From September 25 to November 8, the Abylkhan Kasteyev State Museum of Arts will host Threads of Heritage, an exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the birth of renowned Kazakh artist Batima Zaurbekova, El.kz reports citing the museum.
The exhibition will feature more than 80 works from the museum’s collection and the artist’s family archive, including tapestries, paintings, and graphic artworks.
Batima Zaurbekova is recognized as one of the founders of Kazakhstan’s national tapestry school. She was awarded the title of Honored Artist of Kazakhstan and received the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR.
A tapestry is a woven work of art created by interlacing colored threads on a loom. In Kazakhstan, this art form flourished during the second half of the 20th century, combining traditional carpet weaving, felt ornamentation, and the techniques of contemporary painting.
The exhibition will feature three galleries.
The first gallery explores the connection between Zaurbekova’s work and Kazakhstan’s traditional decorative and applied arts. The exhibition design draws inspiration from the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a landmark that frequently appeared in the artist’s work.
The second gallery presents her works according to the major stages and themes of her artistic career. Visitors will be able to view the pieces from multiple perspectives, while a specially curated musical soundtrack will enhance the exhibition experience.
The final gallery is dedicated to the image of women in Zaurbekova’s art. At its center will be a suspended shanyrak - the symbolic circular crown of a traditional Kazakh yurt surrounded by portraits of Kazakh women dressed in national attire.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to watch a documentary film about the artist and explore archival photographs. To introduce the tapestry-making process, the museum will install an educational weaving loom where guests can learn about the traditional technique.
