The art of the Kazakh steppe

The Steppe, an art exhibition, was on display in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 11-27 March 2016. This was the first time the solo exhibition has been in Georgia, from the United Kingdom, showing 25 works of British artist, Aigana Gali, and representing the importance of the Great Silk Road within the region.

Gali, of Georgian and Kazakh descent, was raised in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is also an actor, artistic theatre director, and ballet dancer. Her exhibition, Steppe, will also be displayed in London and Almaty.

Steppe is a ‘contemplation’ of her cultural roots, highlighting Kazakhstan by ‘re-centering the narrative on a core element that has survived through time: the Kazakh steppe.’ Through her artwork she tells a story of traditions, legends, shamanism, and landscapes. Accompanying the ‘art show’ is music specifically composed by award-winning BBC composers Olivier Behzadi and Jimmy Green. The music is a blend of Turk and Central Asian contemporary sound that creates ‘a complex, yet hypnotizing atmosphere that adds mood to the artist’s work and amplifies the viewers’ sensory experience.’

Below is Tan Ata, meaning At Dawn.

Dijida (below) is the predominant vegetation found in the steppe. When it blossoms it fills the space with an overpowering scent of honey, dust, and wood.

Aral (below) is described as the representation of the Aral Sea between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The former fourth largest lake in the world is a shadow of its former self, and is a ‘haunting site of sand, salt, and pollution.’ She adds that ‘the painting Aral brings to light a piece of Kazakh nature … with vibrant colours and elevated shapes … [and] a message of optimism and hope.’

The interpretation of Tomyris (below) is of the queen of the Massagetae (570-520BC), a Scythian nomadic tribe of the Eurasion Steppe spanning modern-day Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, western Uzbekistan, and southern Kazakhstan. Tomryis was believed to be the Amazon queen warrior who killed King Kir (Cyrus the Great), the founder of the First Persian Empire. The painting is an interpretation of her ‘colourful and complex spirit.’

Karakum (below) is Black Sand, a desert in Central Asia.

Tan Sagimi (below) is morning haze, or mirage.

Muzdai (below) represents icy, bitterly cold winters.

Kokikaz (below) means flamingo. Pink flamingoes breed on the Caspian Sea shore, ‘filling the steppe with the miracle of their presence.’

MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).