Azernews.Az

A ceremonial opening of the international exhibition titled "Cultural Dialogue: Kazakhstan – Azerbaijan" has been held in Baku, AzerNEWS reports.

The project is implemented by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, and the Azerbaijan National Art Museum.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova, Director of the National Art Museum and Honored Cultural Worker Shirin Malikova, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan Alim Bayel, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union and People's Artist Farhad Khalilov, President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Aktoty Raimkulova, and Director of the National Museum of Art of Kazakhstan named after Abilkhan Kasteyev Gulaim Zhumabekova expressed their sincere gratitude to the organizers, noting the special mission of the exhibition.

According to them, the project not only strengthens cultural bridges between the two countries but also helps deepen the sense of shared heritage and common history that unites them within the broader Turkic world.

The signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Abilkhan Kasteyev National Museum of Arts of Kazakhstan in 2024 laid the foundation for an intensive partnership between the two institutions. In the near future, the possibility of hosting a reciprocal exhibition of Azerbaijani art at the Almaty museum is being considered.

The exhibition features works from the collection of the National Museum of Art of the Republic of Kazakhstan, named after Abilkhan Kasteyev. It brings together 30 artworks showcasing the development of Kazakhstan's artistic school. The display includes both classical paintings with national motifs and works created in a contemporary artistic language. The exhibition is further enriched by eight graphic and painting works by well-known Kazakh artists provided by the collection of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum. Notably, it also includes a painting by Abilkhan Kasteyev, the legendary artist after whom the museum in Almaty is named.

Visiting such an exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the culture of another nation without leaving one's own country. Although painting expresses universal emotions and themes, its artistic interpretation is always unique. The vast landscapes and nature of Kazakhstan shape a distinct philosophical outlook, which is reflected in its artistic style and distinguishes it from other schools.

Special emphasis in the exhibition is placed on the pioneers of Kazakh painting, including Abilkhan Kasteyev, Moldakhmet Kenbaev, Kanafia Telzhanov, Nurbek Tansykbaev, and Maria Lizogub. Each artwork carries a unique mood: while Kasteyev's depiction of the Medeo mountains conveys the almost tangible coldness of harsh nature, Kenbaev presents the same peaks in a soft pastel haze filled with gentle light and warmth.

In Kanafia Telzhanov’s genre painting "The Queue," the artist captures a vivid moment reflecting people of different generations. Their faces and postures express various shades of waiting—from patient endurance to childlike curiosity. The portrait of the shepherd's daughter Sabur Mambetbayev by Maria Lizogub draws special attention. The girl's elongated figure recalls the portraits of Amedeo Modigliani, and her eyes are gently closed, yet her expression conveys dreamy melancholy and a sense of impending change.

The landscapes of Salikhitdin Aitbaev, one of the key representatives of the "sixties generation," are filled with emotional warmth and inner harmony. Deeply connected to his homeland, he makes his artistic world accessible and understandable to everyone. Notably, two of his works in the exhibition were created decades apart, reflected in their contrasting color palettes. The still life by Aisha Galimbaeva is filled with powerful energy: her bright red apples instantly attract attention, making the viewer almost physically sense their freshness, taste, and aroma.

For the author, Kazakhstan felt particularly close through the graphic work "Evening Song" by Chingiz Kenzhebaev from the museum's collection. Depicting a musician performing a song during a tea gathering, the work conveys deep, soulful melancholy and a spiritual atmosphere reflected in the faces of the listeners. The author notes that this linocut most vividly expresses the spirit of the ancient land of nomads, born in vast steppe spaces and in a silent dialogue with nature.

The exhibition program also included an international round table bringing together leading experts from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkiye for experience sharing and professional dialogue.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.