WELCOME TO KAZAKHSTAN

The State Tretyakov Gallery continues to host the exhibition “Masterpieces of Kazakh Art” — one of the key events of the Days of Culture of Kazakhstan in Russia. The exhibition, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has already sparked great public interest.The editorial team of Qazaq Culture spoke with representatives of the Abylkhan Kasteev State Museum of Arts and the Tretyakov Gallery to learn what makes this project special for both sides.For Kazakhstan, participation in such a large-scale exhibition project is not just a cultural event, but an important step in strengthening the country's international image as a center of modern Eurasian art. It demonstrates the maturity of the national school, which goes beyond ethnographic boundaries and actively engages in dialogue with global artistic trends.For the Russian side, the exhibition has provided an opportunity to view the history of Kazakh fine art from a new perspective — as an integral part of a shared cultural space where tradition and innovation develop in natural harmony. This exchange not only strengthens professional ties between museums but also broadens understanding of cultural interconnections, shaping a new perception of the region as a whole.According to Honored Worker of Culture of Russia Tatyana Gubanova, the exhibition not only introduces audiences to Kazakh painting but also forms a holistic image of the country in the perception of a wider public.The exhibition will run until November 23. Visitors are presented with 43 paintings and sculptures from the collection of the Abylkhan Kasteev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan — the country’s largest art collection.The display is complemented by 17 paintings and 11 sculptures from the Tretyakov Gallery’s own holdings, creating a rare opportunity to witness a creative dialogue between two artistic schools — Kazakh and Russian.“For us, this is not just an exhibition but an artistic chronicle of the nation,”— note representatives of the Kasteev Museum of Arts.“Each work reflects the spiritual quest, philosophy, and aesthetic vision of our society. Through the paintings of our artists, one can read the story of the nation’s formation and its cultural code,”— emphasizes exhibition curator Ekaterina Reznikova.At the heart of the exhibition is the art of Abylkhan Kasteev — one of Kazakhstan’s first professional painters, whose name the country’s main museum bears. His canvases, filled with sincere love for his native land and nomadic culture, embody the harmony between humanity and nature.The exhibition traces the evolution of Kazakhstan’s national school of painting — from the traditions of Nikolai Khludov, who influenced the formation of early Kazakh art, to the vibrant works of Aisha Galimbaeva, Gulfairus Ismailova, Kanafiya Telzhanov, and Sabur Mambeyev, in which the Russian realist tradition merges organically with national themes.“We can see how, in every decade, Kazakh art has remained true to its roots while acquiring new meanings and forms,”— note representatives of the Kasteev Museum.This is, indeed, a path of growing national self-awareness and artistic freedom.However, the development of Kazakh art did not stop with the mid-20th-century masters. After the strong professional foundation was laid in the 1950s, a new generation of artists began seeking their own expressive paths — freer, more philosophical, and experimental.From the 1960s to the 1980s, Kazakh art developed rapidly, revealing new dimensions of visual language. Tokbolat Togusbaev, Shaimardan Sariev, Kamil Mullashev, and Yerbolat Tolepbai brought philosophical depth and plastic innovation to painting, uniting national traditions with global artistic tendencies.This multilayered expressiveness of Kazakh art was especially noted by specialists at the Tretyakov Gallery.Tatyana Gubanova, chief specialist of the Foreign Exhibitions Department, Honored Worker of Culture of Russia, and laureate of the P.M. Tretyakov Award, emphasized that the exhibition has become not merely a cultural event but a true revelation for Moscow audiences.“Special attention is drawn to the landscapes of Sergey Kalmykov and Abylkhan Kasteev, and to the paintings of Sabur Mambeyev and Kanafiya Telzhanov. For many visitors, discovering these artists has been a genuine revelation. The decision to combine works from the two museums’ collections proved to be truly successful — visitors felt and highly appreciated it,”— said Gubanova.According to her, more than a thousand visitors attended the exhibition in its first ten days alone. One of her personal favorites is Sabur Mambeyev’s “In My City”, which conveys sincere love for the native land and the poetry of everyday life.“This exhibition not only demonstrates the richness of themes and artistic solutions but also helps shape a holistic image of Kazakhstan — a country with deep cultural roots, inner freedom, and a distinctive artistic voice. We sincerely hope for continued cooperation between our museums,”— said Tatyana Gubanova.The exhibition has seamlessly integrated into the Tretyakov Gallery’s permanent Soviet art collection and has already become a point of attraction for art lovers and professionals alike.The “Masterpieces of Kazakh Art” exhibition will continue through the end of November, offering Muscovites and visitors to the capital a rare opportunity to experience the richness and depth of Kazakh art — living, modern, and deeply connected to its traditions.