Art and Culture - The Times Of Central Asia

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Humanitarian International Relations Art and Culture

Kazakhstan’s Goodwill Ambassadors

A Goodwill Ambassadors of Kazakhstan project has been newly launched by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the project aims to increase the country’s visibility and promote its achievements abroad. Under the scheme, Kazakhs excelling in art, sports, science, medicine, and other fields are enlisted to expand cultural and humanitarian communications by serving as conduits of peace, friendship, and international solidarity. Addressing the ‘ambassadors’ at the launch ceremony on June 6, Deputy Prime Minister–Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu announced: “In an unprecedented geopolitical environment, public and cultural-humanitarian diplomacy is becoming increasingly in demand. Thanks to your victories and outstanding performances on world stages, arenas, and conferences, our turquoise flag is raised across the globe, and our national anthem resounds with pride.” The profile of participants, publicly recognized for their contribution in shaping a positive image of the country internationally, is wide-ranging and to date, includes: Violin virtuoso, conductor, and director of the Alliance of Orchestras of the Asia-Pacific region Marat Bisengaliev; Olympic champion cyclist Alexander Vinokurov; artist and anti-nuclear activist Karikbek Kuyukov; pop singer Mirhidai Mirfarukh, known globally by his stage name Adam; Chairman of the Executive Board of the University Medical Center Corporate Fund and cardiac surgeon Yuri Pya; political scientist and historical map researcher Mukhit-Ardager Sydyknazarov; chief conductor of the State Academic Folklore and Ethnographic Orchestra named after Tlendiyev “Otyrar Sazy” Dinara Tlendiyeva; and powerlifting world record holder and Guinness Book record holder Sergey Tsyrulnikov.

Eurasian Film Art and Culture

Sixth Eurasia Creative Guild Film Festival to be Held in the U.K.

From May 24-28, Premier Cinemas Romford will host the Eurasia Creative Guild (ECG) Film Festival, in collaboration with the Romford Film Festival for the sixth consecutive year, featuring a diverse line-up of films from across the globe. Founded by the ECG to foster deeper cultural ties and understanding, the festival will feature 100 submissions from 22 countries, with movies from Spain, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the U.K., Iran, Uzbekistan, Russia, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and China. In addition to the competition, there will be a program of educational films. The opening ceremony will feature an exhibition of original work by Central Asian artists, headlined by Rahima Makhmut from Kyrgyzstan, and a presentation by Gulsifat Shakhidi, a renowned writer from Tajikistan, of her latest book. On May 28, the ECG will present awards for the Best Eurasian Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, and Best Screenplay.

POWs museum Art and Culture Japan Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan Opens New Museum Commemorating WW2 Japanese POWs

On 30 April, Uzbekistan Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov joined by Ambassador of Japan to Uzbekistan Hatori Takashi, founder and director of the museum, Jalil Sultanov, and representatives of the Japan Society in Uzbekistan to celebrate the opening of a new museum in Tashkent commemorating Japanese prisoners of war. Over 20,000 Japanese POWs captured by the Soviet Union during the second world war, were interned in Uzbekistan between 1945-1950. During this period, the prisoners were dispersed across the country to construct buildings, dams, and roads in regions including Angren, Bekabad, and Kokand, and in Tashkent, built the Alisher Navoi Opera Theatre, the Mukini Theatre, the Central Telegraph and Ministry of Culture, as well as barracks still in use today. According to estimates, 817 died in the process. The new premises, under construction since 2023, replace the original museum founded in May 1998. Housing photographs, documents, and artefacts, such as prisoners’ workwear and a wooden crib made for the local market, the collections testify to the lives of Japanese POWs in Uzbekistan, and given a new lease of life, are expected to become a major draw for Japanese tourists visiting the country.

Cinema Art and Culture

Development of Kazakhstan’s Cinematography: An Inside Look – An Interview with Kazakh Actor, Abay Kazbayev, on Kazakhstan’s Film Industry and its Prospects for Development

