"WHOMYN" Contemporary art exhibition

The Central Exhibition Hall of the A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts hosts "WHOMYN" exhibition of contemporary Kazakhstani art. The Art of Her team looked at the reflections of young artists and tried to answer the question "Who are we?".

The name of the exhibition provokes thoughts from the very beginning "WHOMYN" is a previously non—existent word made up from the combination of English and Kazakh languages, and presents itself as a metaphor of formation of an identity.

Who am I? Who are we?

The exhibition "WHOMYN" focuses on the reflections of 9 artists on the question "Who am I? Who are we?". In today's fast world, it is not easy to find answers to these simple questions. Thus, the viewer becomes a co-participant in the search for the answers alongside with artists of the exhibition.

Each artwork pushes the viewer to focus on himself. Especially when entering the exhibition space, the viewer passes through a black labyrinth standing in the way. Depending on where you take yourself will depend on what you see at the end. The black maze is not only a closed and empty space, it makes you stop and think about whether to sit on a chair or be imbued with Nuasi's (Assiya Nuali) project. "Whitening" is a metaphor for the artist's personal experience in accepting her "non-white" identity, in the context of being Kazakh is more privileged, more "white".

Walking along the Nuasi story, you come across a video of Leonid Khan's "Dance on the carpet". The era of millennials is represented through the image of a young Kazakhstani woman. In the dance on a traditional Soviet carpet, the author reflects on the transitional period of the past and the future, where there are modern youth in search of self-identity.

Each author of the exhibition demonstrates a personal view of everyday things. Madina Sagat's work "Metaplasia" is an artistic reflection through a prism of sensual experience. Another artist Intizor Otaniyozova invites the viewer to take a closer look at himself, gazing at the other creates an intimate connection.

Another project that tells us about oneself through the eyes of others is Janelle Shakhan's "Untitled" polyptych, displayed by 5 self-portraits. We are the very piggy bank in which the main thing remains to preserve your Self.

"This is an association with my name. Mom calls me "Janelechka", friends – "Janelle", and my uncle generally calls me "Janik". Dad has his perception of me, calling me "Kyzymka". When I hear a certain appeal, I feel different," said Janelle Shakhan.

Dana Iskakova's Black Box as a new Kazakhstani look at Kazimir Malevich's famous "Black Square". At this part of the exhibition, the viewer is invited to move from thinking to action. Writing with black chalk on a black surface makes the writing invisible, and everything becomes a mystery. Mystery and riddle are the artist's way of self-expression. The black color absorbs everything.

"People have the opportunity to say or do whatever they want, and share with the walls any secret. There is a concept of "Tabula rasa" — a person is born with an empty board. The wall here might be filled with millions of signatures, inscriptions, or thoughts. But nothing is visible, it is not clear," Dana Iskakova shared.

Interactive installation "Jazziam" by Karina Ivanova shows us that paper will endure everything. Writing practice that goes beyond the exhibition, is aimed at observing, and recognizing one's feelings based on writing and reflection. Every written text will form the finalized installation.

Where can I find the answers?

The exhibition "WHOMYN" managed to gather individual and author's works into a single process of formation of Kazakhstan's self-identification in recent history. The curator of the exhibition is Olya Veselova.

"It is an interesting experience for me as a curator because I have selected only two works for the exhibition, all other works had already been selected. The exhibition is a dialogue of works. In principle, it was a collective curating," Olya Veselova said.

You can discover the reflections of 9 contemporary artists, and maybe become a co-participant of the exhibition until June 29, 2022 at the address: 137 Zheltoksan Str., Almaty (Central Exhibition Hall) from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00. Free enterance.