Almaty Museum of Arts - The Times Of Central Asia

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Almaty Museum of Arts

Almaty Museum of Arts Begins Centre Pompidou Partnership With The Clock

A year after opening, Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) has brought one of contemporary art’s best-known works to Kazakhstan: Christian Marclay’s The Clock, a 24-hour artwork assembled from thousands of film and television clips. The installation, jointly owned by Centre Pompidou, Tate, and the Israel Museum, marks the beginning of a long-term partnership between the Almaty museum and its Paris counterpart. The Clock opened to the public on September 12 and will run through October 12. The work is being shown in Central Asia for the first time. Marclay created it in 2010 from thousands of fragments of films and television programs showing clocks or referring to time. Together, they form exactly 24 hours of screen time synchronized with the real world. If a visitor watches The Clock in Almaty at 3:42 p.m., it is also 3:42 p.m. on screen. In 2011, the work won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale. A year later, it was jointly acquired by Centre Pompidou, Tate in London, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The Clock has since been shown at major museums around the world. Four 24-hour screenings are scheduled in Almaty, on September 19 and 26, and October 3 and 10. “Cooperation with Centre Pompidou is not a one-off event, but the beginning of a long story,” museum founder Nurlan Smagulov said in the museum’s announcement of the exhibition. ALMA opened on September 12, 2025. At its core is Smagulov’s collection of more than 700 works of modern Kazakh art, assembled over the past three decades. It includes works by Salikhitdin Aitbayev, Sergey Kalmykov, Yerbossyn Meldibekov, and other leading Kazakh and Kazakhstan-based artists. According to the museum, more than 460,000 people visited ALMA during its first year. The museum staged four major exhibition projects, including a solo exhibition by video art pioneer Bill Viola. For its first anniversary, it opened Müsinder, an exhibition spanning seven decades of Kazakh sculpture. More than 110 other events included lectures, discussions, concerts, and film screenings. The museum also published three books. The arrival of The Clock marks a new stage in the young museum’s international ambitions. Centre Pompidou has been expanding its presence beyond Paris for more than a decade. Its Paris building is closed for renovation until 2030, giving added scope to its international exhibition program. Málaga opened in 2015, and a project in Shanghai followed in 2019. Centre Pompidou Hanwha opened in Seoul in June 2026, while KANAL–Centre Pompidou is due to open in Brussels in November. Another site is planned for Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, in 2028. The model varies between locations, with Centre Pompidou providing works from its collection, expertise, and jointly developed programs rather than simply reproducing its Paris museum abroad. Almaty is pursuing a different model again. There will be no Pompidou branch here: ALMA remains an independent private museum. For now, the partnership can be seen quite literally – in a darkened gallery where Marclay’s screen keeps Almaty time. The museum says its international network will expand again...

Art and Culture

A Breakout Year for Contemporary Art in Kazakhstan

The year 2025 marked not only a busy period for contemporary art in Kazakhstan but also a decisive acceleration. Art moved beyond professional circles, claimed urban spaces, entered international agendas, and ceased to be a conversation “for insiders only.” The Kazakhstani art scene spoke with growing confidence both at home and abroad. New institutions, landmark exhibitions, festivals, and global collaborations signaled a pivotal shift: contemporary art has become a visible and integral component of the country’s cultural fabric. New Museums and Art Spaces in Kazakhstan Geographically, Almaty emerged as the epicenter of contemporary art activity in 2025. The city saw the opening of key institutions that became new focal points for artists, curators, and audiences. Opening of the Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) On September 12, 2025, the Almaty Museum of Arts (ALMA) opened its doors in Almaty, becoming one of the largest contemporary art museums in Central Asia. From the outset, ALMA signaled serious institutional ambitions, with a mission to support and study contemporary art processes and situate them within a global cultural context. The museum’s collection includes around 700 works, more than 70% of which are by notable Kazakhstani artists of the 20th century, such as Zhanatai Shardenov, Tokbolat Togyzbayev, Makym Kisameddinov, and Shaimardan Sariyev. Contemporary artists like Rustem Khalfin, Saule Suleimenova, and Said Atabekov are also prominently featured. Designed by the British architectural bureau Chapman Taylor, the 10,000-square-meter museum includes expansive exhibition halls (“The Great Steppe,” “Saryarka”), an Art Street atrium, storage and restoration facilities, and a creative workshop, setting a new standard for museum infrastructure in the region. [caption id="attachment_42431" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Installation view of "I Understand Everything" – Almagul Menlibayeva (12 September 2025 - May 2026), Almaty Museum of Arts; image: Alexey Naroditsky[/caption] Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture: Reclaiming a Building and Its Meaning Just days earlier, on September 5, 2025, the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture was inaugurated in Almaty. Housed in a restored 1964 Soviet-era cinema, the building underwent nearly seven years of renovation led by British architect Asif Khan. Notably, the facade’s unique sgraffito by artist Evgeny Sidorkin was preserved. The transformed space now features an exhibition hall, library, cafe, and workshop areas. Its opening was marked by the performance BARSAKELMES, with initial public access free of charge. Tselinny now operates three days a week and serves as a vital platform for exhibitions, education, and creative dialogue. [caption id="attachment_42433" align="aligncenter" width="2400"] The Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture; image: SAPARLAS/Zhanarbek Amankulov[/caption] A. Kasteev State Museum of Arts: A New Status and Contemporary Focus Kazakhstan’s primary national art institution also redefined its role in 2025. Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the A. Kasteev State Museum of Arts was granted National Museum status. In conjunction with this milestone, a new gallery dedicated to contemporary Kazakhstani art from the independence period was unveiled. The exhibition Memory. Space. Progress brought together works from leading artists, charting the development of artistic practice from the 1990s to the present. Contributors included members of the Shymkent-based Red Tractor group, Almaty conceptualists,...