Kazakhstan's film industry is attracting more and more attention globally, and many talented actors are contributing to its development. One such theater and film actor is Abay Kazbayev, who agreed to share his experience and vision of the industry. How did you start in the industry? I have no specialized education, but I’m constantly learning. I started to explore a career path as an actor at the age of 33, after trying my hand in many different fields. I’m now actively engaged in developing my range, from plasticity to internal monologue. To date, I’ve worked on series such as Shahristan, Upperty, and Shabashniki. Shooting the latter, I had to shave my head for the role, which looked strange. In general, I like to experiment on the image. It’s interesting to observe the change of type. I also worked on two theater projects, on one of which I was lucky enough to work with Saulius Varnas, a European theater director. He staged the play, A House in the Middle of Spring, based on Eugene Ionesco's script, Hunger and Thirst. On this project, I worked with such professionals as Marat Amiraev, Altynshash Shayakhmetova, Sharim Dostay, and others. In my second theater project, I had the lead role, but, unfortunately, we managed to stage just one private performance. (Shakhrisatn is a Kazakh detective thriller from 2023; Marat Amiraev is a famous Kazakh actor who starred in such series as 5:32 and Prisoners; Altynshash Shayakhmetova is a Kazakh actress who starred in such series as Boztorgai and Bir Toksan.) How do you perceive the evolution of Kazakhstan's cinematography over the past decades? What key changes have taken place, in your opinion? It is difficult to talk about decades, as ten years ago, I was in a completely different sphere. But I can say that coming to the movie theater I can now watch one or two of our domestic films, which certainly pleases me. Ten or twenty years ago, the release of a Kazakhstani film in theaters was something of an event, but it’s now become the norm. Many people criticize our movies for being limited to comedies and crime dramas but I for one, greatly enjoy movies such as Business in the Kazakh Way. It is still too early to talk about (local movies) as an industry, since to my mind, it doesn’t exist as such. Having said that, we have plenty of people engaged in creating movies: directors, producers, actors, - actors turned directors, actors turned producers, and vice versa. A highlight for me, was the movie Nomad. Released about twenty years ago, it ignited the dreams of many aspiring artists many of whom have since made a name for themselves, including Sanjar Madi, who starred in many of its scenes. Other key events include Akan Satayev's The Racketeer which came out a few years after Nomad, followed by Farhat Sharipov's The Tale of the Pink Hare. Both provided a wave of new faces and young blood to...

Art and Culture

Problems and Prospects for Development: Raushan Yeschanova on Art in Kazakhstan

It is said that art can open doors to the depths of the human soul, transport one to other worlds and allow one to see and experience things from a new perspective. The history of Almaty is rich in culture and creativity, and today, Almaty-based art historian Raushan Yeschanova shares her thoughts on contemporary art in Kazakhstan, the problems of its development, and the role that will be played by the new Museum of Contemporary Art, which is scheduled to open this year. TCA: Tell us how you came to study art? Traveling has always made me think about how mankind was able to create such masterpieces and what moved them. And it's not just about the Renaissance, Art Nouveau and or contemporary art; it’s also about ancient Egyptian art and artifacts from lost civilizations. In addition, I worked as an interior designer, and this required a good knowledge of interior styles. After all, art is not only paintings and sculptures, but also architecture, and I always wanted to immerse myself in it. TCA: How do you assess the influence of the national culture of Kazakhstan on the development of contemporary art in the country? If we talk about the present time, at the moment our country is experiencing, I would say, "a period of revival in art". Since the formation of the fine arts school in Kazakhstan occurred during the accession of Kazakhstan to Russia, our art developed under the influence of Russian painting, which in turn looked to Western European art. After all, before the period of annexation there was only decorative applied art, and to engage in painting was forbidden due to religious traditions. After a century of development, once ideological principles became less strict, artists have returned to their "nomadic" past in which they find more and more sacred knowledge about life TCA: What themes and motifs from history and culture most often inspire contemporary artists? They are inspired by rock art, symbols, mythological subjects… Kazakhstan is first of all a steppe, it is a yurt - and this universe is a source of inspiration for many. Artists use different styles, for example, combining ancient techniques with painting or, for example, placing the meaning of human existence into the national female headdress, the "saukele". TCA: What problems do contemporary artists face in Kazakhstan? The main problem facing contemporary artists is the underdeveloped art market within the country. Many established artists live and work outside of Kazakhstan. As for young artists, it is the lack of quality institutions aimed at the realization of their creativity. There is no opportunity to participate in exhibitions, and the basis for promotion is social networks. Despite the presence of galleries in the cities, not all artists have the opportunity to display their works, as the issue of selling work is often controversial. Also, many talented artists have second jobs where their labor is better paid; for example, in the field of interior design, wall painting or creating...

Art and Culture Traditions Bilateral Relations

“Walking the Silk Road” Chinese Cultural Exhibition Held in Bishkek

A recent exhibition in Bishkek, titled "Walking the Silk Road, Allowing Cultures to Integrate," centered on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and showcased Chinese culture. Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Li Baojie, representatives from educational institutions of both Kyrgyzstan and China, and business delegates attended the event, as reported by Xinhua. Deputy Prime Minister Baisalov emphasized the transformative impact of the BRI on the region, including Kyrgyzstan, stating, "It has actually had a huge impact on the political and economic situation around the world." Charge d'Affaires Li highlighted over a decade of fruitful cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China within the BRI framework. Li emphasized the importance of cultural interaction and exchange within the initiative, noting that exhibitions like this provide opportunities for the Kyrgyz people to gain a deeper insight into Chinese traditional culture and customs, fostering stronger mutual understanding. The exhibition, organized by the Kaifeng Management Committee of the Pilot Free Trade Zone of China (Henan) and the Kyrgyzstan-China Friendship Association, showcased stone carving reflecting the Spring and Autumn period, wood carving themed on "New Year's Pictures," and intricate paper-cutting artistry.