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On December 2, the Aspan Gallery in Almaty will host a collective exhibition of the founders of contemporary art in Central Asia. With their works, the artists will try to reveal the theme of their role in society.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected almost all spheres of human activity, which is why people around the world have experienced a global rethinking of values. Increasingly, contemporaries began to have a question that previously seemed insignificant, but has become extremely necessary in modern realities: “Who am I?”
Thus, the new exhibition Aspan Gallery, since the beginning of the pandemic, is rethinking the role of artist and art in modern society. What do people expect from artists now – activism or pure art? And does society, in principle, need contemporary art?
The exhibition will present different points of view on this issue, performed by famous artists. Among them: Rustam Khalfin, Sergey Maslov, Moldakul Narymbetov, Georgy Tryakin-Bukharov, Ulan Dzhaparov, Elena and Viktor Vorobyovs and the well-known group “Bronepoezd” (“Armored train”) (Alexander Ugai and Roman Maskalev).
Back in 1997, Rustam Khalfin presented his project “skin of the artist” at the annual Parade of galleries in the Kasteev Museum, where he tried to present a new metaphor for the painting. If earlier they were a window to the world, a screen, mirrors, then in his project the author refers directly to the artist’s body, his tactile experience and memory. At the upcoming Aspan Gallery exhibition, visitors will be able to see several original objects from Khalfin’s Artist’s Skin.
The painting of Sergei Maslov, one of the founders of contemporary art in Central Asia, is inextricably linked with his texts. Therefore, the gallery will showcase the artist’s paintings from private collections, accompanied by texts from his personal diaries.
The works of Moldakul Narymbetov, who died early, disappeared from exhibitions and galleries in Almaty for many years and will see the light again. Visitors to the Aspan Gallery will see his homage to the famous painting “Dance” by Henri Matisse.
And Kyrzgyzstan artist Ulan Dzhaparov will show his program video La nave va, which, in fact, gave the name to the exhibition “The Ship Sails”. The video shows how the artist makes a paper boat, puts it on his head and dives into the water. This action makes the boat sail on the surface of the lake on its own. The performance touches upon the themes of the artist’s fate, leaving behind only a disappearing trace.
In general, the exhibition will present the various positions of the authors on the role of the artist in society, their own vision and point of view. And although an artist may have many roles that can change over time, the desire to create will forever remain unchanged.
The exhibition “The Ship Sails” will open in the Almaty Aspan Gallery on December 2, 2020 and will last until January 17, 2021.
Visiting the exposition is free of charge, but due to epidemiological measures, preliminary registration is required by phone +7 702 592 41 93 or via WhatsApp at the same number.
Aspan Gallery is located at 140a Al-Farabi avenue (EXPO hall of Villa Boutiques & Restaurants complex) and is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00, on Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00.