Almaty Museum of Arts

Kazakhstan’s Cultural Reawakening: Almaty Opens Its New Museum of Arts

First, a young Kazakh schoolgirl in a black dress with a starched collar, her hair tousled by the wind of the Aral Sea, clutches a large Russian book tightly to her chest as she stands before a lonely school building in the middle of nowhere. Then, a camel speaks: “Give me back the sea!” “No!” cries a woman, her face hidden beneath a military hat. She stands before an abandoned edifice, her head wrapped in fur, her body strangely adorned with eggs. [caption id="attachment_36257" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Image: Almagul Menlibayeva[/caption] This series of surreal images is from the video Transoxiana Dream, by one of Central Asia’s pioneering contemporary artists, Almagul Menlibayeva. The Times of Central Asia attended her major solo show, I Understand Everything, curated by Thai curator Gritiya Gaweewong, a powerful exploration of memory, trauma, and identity, which provides the “treble clef” for the opening of the Almaty Museum of Arts. The show brings together works spanning decades, from Menlibayeva’s early paintings and collages in the 1980s, to her recent internationally recognized video and photography works. Through a variety of mediums, she charts the collapse of the Soviet Union, the ecological devastation of Kazakhstan, and suppressed cultural memory. [caption id="attachment_36258" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Almagul Menlibayeva, People Talking against a Blue Background, 1988; image: Almaty Museum of Arts[/caption] As always in her practice, the feminine and feminist narratives are at the forefront. Menlibayeva’s women are at times bound with nature or with military rule, alternately merciful or merciless. Her works tackle ecological concerns, tying them directly to the destruction of patriarchy. “For us, opening our program with Menlibayeva’s show was highly significant,” says Meruyert Kaliyeva, the museum’s artistic director. “She is a pioneering Central Asian artist who is known internationally but at the same time has always dealt with topics and themes that are important locally.” A New Museum in Almaty The inauguration of the Almaty Museum of Arts represents a decisive step in shaping Kazakhstan’s creative future. As the country’s first large-scale contemporary art museum, it houses over 700 works collected across three decades, offering a panoramic view of modern Kazakh art while opening pathways to Central Asian and international dialogues. [caption id="attachment_36265" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Almaty Museum of Arts; image: Alexey Poptsov[/caption] Its mission extends beyond exhibitions: the institution positions itself as a center for education, research, and collaboration, aiming to nurture local artists and connect them to global networks. For Kazakhstan, long without a dedicated contemporary art museum, this moment signals a new era, one in which cultural identity is asserted with confidence, and the arts are recognized as a vital force for national memory as well as international visibility. Kaliyeva emphasizes how essential it is that Kazakh artists now have a platform where voices once peripheral to national culture can take center stage. She also stresses the urgency of the moment: in a world reshaped by geopolitical fractures, climate crises, and cultural decolonization, this opening is necessary: “It’s a moment for Kazakhstan to assert its own narratives, to host...

