Artist

Saule Suleimenova

Saule Suleimenova (b. 1970) is an artist working in a variety of mediums from paintings and graphics to public art. In 1996 Suleimenova graduated from the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering with a degree in architectural design. In her work, Suleimenova explores the construct of collective memory, and researches archives and photographs as well as the semiotics of contemporary cities and the history of Qazaqstan. Her most recent series titled Cellophane Paintings are made out of used plastic bags and consists of motifs from socio-political (Arsharshalyk, Karlags, human rights, Uighur genocide) to highly personal (family members, flowers, cityscape).

She is a laureate of Zhiger, Shabyt, and Tengri Umai prizes. In 2015 her Cellophane Paintings series was featured in the parallel program of the 56th Venice Biennale within a project Why Self, in 2013 in the 5th Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art within the exhibition Migrants as well as a current solo exhibition at Andakulova Gallery in Dubai. Sulieminova lives and works in Almaty, Qazaqstan.