Artist Aigerim Karibayeva on How Kazakhstan Is Searching for Its Visual Identity

Kazakh artist Aigerim Karibayeva is part of a new visual wave that seeks to blend traditional culture and contemporary aesthetics. Her distinctive style – bright, airy, almost spring-like imagery infused with ethnic motifs and scenes from everyday life – has moved beyond social media into major exhibition spaces. Her works are currently on display at the Kasteyev State Museum of Arts, where her solo exhibition My Sky Above Me recently opened. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, she discusses how she coined the term “ethno-modernism,” why ethnic aesthetics is surging in popularity, and how Kazakhstan is searching for its own visual identity. TCA: Aigerim, you describe your work as “ethno-modernism.” How did you arrive at that concept? Aigerim Karibayeva: I started moving in this direction and sharing my work on Instagram several years ago. I quickly found my audience; there was strong interest from the media and many interviews. To talk about my work, I needed a term that would define it, something verbal. But I didn’t want to call it simply “contemporary art,” because that didn’t reflect the essence of what I do. I thought: why not call it “ethno-modernism”? I consulted the well-known art historian Olga Baturina, and she approved. The term immediately caught on. I now see it used in the press, on social media, and even in the profiles of young designers. Today, “ethno-modernism” is used to describe an entire wave of artists and designers, the boom we’ve been seeing over the past five years. TCA: Why do you think ethno-modernism has become so popular now? Aigerim Karibayeva: I think it’s been building for a long time. I’m trained as a graphic designer, so I have a strong visual awareness. I saw how interest in national style and ethnic elements gradually emerged in the country. First, businesses began using it in branding, then advertising picked it up, and eventually it spread into mass culture. Now, ethnic elements combined with modern aesthetics have become a visible part of everyday life. [caption id="attachment_48156" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] From a personal photo archive[/caption] TCA: That was especially noticeable during recent Nauryz celebrations – everyone seemed to be wearing ethnic-inspired clothing. Aigerim Karibayeva: Exactly. Everyone is searching for a new cultural code right now, artists, musicians, filmmakers, craftspeople. At first, you create something within your own circle, among fellow artists, and then it spreads outward. You start seeing and hearing it everywhere, for example, in new interpretations of Kazakh music. You recognize that mix, and it becomes a kind of key. You try to translate that same cultural fusion into your own work. I’ve had people tell me they were inspired by my work. One woman approached me and said that after seeing a traditional headpiece, a taqiya, in my illustration, she was inspired to start making them herself and  launched a successful business. That’s how this wave works, there’s a ripple effect, and everyone picks it up. TCA: There’s clearly strong demand for ethnic aesthetics right now. Aigerim...