Art and Culture

Almaty to Open Central Asia’s First Private Museum of Contemporary Art

Almaty is preparing for a cultural milestone of international significance. In September 2025, the Almaty Museum of Arts will open its doors as the first private museum of contemporary art in Central Asia. The project is poised to reshape Kazakhstan’s cultural landscape and position Almaty as a new regional hub for artists, curators, and global audiences. Architecture and Concept The 10,000-square-meter building was designed by British firm Chapman Taylor, in collaboration with Buro Happold and Lord Cultural Resources. The architectural concept draws on Almaty’s unique identity: stone elements evoke the surrounding mountains, while metal structures reflect the city's dynamism. Together, they create a space where art exists in a dialogue with both nature and urban life. The museum will include permanent and temporary exhibition halls, artist studios, educational auditoriums, a performance venue, a restoration laboratory, a café, and a museum shop. [caption id="attachment_35388" align="aligncenter" width="657"] Image: Almaty Museum of Arts[/caption] Investment and Collection The project is valued at approximately $100 million, with $30 million allocated for construction and $70 million for building the collection and outfitting the museum. The collection already comprises more than 700 works, spanning Kazakh and Central Asian artists as well as internationally renowned figures such as Yayoi Kusama, Alicja Kwade, Richard Serra, Yinka Shonibare, and Bill Viola. One permanent installation has already captured the public's attention: Nades, a 12-meter sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, stands at the museum's main entrance. Depicting a young girl with her eyes closed, the artwork has sparked mixed reactions. Museum founder Nurlan Smagulov described it as a symbol of the "strength, dignity, and beauty of women.” While some praised its serenity and conceptual elegance, others questioned its cost and originality. Regardless, Nades has succeeded in igniting a public discourse, something all meaningful art aspires to, making the museum a topic of national conversation before its official opening. [caption id="attachment_35389" align="aligncenter" width="527"] Image: Almaty Museum of Arts[/caption] Curators and Opening Program Meruert Kalieva, founder of Almaty’s Aspan Gallery, has been appointed artistic director. The museum’s chief curator will be Inga Lāce, formerly of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art and a contributor to the Venice Biennale. The inaugural program includes: “I Understand Everything” - a solo exhibition by Kazakh artist Almagul Menlibayeva, tracing her work since the 1980s, and “Qonaqtar” - a group exhibition exploring themes of hospitality and migration, curated from the museum’s growing collection. [caption id="attachment_35399" align="aligncenter" width="884"] Aisha Galimbaeva, "Shepherd's Wedding", 1965; image: Almaty Museum of Arts[/caption] Role for the City and the Region The Almaty Museum of Arts aims to serve as a bridge between Central Asia and the global contemporary art world. Beyond exhibitions, it will function as an educational platform, hosting lectures, masterclasses, and programming for children and students. The institution is expected to boost the local art scene while drawing international visitors, contributing to the creation of a new cultural district in Almaty. More broadly, it signals Central Asia’s readiness to participate fully in global artistic discourse. Almaty stands to emerge as the cultural...

Art and Culture

Spanish Artist Jaume Plensa Unveils “Nades” Sculpture for Almaty Museum of Arts

A new 12-meter sculpture titled Nades, created by internationally acclaimed Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, has been unveiled in Almaty. Commissioned specifically for the future Almaty Museum of Arts, the piece was presented during a special ceremony attended by the museum’s founder, Kazakhstani entrepreneur and arts patron Nurlan Smagulov. “We dreamed of having a work of art next to the museum that would become an important part of Almaty. Nades is the embodiment of female strength, dignity, and beauty,” Smagulov said. The sculpture portrays the head of a young woman with closed eyes and two long braids, a nod to the traditional image of a Kazakh girl. According to Plensa, the work is based on a real face that was scanned and then abstracted into a universal symbol. “I work with real people, I scan their faces and transform the image until their individuality disappears. I want every viewer to recognize themselves in them. These faces become mirrors,” Plensa explained. Born in Barcelona in 1955, Plensa is known for his monumental public sculptures installed in cities around the world. His notable works include Water’s Soul (2020, Jersey City), Julia (2018, Madrid), Roots (2014, Tokyo), Soul (2011, Singapore), and Alchemist (2010, MIT, Boston). The Almaty Museum of Arts, Kazakhstan’s first private contemporary art museum, is set to open in September 2025. It will showcase a collection of over 700 works from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and beyond, all curated from Smagulov’s personal collection.