Sotheby's London Exhibition: Contemporary Art from Central Asia & the Caucasus

Rakhim Akhmedov's Girl from Surkhandarya 1959

Around 50 artworks, including pieces by Uzbek and Kyrgyz artists, will go on display as part of At The Crossroads, the first-ever selling exhibition of contemporary art from Central Asia and the Caucasus to be organised by Sotheby’s. The pioneering exhibition will take place at Sotheby’s New Bond Street premises in London from 4 - 12 March 2013.

At The Crossroads will offer contemporary artworks in various media by artists from across Central Asia and the Caucasus, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The exhibition will showcase non-conformist as well as socialist-realist art from the 1960s, right the way through to emerging contemporary practices.

Uzbekistan will be represented by four artists: Rahim Ahmedov (1921-2008), Murod Karabayev (1963), Jamol Usmonov (1961) and Alexander Barkovskiy (1979). The pieces by these artists have gained international attention and have previously been showcased at art shows in Uzbekistan and abroad.

Kyrgyzstan's Alimjan Jorobaev’s image Mirages of Communism #1, 1994 is included in the sale. This work is part of the photographic series that the artist developed during the turbulence of the breakdown of the Soviet Union, when he travelled his native Kyrgyzstan in search of symbols of the past.

Commenting on this pioneering initiative, Jo Vickery, Senior Director and Head of Sotheby’s Russian Art Department in London, said: “Countries throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia have experienced rapid growth in recent years and this is also true of the art scene there. New collectors, art institutions and galleries are emerging every day, and it is an exciting new geography for Sotheby’s to explore. We are therefore delighted to present this landmark selling exhibition, which encompasses the diverse artistic practices of the region that combine ancient historical roots with techniques at the forefront of contemporary art.”

Alimjan Jorobaev’s Mirages of Communism #1, 1994

“The aim of this exceptional exhibition is to highlight the diverse cultural expressions of the region, while exploring its shared Soviet past. The title ‘At The Crossroads’ suggests the transitory stage in which the countries from the region find themselves, both socio-politically and in terms of artistic production,” Sotheby’s press release said. “The exhibition highlights art that has emerged from the region and searches for its new identity. Geographically located between East and West, the artists from these countries also combine tradition and folklore with contemporary Western practices.”

The exhibition is co-organised by Uzbekistan’s MEROS Association of Antiques, an art institution founded on the basis of voluntary contributions from collectors and organizations supporting Uzbek arts and the preservation of the country's cultural legacy.

View Sotheby's exhibition catalogue. 

Related posts: Alexander Volkov: Of Sand and Silk, an Exhibition at Christie's, London
Central Asia in Art: From Soviet Orientalism to the New Republics
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Ferghana Valley's BIG Tea Set

BIG tea set in traditional cotton design

Australian visitors to the Ferghana Valley will be thrilled to see that the tradition of Big Things is alive and well.

Australia can boast of the Big Banana, the Big Merino, the Big Prawn, the Big Cheese - there are evidently over 150 Big Monuments in the country.

However, the difference between those monuments and this extraordinary Uzbek tea set, is that the latter is in the front courtyard of a private house.  It is neither a restaurant nor a tea house, nor is it advertising a product.

Driving around last autumn I was astounded to see this three-piece set on the road between Quva and Margilan, in the village of Akbarobod. Thinking that it was a restaurant, I knocked on the door and was warmly greeted by an Uzbek gentleman. During our chat it emerged that he is very proud of the Uzbek tradition of hospitality, of offering guests and strangers a cup of green tea.

And so he commissioned this tea set for the front courtyard of his new house. The design follows the traditional elements of Uzbek tea sets: dark blue and white and stylised cotton flowers. You will be served countless cups of tea in such cups. And many travellers purchase the cups as small, pretty and evocative souvenirs.

The image on the left reveals the scale of this folly. Perhaps if I had not spoken with the householder I would have thought it merely kitsch.

Instead I was totally charmed.

