Archaic's Echo by Yuristanbek Shygaev

Archaic's Echo by Yuristanbek Shygaev

Andakulova Gallery in Dubai to present a solo exhibition “Archaic's Echo” by Yuristanbek Shygaev, a famous contemporary Kyrgyz artist.



The concept of the original solo exhibition of Yuristanbek Shygaev at Andakulova Gallery can be described by the words of Chingiz Aitmatov, the famous writer of the XX century: “Under the brush of this master, Kyrgyz myths and legends are getting the greatness of a true art…”.

Manas. 193х96cm, Acrylic on canvas. 1998

Indeed, a deep and serious interest to the old folk tales and epics of Kyrgyz people became a basis of the artist's creativity as this is where Yuristanbek Shygaev discloses a wise philosophy of ancient nomad tribes.

Yuristanbek Shygaev got an art degree at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Arts. He began his career as an artist during difficult times of the historical transformations of the society at the end of 1980s. In 1990s he was trying to find his way in the art world in the overall atmosphere of the creative freedom and the rise of the national consciousness in the independent Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The young artist was seeking ways and ideas that would be alternative to the art of the past. His main source of inspiration would be the heritage and traditions of his own national culture. Diving into the the archaic consciousness of his ancestors, he would discover truly inspiring pillars.

Jung's concepts of these archetypes being not only the foundation for traditional consciousness but also a contemporary one, gave to Shygaev's researches a phylosophical support and relevance. As the mythological experience of nomads was being gradually destroyed by the sedentary lifestyle, it turned into the ‘stumbling block' that was hardly translated into the professional art canons.

Kiss. 193x96cm. Acrylic on canvas, 1996

Yuristanbek Shygaev started developing his own style by studying traditions of Turkic nomads, understanding lifestyles and ways of ancestors' thinking. During his artistic experiments he discovered an astonishing “modernity” in techniques of the nomadic archaic, so he began a dialogue with the ancient culture based on his own experience of modernism. A new approach of expressing Kyrgyz traditions could be found in many of his scrolls - “Manas”, “Name”, “A Shallop of Time”, “Migration” and others. They represent in a refreshed way the current national culture, the most powerful source for bold experiments and fresh associations,

On the artist's monumental scrolls the mysterious signs transform into the moon and the sun; they are scattered like stars within the infinite space perceived by nomads as the world.

Migration. 193x96cm. Acrylic on canvas, 2007

Yuristanbek Shygaev's artworks translate artist's thoughts about the modern world and the fragility of its harmony throughout myths. Observing his art, the words of the great sophist Immanuel Kant come to mind: “Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and steadily we reflect upon them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me”. 

Shygaev's solo exhibition at Andakulova Gallery will be opened on March 7, 2018 and will not follow the traditional framed canvases display. Instead, the visitors are going to explore colorful monumental scrolls that will demonstrate not only a light hand and a poetic soul of the ancient nomad, but also an amazing craftsmanship of the experimenter who created his own "encyclopedia" of semi-abstract signs. These signs are strikingly close to the original archaic ones. However, the artist would not repeat or pastiche them, he extracted the most important part – an ability of the ancients to express their connection to the world with the meaningful concept.

Yuristanbek Shygaev is an iconic figure of the Kyrgyzstan’s contemporary art scene. Apart of his own creative work as an artist, he’s been a Director of the State Museum of Fine Arts named after G. Aitieva in Bishkek, Republic of Kyrgystan, for many years. Shygaev sucessfully represents an art scene of his Republic in many museums and art galleries worldwide.

Bride from Louvre. 193x96cm. Acrylic on canvas, 2009

Yuristanbek Shygaev has been awarded with many titles and prizes, such as Honored Worker of Culture of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan; Professor; Laureate (1st prize) of the “Asia-Art” Biennale (Tashkent, 1997); Gold Medal of the 9th Asian Biennale in Dakkah (Bangladesh); Laureate of the “Lifetime Recognition” International Award; Laureate of the State Prize named after Toktogul; Honored Member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts (Moscow).

More information about the current and upcoming exhibitions on the official art gallery web-site: www.andakulova.com


 

No Comments
    Leave a Comment