This exhibit presents an alternative and perhaps unusual view of artists and their work. Generally, the perception of artists is based on exhibitions and museums where they exhibit their finished and polished works. But we want to show, on the one hand, the process of artists work; on the other hand, the macro context where artists live and work - the uncompromising and unflinching transformation of Almaty.
Instead of using the historical precedent tradition, we turn to anthropology as a tool for investigation. Increasingly, contemporary artists draw on anthropology and other social sciences as a way of exploring themselves, society and culture. Anthropology is an effective tool for understanding, relating and engaging with the world. As anthropologists, we have spent a lot of time visiting artists studios, talking to artists and participating in their daily lives. As artists, we have re-interpreted the collected material, filtered through our artistic visions and now present it to your attention. In order to understand and experience it fully, you have to spend a significant amount of time in this exhibit, at least a couple of hours. You can use this as an opportunity to stop, take your time and submerge yourself in the world of an artist.
Our project is a collective collaborative work in the fullest meaning of this word. In the process of the preparation of this project, we lived and worked together in the same space for two months. This exhibit is one whole piece of art. Each element has been carefully selected and discussed among the four authors. It is situated in the space so that it is in dialogue with other art pieces. We hope that this visit will help us understand and learn more about Almaty so that everyone can participate in its future.
The exhibit consists of three zones. The hall of the first floor contains an installation consisting from paintings and drawings of Daniel Gallegos, photo-installation of Gaisha Madanova, video of Aminatou Echard, and texts recorded and selected by Zhanara Nauruzbayeva.
In the room on the second floor, we have installed the video-projection of Aminatou Echard, paintings and drawings of Daniel Gallegos, texts by Zhanara Nauruzbayeva as well as an installation prepared by Georgii Tryakin-Bukharov specifically for this exhibit.
The basement floor rooms contain the three-channel video installation of Aminatou Echard and a painting of Galim Madanov, also prepared exclusively for this exhibit. In the room leading up to it, there is an installation work prepared by Assel Kalieva and Irina Maslikova. It consists of an animation film Bon Appetite! and accompanying video about the process of their work on this film that was shot and edited in different spaces.
Saturday, August 18th, 2007