For me, love is art: Leila Mahat about her personal exhibition "About Love. Leyla» 

In the capital, in the Forte Kulanshi Art Space, there is a personal exhibition of the outstanding Kazakh artist Leyla Mahat. In total, the exhibition presents 113 works that relate to different periods of her life, but are united by one theme — love. We talked with the artist about the main idea, "pure" perception and the most unexpected feedback about the exhibition. 

When did the idea come and how long did they prepare for the exhibition “About Love. Leyla”?

This is our job, that is, the Kulanshi Art Center is structurally engaged in exhibitions. We do new projects every time. We are planning exhibitions for a year or two. It was not a surprise for us, but it was known two years ago that this would be my exhibition. The format was determined by the fact that I have not exhibited in Kazakhstan for a long time and decided to do something like a retrospective, so there are so many works.

Do the visitors of the exhibition need to read or study anything in addition to your work, or is it better to come with a “clean” look and experience everything directly on the spot? 

It seems to me that the exhibition should be viewed as convenient for the viewer. Everyone has their own position, their own approach. Visual art it does not require special training like all types of art, that is, it either comes in or does not come in. I think that fresh perception is wonderful and it's probably the purest perception that can be. 

What do you think are the three words that can most fully characterize your exhibition? 

The main thing here, of course, is love. The second word will be “hope". With the third word it is a little difficult, because on the one hand there is a lot I want to say, on the other hand, all the feelings that I want to convey, they are just the same in the first word. More, of course, hope for something better.

What is the expression of “hope"?

Probably in the ideas themselves, because there are very different pictures both on the subject and on the technique of creation. I myself unexpectedly discovered that, in fact, every artist chooses his own path and follows it. In fact, how handwriting changes, how styles change does not affect what kind of idea a person has, because it's like a charge of “positive” or negative message. It seems to me that there are probably no such conceptual changes especially radically changed in my works of the year ‘85 or 2005. Of course, there are purely technical changes, the scale and technique are changing, but the message remains the same. The same hope. If you look at the graphics of the old days, it's just there right “yell”, screams that you want to get hooked on something to reach out somewhere to go somewhere. Then I was like, Lord…

Tell us about graphic works in more detail 

Unfortunately, people are not eternal, and when your parents leave, you begin to perceive the world in a completely different way, as for the emotional and intellectual component of your life. There are also, as it were, physical, practical things that need to be solved. Something needs to be done with the apartments, with the baggage that they have accumulated. It was, in fact, very touching, because I found this folder and the most interesting thing was that my husband's dad kept it. It was important to him, since he kept it. He has separate folders for each family member, where he kept newspaper clippings, some materials and brochures or scientific works that were made by certain members of our family. He had a bunch of my old catalogs in his folder and here are the graphic works. On the one hand, it was touching, on the other hand, it hurt, because you're reliving what you went through. In any case, it inspires again some hope and love. Without love, such things are not done, archives are not stored. If you don't need this information, you won't keep it at home. Hope in the sense that maybe our children will keep what is left of us. On the one hand, this continuity pricked me, on the other hand, it cured itself, because it's cool when people keep family values. This is the reverent attitude of parents to what children do. I think it's wonderful. 

The main idea of the exhibition is about love, inspired by external circumstances: the fact that there is little love in the world right now, or is there such a need inside you to show love in this form? 

You know, I believe that the external and internal world of a person is a single whole. It's just another thing that not everyone can dive into their inner world and honestly swim bravely there. It is easier to cling to external realities. For me, love is an art. In fact, love is everything, it is the universal energy that we feed on and that we use and create. This whole endless process can easily fit into this word — love. Every person has an inner need for love. Depending on what kind of geopolitical situation a person lives in, he can hardly change it. Of course, I want to periodically run away to some ancient world or vice versa to jump into the future. It doesn't depend on us. Therefore, I wanted this love, this energy to permeate not only the outer shell of our life, but that it came from within. We spend a lot of ourselves in order to catch on externally or somehow decide, to show ourselves to people. Status all these things, of course, it's all cool, but when there is no harmony between what you have inside and what you have outside, you close all the energy flows to yourself. 

About the series

I have a lot of graphics that are dedicated to the ancient world. It seems to me that these ancient things are very modern now. They deserve not just to be in museums, but it is necessary that these images live now.

A series about old masters. These artists were brilliant draftsmen, it is clear that they worked to order. The execution depends on the attitude to your business. You will say to someone: “make me coffee” and they will not cook you very well, but someone will do it with love so that happiness comes.  

Women in art. I was writing my dissertation “The gender aspect in the visual arts". It was important for me to consider a woman in art not only as a model, as everyone is used to in fine art, but also as a person who creates himself. When there is no revelation, there is no work, if you do it, then do it “honestly". 

The most unexpected review about your exhibition? 

I like how women react to the polyptych with their hands. It's so big and gloomy and people don't immediately understand what it is. Then, when they look closely, even the movements become similar. They also start making some hand gestures. Maybe they check themselves or compare what gestures I make with my hands and they. For me, this is some kind of impulse. In general, I really like to come to my work and watch how people walk, take selfies, choose the parts of the exposition that they like best.  

What kind of people come to the exhibition “About Love. Layla"?

Very different. I ran in here once and somehow even got scared, because there were a lot of people in police uniforms walking around. It turns out they came on a tour, they asked and signed up. There were a lot of them, but it was cool. Children, there are a lot of schoolchildren and students. We have such strange things going on here. We have lovestories being filmed here, marriage proposals are being made, tik-toks are being filmed. 

Will it be possible to hear a tour of the exhibition from you personally? 

If there is such a need, then you can write to us and call, why not. I periodically arrange excursions for people who ask me. In fact, our excursions work four times a week with guides who talk in different languages. Here you were talking about a “clean look” here are our guides, just acting as a kind of guide. The guide focuses attention or pushes some information or text. A completely different communication begins. Therefore, when people stay after the tour and hang out, it means that the guide worked correctly, managed to interest and the person opened up. The energy exchange has passed. 

The exhibition will last until September 4, Address — Forte Kulanshi Art Space Dostyk 8/1.

Admission is free, you can sign up for a free tour.

Contacts +7 (7172) 74 - 47 - 09, +7 (702) 510 - 57 - 20

The author of the material: Zarina Kusanova.