kazakh art – Saving Art

Kazgulov Alpysbai – Kazakhstan genius of painting. In his works, literally, all the colors of life are raging art, so subtly combining the eclecticism of all styles of fine art. He is the author of over 6,000 paintings, a collector of 2,000 works of graphics, painting, and sculpture. In his works, literally, all the colors of life are raging art, so subtly combining the eclecticism of all styles of fine art.

He is an honorary member of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan since 2001, a participant in exhibitions of professional masters of the fine art of the Republican and all-union levels. Alpysbai Kazygulov repeatedly participated in foreign exhibitions: Russia, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium, the persons who saw the work of talent.

In the canvases of Alpysbi Kazygulov intertwined reality and a fantastic tale of the Kazakh steppe. The images of the girls are exquisitely conveyed, the nomad’s fighting spirit is vividly displayed. A charming palette of colors awakens a stream of thoughts and feelings in the mind of a person who is seeing the picture of a person. Such a true master of his work.

“… And yet I consider myself only a beginner creator, as if to speak more precisely – studying an artist …. Now, after already 40 or 45 years, I begin to understand that everything that is writing – from childhood. What I saw then, what houses, camels, mud huts – now everything seems to be floating in my memory …”
Alpysbai Kazgulov

A piece of biography…

Alpysbai Nagymetovich Kazygulov was born on September 25, 1958, in the city of Aralsk of the Aral district of the present Kyzylorda region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The talented painter was Born in the family of Nygomet Kazygulov, power engineer previously worked in the system of fisheries of the republic. Mother, who was called Urzia, was also distinguished in society by her industriousness. Many of the Kazygulov family landmarks were order-bearers, teachers, doctors, and warlords. Known from the Kazygulov family, Alpysbai’s elder brother – Sharkhan Kazygulov, prose writer, publicist, translator, PR manager. In 1975, A.Kazigulov finishes 9th grade. The family moves to Almaty. Around this time, the environmental problem of drying up on the Aral Sea, which will have tragic consequences for the entire region for many more years.
In 1980, a young man graduated from the graphic arts department of the Abai Kazakh Pedagogical Institute.

Photos from the book about the artist and his life

Art and Promise

“The artist’s roads are generally short, if not lengthened by their tireless search”

the rule, to which the painter is true

The path of the young talent was highlighted by numerous successes. However, recognition and fame did not make Alpysbai Kazygulov mercantile, conceited. He still evaluates his work objectively. It is admitted:

“I have been at the easel for thirty years, but the farther, the more I understand that I am just learning to draw”.
Alpysbai Kazgulov

Pictures are filled with the same content as their creator. The nomadic lifestyle of the Kazakh people in the works of the author is so detailed and symbolic that the admiration takes place in the soul and mind. The joyful play of colors and shades personify the path of the nomadic people from darkness to eternal light. The author describes his creations as a necessity of striving for movement:

”With my canvases I strive to talk about how the people, overcoming difficulties, go to a brighter life. Through the play of colors and lines, I want to convey my mood. My mood is the mood of my people, because I am part of it.”

Alpysbai Kazygulov is a patriot of his homeland and people because the life of ancestors became the leitmotif of his creative activity.

“In my paintings, I want to show that at the beginning of the XXI century, we, the Kazakhs, are only in a good mood. The entire Kazakh philosophy of life is built on a positive, there are no dark tones in it, in other words, what is being done is all for the better. That is, the road is the way to a bright future, and I am sure that our people deserve it!”

About collecting…

“Collecting pictures is like an obsession! If you saw the picture and you liked it, you are just shaking, day and night you think about it. This is a strange excitement, I would even say a disease. ”

The picturesque treasury of paintings by prominent artists is replenished by Kazygulov himself periodically. Many young talents of the easel and brush have the honor to be in the personal collection of the artist. Alpysbai Kazygulov explains his hobby by the need to enlighten people not only by the works of already famous picture writers.

works from the Instagram page of A.Kazgulov

How to be an artist in Kazakhstan?

The hero speaks very fairly and honestly about the position of artists in modern Kazakhstan: “Unfortunately, in our country, there is no former prestige of the artist. In Soviet times, artists were given workshops, apartments, villas, garages. … now the artists do not feel any attention to themselves either from the Ministry of Culture or, unfortunately, from the akimats.”

“ In 2007, on the 80th anniversary of one of Kazakhstan’s iconic artists, Kanafi Temirbulatovich Telzhanov, the author of the painting “Kokpar”, considered the best work, reflecting the national mentality of the Kazakhs, representatives of the akimat (edit.-Kazakhstan’s city government) found nothing more than throwing one chapan (edit.- Kazakh national cloth) on the shoulders of the hero of the day..”,– said the artist.

“ I hope that the time will come when power will be treated with respect to artists. We, artists, must feel that we are needed by society, that our paintings bring people knowledge, intelligence and all the brightest things that are connected with progress. ”

Disagree with the words of the artist can not. Indeed, the society of creative workers of Kazakhstan is experiencing its not best times, remaining in the shadow of indifference, people do not give up the vocations of their lives, serving in the name of creativity.

“Today, in Kazakhstan, people often lack authoritative opinions of creative people. At the same time, what kind of social position can we talk about, if at the present time many artists cannot even earn their own bread, pay their rent? ”

Alpysbai Kazygulov remains surprisingly intelligent, disinterested, kind and humane, while his unimaginably beautiful and filigree work has been breathing for a dozen years and will be the eternal property of our people. In 2005, Alpysbay Kazygulov won the international award “European Union of Arts named after Masaryk”. Now he lives and works in Almaty, where his workshop is located. Last year, a personal exhibition of his paintings was held in Astana.

Maestro at work in his workshop and at the galleries