ASTANA – “Artists Go to the People,” an exhibit featuring works of new and seasoned artists, took place recently at the Abai station of the Almaty metro. Coordinated by the Altyn Gallery city craft union and Leonardo da Vinci School of Art, the display presented paintings which differed not only by style and genre, but also by drawing technique.
“There is only one thing which unites all the paintings – all artists are extremely brave people, because they aren’t afraid to go downstairs to the metropolitan with their paintings to show them to crowds of people and consequently spectators,” said one of the exhibition organisers Olga Vodneva, according to Today.kz.
One of young artists, 11-year-old Diana Medyuk, has studied drawing for a year. Her two glass paintings were included in the exhibit.
Zhumadil Kerimbek works on national-style paintings distinguished by special country cosiness. He teaches at Kazakh National Agricultural University and his paintings are presented in Russia, Belarus and abroad.
With more than 10 paintings on display, Dmitry Shorokhov was the most prolific artist in the exhibit. He is interested in different categories, such as still life, graphics, patchwork technique, fresco, glass paintings and many others.
The shop owned by Natalya Shumakher offers art therapy and invites anyone who is interested. One of its teachers, Irina Balan, discussed the healing properties of visual art. She instructs children and is sure that the medium can cure a number of different psychological problems, especially with teenagers. As an example, the painting “Poppies” was created by her 17-year-old daughter.
The passersby reacted in different ways to the display. Accidental spectators were a bit amazed and left quickly and impassively, while others stopped to explore the works of the Kazakh artists. The creators did their best to beautify the space with their paintings.
The exhibition wasn’t the first held in the metropolitan. A similar showing, coordinated in 2013, was dedicated to Nauryz, the holiday celebrating the coming of spring and abundance. Organisers consider the location a good one, as paintings are not exposed to the elements. At the same time, ordinary people are surprised by the opportunity to visit the exhibition by merely walking downstairs and feasting their eyes on the works absolutely free of charge.
