ASTANA – The Abilkhan Kasteyev State Art Museum in Almaty will open a personal exhibition of metamodernism artist Aruhan (Gaukhar Bissengaliyeva), titled From Steppe to the City, on Nov. 1, reported the museum’s press service.
Exhibition cover. Photo credit: Aruhan Felt/Instagram
With this exposition, Aruhan became the first Kazakh artist to participate in the United Kingdom’s Wetherby Art Festival this month, a longstanding cultural event founded in 1977 that supports international and local artistic talent through concerts, exhibitions, workshops, and other cultural activities.
The exhibition showcases the connection between generations and the continuity of traditions. Known for innovative felt art, Aruhan uses this ancient material to tell the story of the Great Steppe, exploring symbols of national identity, transformation, and rebirth. Her central element is the Kazakh carpet, which symbolizes roots, strength, energy, and a link to ancestral traditions.
Besides her artworks, the exhibition features archival photos of Kazakh artisans and a video story collected from the Central State Archive of Film and Photographic Documents and Sound Recordings of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information.
Visitors also enjoy the sounds of traditional dombyra music performed by Aruhan’s grandfather. The exposition in Almaty will run until Nov. 24.
