“There is a crazy girl living inside me” honest interview with Anar Abzhanova

Anar Abzhanova is a famous Kazakhstani artist with a recognisable author's style. Anar's works are in private and corporate collections in Kazakhstan, Turkey, Ukraine, Italy, Russia, France, the USA and Japan.

From an early age, Anar participated in exhibitions and competitions not only in Kazakhstan but even abroad. Since 2009, her realistic — impressionist landscapes and flowers in her paintings have been awarded at prestigious competitions around the world. Twenty of her works have been exhibited at the Louvre in Paris.

Anar Abzhanova can rightfully be called the most noble young Kazakh artist. She is so far the only Sandro Botticelli Prize winner in Kazakhstan, the European Biennale Europa Arte winner and a member of the international French Association of Arts MondialArt Academia, which was founded in 1901. She was awarded the title of “Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the whole world”. In 2017 the artist became the winner of the project called “100 new faces of Kazakhstan".

Despite the hearing impairment she has since her childhood, Anar shows strong-willed qualities of a fighter for her place in the sun day after day. The artist told about what inspires her and what difficulties she had to overcome on her life path in an interview with the correspondent of Art of Her.

How did you spot your talent and come to art?

I was 12 years old when my mother decided to bring me to the studio of fine arts under the direction of Alexey Utkin, Balkhia and Galiya Kusainov. These teachers opened the door to the world of art for me, revealed my potential.

I started my artistic career in 1998. I worked very hard on drawing, every day — day and night. In general, I have been a big workaholic since early age, because I always knew I was special and I am the only daughter of a single mom who had a difficult time. As a young student of the T. Zhurgenov College of Art, I found my destiny to be a painter.

You once wrote on social media that as a child you were called “crazy girl”. Everyone laughed and mocked you. How did you overcome it? How did this affect the adult Anar?

At school, the guys mocked me and laughed at the fact that I dressed poorly. There was a time when I didn't want to let my mom go to a parent-teacher meeting because I was ashamed.

These guys didn't know that I had a great future ahead. Now, even remembering it hurts me very much and I still have unhealed wounds.

Despite all the circumstances, I was never discouraged. For the New Year Eve party and in the spring, I designed myself unusual clothes from denim, painted on fabric, tried to dress brightly to courageously walk towards my bright future. Maybe that's why they called me a crazy girl at school. Now, I am an adult woman and I am happy because there is a crazy girl living inside me who is ready to move mountains. I'm learning to overcome my fears and get out of my comfort zone.

What inspires you?

I have an art project called "Shades of Almaty winter", which associates with Christmas time and New Year's gifts. This inspires me, because every shade of winter is unique in its own way, like the white colour. I'm also inspired by Disney cartoons.

Above all you like to paint landscapes of your native country, right? Is it possible to say that the source of your inspiration is your native land? Or is there something else?

My source of inspiration is the urban landscape of the streets of Almaty. This is the "Golden Square", the former centre of the old Alma-Ata. There is also the Kazakh sakura of the blooming garden, which grows near our city. The Almaty nature is amazing.

Each city of our country has its own colour, its own palette. It is important for novice artists to notice it and draw the nature of their region.

You also work as a teacher. Questions are often raised about the teacher's pressure on students among artists, like about imposing their views. And what kind of teacher are you?

I no longer work as a teacher, instead I am studying art-entrepreneurship in order to officially start my own business.

At the college and the Zhurgenov Academy of Arts, I was an easy teacher. Most importantly, I explained students how to draw correctly according to the theory. And of course, I gave students more homework for self-development and practice.

Maybe someday I will open my own art school.

What do artists in Kazakhstan dream about? Can you share your dreams?

Eminent artists of Kazakhstan dream of being given a spacious and bright studio, to be able to receive a government order with a very decent paying (from $ 5,000 and above), to paint masterpieces of Kazakhs nature and, of course, to exhibit their works to museums of the country and abroad.

My only dream is to be the best version of myself, to complete creative projects in oil and acrylic painting. To leave a mark in the visual arts. In order for dreams to come true, you need to work hard and find like-minded people to help you achieve your goals.

Can you name three of your favourite artists?

Claude Monet, Van Gogh and Levitan.

At last, what advice can you give to those who are just starting their way as an artist?

Firstly, you need to learn financial literacy to save money regularly for materials, for participation in competitions, exhibitions, fairs abroad, to travel around Kazakhstan and other countries. I know that many artists do not bother much about numbers and do not like to write with a pen on paper, but as a mother of 2 children, I understand the importance of financial literacy in life. Secondly, you need to learn how to correctly make a resume and portfolio of your work. It is necessary to select a series of 3 to 15 works on only one subject of painting, which is associated with the name of a future personal or group exhibition.

The editorial board of Art of Her thanks Anar Abzhanov for her time and open interview.

With all our heart, we wish you creative success, inexhaustible optimism and a happy sparkle in your eyes!