Art

As a result of the cultural and religious background and the recent history of the region, there is also a wide range of traditional forms of expression in the field of art.

Art traditions

In the nomadic cultures of the Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Karalpak and Turkmen, you can find primarily ornamental and mobile art, mainly handicraft, but hardly any traditional painting, sculpture and architecture.

Also in the sedentary, urban and more Islamic cultures of the Uzbeks, Tajiks and AzMuraleris the ornamentation is in the foreground, but there are also great architecture, miniature and book painting influenced by the Iranian culture handed down. Murals and sculptures have also survived from the pre-Islamic period.

In contrast to this, the Christian culture of the Armenians and Georgians, in addition to the architecture of church and monastery buildings, has also given rise to a centuries-old tradition and mastery of fresco painting, icon painting and stone carving, from which contemporary artists also draw.

Soviet art

The period under Soviet rule brought European art in all its forms closer, but after a short time of opening just under the constraints of “Socialist Realism”. Older generation artists have mostly received a solid academic education at Russian art academies, but often have not been able to connect with international art although being at a high level of technical mastery. Many of them have problems adapting to the conditions of a free art market without state support.

Contemporary Arts

However, some of them have found their own way into contemporary art since the 1980s and in some cases have successfully established themselves on the international art scene. Although the artistic education in many countries is in a bad state or is very conservative, groups, initiatives and galleries have formed in all countries.

With the exception of the particularly active Georgian art, the contemporary art scene in most countries is still largely unknown. It is therefore particularly important to us to present artists and artistic initiatives from the region on this website and in exhibitions.