Update April 2013: I visited Ferghana again and the owner of this extravaganza has now created a small teahouse! The entrance is through the doorway to the left of the teapot in the image.

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Manaschi - Bards of Kyrgyzstan

Manaschi,. Karakol. Image: SiGarb Wikipedia

The epic poem Manas is central to Kyrgyz traditional culture and character, psychology and spirit. It is recited by specialists known as Manaschi, who hold a special place of respect in Kyrgyz culture.

The Manas, named after the eponymous national hero, is a monumental work of 500,000 lines - the longest epic in the world. It is twenty times longer than Homer's Odyssey and Iliad combined, or about twice as long as India's Mahabharata. It is a work recounting the exploits of Manas and his descendants and followers. Battles against Kitay and Kalmak enemies form a central theme in the epic. However, the epic also includes a wealth of information about the everyday life of Kyrgyz people.

The narrators, the Manaschi, passed the stories down from generation to generation. Not only were they esteemed for their knowledge, but also for their dramatic delivery. These verses are the treasures of the collective memory of the Kyrgyz.

Although the epic is mentioned as early as the 15th century, it was not written down until 1885. The Manaschi (traditionally they are always men – although some women have taken to narrating the story as well) alternates between a rapid declamatory style when narrating factual information, and a strongly rhythmic recitative for depicting dialogue and direct quotation.

Manas statue, Bishkek. Image: Anita Breland @Anita's Feast

They use dramatic gestures, changes in tone, pitch and facial expressions as an integral part of their performance – employing all to hold the attention of the audience.

In many ways the recital of the epic by the Manaschi is indeed a performance. It almost seems as if he can see the scenes he is describing unfolding before him. He can waive his arms to indicate the armies approaching each other, his voice and facial expressions taking on the characters of the personalities as they play out their role.

The scholar, Samar Musaev, comments that although memorising and reciting the text is important, the role of the Manaschi is not simply one of repeating verses which had been committed to memory. Rather it is that of a storyteller, bound by tradition and the basic elements of the epic. Musaev notes "Because any talented narrator's performance is guided by inspiration, he never performs word for word the same piece twice, but that doesn't mean he was inventing new verses - just adapting the basic elements to reflect the mood and context of the performance".

Manaschi reciting in a private home, Karakol

Becoming a Manaschi carries considerable responsibility. Most Manashi consider that they have been endowed with a 'gift' for narrating the epic and the acquisition, or bestowing, of this gift is often linked to a dream. Such Manaschi are believed to be blessed, and audiences try to imbue themselves with their power - drinking drops of tea left in his cup, and one Manaschi reports that he often finds shirt buttons missing after a performance!

In 1995 Walter May published an English translation of the version by the great Manaschi, Sagimbai Orozbakov, in commemoration of the presumed 1000th anniversary of Manas' birth. I picked up a copy in a Bishkek bookstore.

On an Uzbek Journeys tour to Kyrgyzstan you will have the chance to listen to a Manaschi during a performance of traditional music at a private home in Karakol.

There are a few spaces available on the 2013 Kyrgyztsan tours. If you are not sure what Kyrgyzstan may have to offer apart from Manaschi, please review  5 Reasons to Visit Kyrgyzstan by writer and photographer Anita Breland, and follow the links to her other articles about Kyrgyz traditions.

To show how strong this tradition remains, below is a clip [3:20 mins] from a peformance by a 5-year old Manaschi. Just look at his expressions and gestures. (If this clip does not show on your device, please click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYzozAAkSW8)

Update 6 December 2013: The United Nations placed the Manas on its List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 4 December 2013.

Related post: Uzbek Divas: Capturing the Poetic Traditions of Central Asia  
Karakol: A Frontier Town in Kyrgyzstan
Elechek - Kyrgyz Traditional Headdress Part #1
6 Quirky Things About Kyrgyzstan 


Materials source: Celestial MountainsTravel Encyclopedia of Kyrgyzstan