Where metamodern art meets tradition: An evening with Kazakh modernist artist
In Astana, an artist talk with Gaukhar Bissengalieva, known as Aruhan, and curator Anvar Musrepov offered a rare glimpse into how contemporary Kazakh art engages with memory, tradition, and the steppe, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Felt as cultural medium
Central to the discussion was felt, a material historically woven into nomadic life. Bissengalieva collects wool, grasses, seeds, and plant fragments from the steppe, transforming them into layered compositions where light plays a crucial role.
Felt, in her practice, carries touch, time, and memory, revealing internal structures that shift between organic and abstract. Ornament is not replicated from tradition but developed intuitively, emphasizing the emergence of meaning during making.
Process as memory
Bissengalieva described a method rooted in continuity and intuition. She works independently, without sketches or predetermined forms, allowing the work to emerge through her interaction with material.
In this process, she said, she often recalls the hands of her grandmother, whose name and craft traditions form the foundation of her approach. The act of creation becomes a conduit for cultural memory, connecting past and present in every gesture.
After the conversation, participants toured the exhibition.
Archival engagement
The artist also shared her experiences working with photographic and film archives. While preparing for international exhibitions, she explored early visual records of steppe life, discovering images of daily activities and craft that are rarely seen outside Kazakhstan.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported on how felt reflects the culture and philosophy of the Kazakh people.