background and professional path. 

I am an artist-designer, graduated from art school.  I also paint using watercolour and oil paints.  I enjoy creating something new and growing in professional way.

 

Why did you decide to start glass painting?

It was spontaneous.  I saw a mosaic from different color glass pieces glued to a piece of cardboard.  I found it interesting that from ordinary colorful splinters you can create a composition.  I loved this creative approach and I instantly desired to do something similar.  I truly believe that you can create something interesting out of nothing.  If to paint glass, for example, something unique comes out of it, even form changes.  

 

Do you paint anything else besides ware?

I paint chandeliers, mirrors.

 

Do you follow specific style of glass painting?

Painting of this kind is called glass art.  Stained-glass window art occurred in Europe in 11 century.  Generally, those were professional stained-glass window painting in gothic style decorating church windows.   Glass painting emerged in Italy in 15^th century.  Even though, the concept is not new, I still, as all of my fellow-artists, I still want to create something new, something owned.

 

Where in the city we can find your art-pieces?

I have my own art studio. Anyone can stop by to see my work.  I also teach composition and technique at design department of art school.

 

Is there a great interest towards your pieces of work?

I am in glass painting around 5 years.  Last year I had my professional exhibition in “Dubovii park”.  A lot of people came to see my art and that was flattering.

 

Does this interest come from local public or people from abroad are also interested?

Foreigners are also interested definitely.  This is year is the third year that I design main stands of big international art exhibition in Moscow.  My style and approach was called innovative at this exhibition as it appeared that no one before did something similar. 

 

Do you plan your future pieces or they are born spontaneously?

I always have mass of ideas, but I do not write them down, I remember all of them.  There are images in mind that I would like to embody.  I always look for new ideas in glass painting, but sometimes it is useful to review your old work to reflect and get inspired. 

 

Are there pieces that are particularly valuable to your heart and you find it hard to part with them?

For me they are all valuable, but I prefer to move one, I finish something and I am ready to start new thing.  Plus, it is a joy when someone wants to have your piece of work at home, it’s like presenting a piece of you, of your soul. 

 

 

Sabirjan Babadjanov

Background

Sabidjan Babadjanov is a well-known Kyrgyz artist remarkable for his life experience and unique art. Born in Xingjiang, China, his family was forced to flee their hometown of Dardamtu for Kyrgyzstan.  Here he developed as an artist, becoming a distinguished artist of the country, and his paintings have been exhibited both in Kyrgyzstan and abroad. Being a versatile artist who uses different techniques and genres, Sabdijan manages to convey the spirit of Central Asia and the Silk Route.

Recently he began a series of portraits of famous thinkers and turned to the theme of celestial signs and nostalgia. Art critic G. Toktosunova writes about Babadjanov, "He is a special kind of artist who has his own system of relations with the world based on the philosophy and culture of western Asia. The works produced in his ‘laboratory’ are the fruit of his sincere feelings and reflection on human destinies, an attempt to determine his place in society and nature; they are formulas of harmony and search of the truth. His paintings seem to be permeated with the sunlight and covered with the dust of centuries, and in the blaze of heat and the velvet of night the objects lose their shape; the world appears as mirage, and against this background an insight is revealed embodied in the images of Avicenna, Leonardo, Pushkin, Yusuf Balasaguni, and Roerikh."

How did you decide to become an artist?

Everyone has a talent granted by God, mine is in painting, I really like drawing in school.  I was born in China in Uigur independent state at that times and completed 8 grades there.  In 44 there was a rise against Chinese authoritarism, then Mao communists came, my grandfather was dispossessed and we fled the country.  So, me and my parents settled in Kirovskii rayon (Talas oblast’) near Sheker village where Aitmatov Chingiz was born. We came in harvest time and all of the family was working in the fields and during the evening learning Russian and English. When I graduated in 1958 from Kyrgyz school I was dreaming to enter Central Asian University in Tashkent, but my Russian did not allow me.  So I was advised to enter Art school as I was good at drawing.   I entered Tashkent art school and studied there for a year, it was hard, living allowance was not enough, so I transferred to Bishkek school of arts. After graduation I was taken to the army straight away, I served 3 years at Baikanur. 

 

What is the reason behind you choosing to paint famous people?

I think the main reason is the disadvantages of the progress, young people now read classics less and less.  So in 2002, I decided to draw constellation of great people.  You can see portraits of various people starting from Leonardo de Vinci and finishing by Chingiz Aitmatov.  Mostly I used their self-portraits to create my own vision of them.  For example, a portrait of Chingiz Aitmatov and a serious of paintings illustrating his work pieces were exhibited in Frunze museum.   Another series of portraits of famous “manaschi” was dedicated to 1000 year anniversary of epos “Manas”. 

 

What inspires you in your art?

Nature, definitely holds first place and literature, I read a lot.  Ideas come when some happenings take place, for example, when 24 March civil riots took place I created series called “Army of consciousness”.  Artists do express their own civil position in their work. 

 

Are you able to paint a preordered piece?

No, I think a painting comes from one’s heart, I am frequently asked to replicate a famous piece, but I cannot, I cannot force myself to create something, I have to get inspired.  But, I do not judge by any means those who do replicate or get orders, nowdays it is hard to earn money. 

 

We see that a lot of your pieces are inspired by Chingiz Aitmatov’s work..

I remember reading “Jamilya” in 2^nd grade of art school and I fell in love with his work instantly. Plus, I could relate to places that he was describing that is where I grew up when I moved to Kyrgyzstan. Every year I was looking forward to new book of his.   Talking about the series that I did on his art, needed to note that I do not illustrate, I interpret  the main message or thought.  I worked on this one for a long time and did not share with him.    In 1988 when it was his 60-year anniversary, in the House of Culture there was a “literature” exhibition.  Right behind AUCA, there was once a House of Writers and Chingiz Aitmatov was the Chair at that time.  I was asked to do a thematic series of paintings to decorate the House of Culture.  I was hesitating as there were only 2 month before the actual event and I was worried that I would fail to finish everything in time.  In the end,  the work had to be approved by Aitmatov himself and I was holding my breath waiting for his evaluation.  “So, let’s exhibit it” – he said.  That’s how our acquaintance started.  After that series, I rejected offers that I got from different authors to interpret  their work, I think there isn’t one that can compete with him, at least for now. 

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