Art Focus Now
Kazakhstani artists are turning deeply symbolic national traditions into powerful contemporary expressions: Askhat Akhmedyarov’s installation Sabyr (2022) uses overturned cauldrons to evoke tragedy and social unrest, reflecting grief and defiance in the wake of Kazakhstan’s January protests. Alongside him, Gulnur Mukazhanova’s expansive felt installations and the immersive, multimedia tent Will There Be Freedom Then? by Medina Bazargali and Kokonja reframe felt-making and participatory ritual to challenge internalized colonial pressures and foster national introspection and liberation.
On image: Saule Suleimenova. One Steppe Forward, 2019.
On image: Saule Suleimenova. One Steppe Forward, 2019.