SEMEY – The second “Festival of Kazakh Folk Crafts: Traditions and Modernity,” organised by the Nevzorovs Museum of Fine Arts in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, was held on May 10.
More than 60 artists and craftsmen of different nationalities presented 260 creative works, which formed the basis of the exposition, which occupied two large halls of the museum. The works included the products of craft masters from Semey and the East Kazakhstan regions, as well as works of invited guests from other cities of Kazakhstan.
Rakhat Saparaliyeva, chief set designer of Abai Museum Theatre, came from Taraz and Gulnara Tabanova, designer of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, came from Almaty. Kalibek Aynazharov from Ayagoz, a participant of the Moscow exhibition “Peace Through Art” and laureate of the Samgau prize in Astana, also took part.
Svetlana Kilyaoglova, who is working on a multi-year art project and is the deputy director of the Nevzorovs Museum of Fine Arts, said, “The main objective of the project is saving Kazakh art and crafts in traditional forms as well as the development and rethinking of national traditions. Therefore, the young creators who found inspiration for the creation of contemporary works in the Kazakh crafts that came to us through the ages were of particular interest.”
Compared to 2013, the programme of the festival was more diverse. Master classes on embroidery, leather work and carpet weaving were held. The cognitive game “My Land” and the intellectual drill “Myths and Legends of the Kazakh Steppe,” were conducted for children and adults.
Performances by the team from Mukan Tulebayev Music College, folk orchestra Baige from Abai Theatre and the national staff of the urban culture house Gulsymbat helped set the tone for the festival. Festival participants and winners received trophies, certificates and letters of appreciation made possible by the financial and organisational support of the UNDP in Kazakhstan.
