ART NOMAD

An exhibition of Kazakh art is to be held from the 17th to 19th October 2008 at Christie’s flagship auction house in King Street, which will showcase the work of some of the nation’s best artists, in addition to raising awareness of those who will benefit from Saby – the people of Kazakhstan who suffer disabilities.

At the “ART NOMAD” exhibition, 46 works by 30 leading artists of Kazakhstan will be displayed, including works of art by Agim-Saly Duzelkhanov, Saule Suleimenova, Manat Kaspak, Andrey Noda and Askar Yesdauletov.

The historical ties can be clearly seen in the works of Agim-Saly Duzelkhanov and Yeraly Ospanuly, who have created an entire portrait gallery inspired by the legendary Kazakh khans and batyrs – the heroes of the Kazakh people. In Duzelkhanov’s interpretation of the Sakian warriors stopping the unconquerable army of the Persian Tsar Darius, he dramatically depicts streaming flags, snow leopards and the “pikes” of the Sakian hats disappearing into the horizon. Yeraly Ospanuly’s artistic tool of preference is the pen, as it allows him to achieve strong artistic effect in his works. Like Duzelkhanov, his works are also connected with the legends, myths and epos of the Kazakh people. The creative work of the artist Yesdauletov is expressed in his refusal to adhere to the confines of modern society. The ideals of seeking harmony with nature are the main motive of his paintings.

Many of these artists have previously exhibited their works in Kazakhstan and abroad and several of the artists will be at the exhibition itself. The works selected for this exhibition illustrate the development of modern fine art in Kazakhstan, encompassing a variety of styles, genres, trends and culturally exciting material

The Charity Foundation “Saby” prides itself on using a different strategy for fund raising. Rather than relying on donations, it has successfully branched out to long-term programs and social investments, a prime example of which being this «ART NOMAD» project. It has carried out several charity projects in the fields of social welfare, medicine and education, with their main concentration being on educational projects and social adaptation for adolescents upon leaving orphanages. The foundation also provides constant care for the physiological and intellectual development of the adolescents, by inviting psychologists and doctors to visit the orphanages.

“Saby” recognises that children living in orphanages lack the essential grounding and stability that is necessary for young people today, and through their many projects, they endeavor to change this situation. The aim is to help the orphans to become fully-integrated into society, enjoying equal rights to the rest of the public. In addition to this, “Saby” also provides regular support to children with disabilities, supplying them with wheelchairs and providing the necessary financial aid to allow the boarding houses to purchase technical equipment and special facilities.

The «ART NOMAD» project will be exhibiting the best modern works of Kazakhstani artists and demonstrates how the mix of Western and Eastern society, the culture of nomads and urban civilization, hi-tech traditions, practices of old philosophy are smoothly incorporated in the fine arts of Kazakhstan.

We are certain that this exhibition will evoke a positive response to Kazakh artwork and will encourage support for their charitable projects.

The Embassy of Kazakhstan to the UK