Almagul Menlibayeva
Almaty, KazakhstanIn her video performances Almagul Menlibayeva, an artist from Kazakhstan, employs the language of so-called Romantic Punk Shamanism to express her vision and understanding of the surrounding world. It is a very precise and advanced language of creative expression, which brings a balanced harmony between Islamic culture's tradition of belonging and contemporary Art. Since her artistic vocabulary is very varied and flexible, Almagul Menlibayeva is able to establish links between the post-rebellion cultures of the 60s, 70s and early 80s. At the same time, she uses a very poetic language that can touch the souls of those who are disillusioned with contemporary consumerist culture and expose them to a transcendental reality. Her exotic vocabulary and semantics can shock viewers, knocking them out of their sleepy and drab daily lives, as well as expose hidden social and cultural conflicts. Nevertheless, Menlibayeva's language remains innocent. It is free of the stale seriousness of Hollywood imagery. Romantic Punk Shamanism is also a bearer of animistic philosophy,which stems from the heart of Almagul Menlibayeva's culture's, and strives to impart its legacy to globalize technological society. The notion of female identity is also fundamental in Menlibayeva's work. Through the confrontation between Kazakhstan's ancient culture and Western culture's recent influences, female identity triumphs in the artist's imaginary realm. The rituals of life are thus entrusted to a female identity and women become the bearers of new values.
Biography
Born 1969, Kazakhstan
Education
1987 - 1992
Graduated from Art and Theatre University of Kazakhstan in Almaty.
Group Exhibitions
2008
I dream of the Stans: New Central Asian Video, Winkleman Gallery, New York, USA
Time Code, Mambo, Bologna, Italy
Live Cinema - The Return of the image: Video from Central Asia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
37th Edition Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherland
2007
Live Cinema - The Return of the image: Video from Central Asia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
Destination Asia, Galerie 88, Mumbay, Indian
Central Asian Project in collaboration with Asia Art + Cornerhaus, curated by Yuliya Sorokina, Almaty (Kazakhstan), Bishek (Kirgizstan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan)
Performance "Peristan" for the opening of Venice Biennale 52, Central Asian Pavillon, curated by Uyliya Sorokina, Venice, Italy
"Time of the Storytellers", curated by Viktor Misiano, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma , Helsinki, Finland
Les Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin/Madrid, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Madrid, Spain
Les Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin/Madrid, Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
"Thermocline of Art - New Asian Wawes", ZKM Museum of Contemporary Art, Karlsruhe, Germany
"The paradox of polarity: Contemporary Art from Central Asia", curated by Leeza Ahmady,Bose Pacia Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
"Central Asian Project", Cornerhouse, Manchester, London, Great Britain
Artefiera Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2006
"Catodica",international release of videoart, curated by Maria Campitelli, Trieste, Italy
Rosamira Festival: "Actual Archives: Central Asian Contemporary Art" curated by Viktor Misiano, organized under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Moscow, Russia
"Caravan Seray", video installation, performance, Sydney Biennale, curated by Charles Merewether, Sidney, Australia
Biennale International of Photography Brescia 2006, curated by Sarenco, Brescia, Italy
Scanners: NY Video Fest, Film Society of Lincoln Center, premiere "On The Road", NY, USA
"Art and Conflicts in Central Asia" curated by V.Ibraeva, Haggerty museum of Art, Marquette university, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
"On the Road", premiere at the international Film Festival Paris Berlin at Paris/Berlin international festival at the Center Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
"Polyzentral", art festival at Kampnagel, Hamburg, Germany
"Art from Central Asia" curated by Viktor Miziano, Center of Contemparary Art, Zamok Ujazdowskie, Warsaw, Poland
"One in one" film "Jihad" and video installation, Rotterdam Film Festival in programm, Rotterdam, Netherlands
"The syndrom of Tamerlan" - "Art and conflicts in Central Asia", Haggerty Museum, curated by Valeria Ibraeva, Enrico Mascelloni, Sarenco, Milwakee, USA
2005
"Paris-Berlin 2005", international video festival, Paris, France
"On the Road", 51 International Art Exhibition, Biennale di Venezia, Central Asian Pavilion, Venice , Italy
26 Biennnale of Graphic Arts in Lublyana, Slovenia
"Vom rotten Stern zur blauen Kuppel", Kunst und arhitektur, Islamische Welten, Ifa Gallery Stuttgart, Germany
"The syndrom of Tamerlan" - "Art and conflicts in Central Asia", Palazzo dei Sette, curated by Valeria Ibraeva, Enrico Mascelloni, Sarenco, Orvieto, Italy
2004
"Sacrate places of Kazakhstan", video festival organised by Centre Contemporary art, Almaty, Kazakhstan
"Paris/Berlin 2004", international video festival Paris, France
The first bishkek international exhibition of contemporary art"É. and others" Bishkek, State Museum, Kirgizstan
"Art-Novosibirsk", Novosibirsk, Russia
"International Vision", the gallery in Washington DC, USA
"Vom rotten Stern zur blauen Kuppel", Islamic World, Art and Architecture from Central Asia, Ifa Gallery, Berlin
"Pueblos I sombras", exhibitions of contemporary art, Canaja gallery, Mexiko City, Mexico
"Natural women", Visible voice the gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2003
"Berlin-Paris 2003", video-festival in November , Podevil, Arsenal, Brotfabric, Berlin,Germany
"Art-Novosibirsk", biennale of contemporary graphics Novosibirik, Siberiya, Russia
"Almaty Art", gallery in Almaty, mix. Media, Almaty, Kazakhstan
20 World Wide Video Festival in Amsterdam, Netherlands
"Paris/Berlin 2003" international video festival, Paris, France
"Caravan Cafe'", Rocca di Umbertide - Centro per l'Arte Contemporanea, Perugia, Italy
2002
"Catmania", mix.media in the gallery Illuzeum Amsterdam, Netherlands
Exhibition of Felt, State museum of Modern Art, Almaty, Kazakstan
"Illuseum", painting and video performance in the gallery in Amsterdam, Netherlands
"Nomad land", exhibition in the festival " Kunst und Kultur aus Zentralasien" at the Haus der
kulturen der welt, in Berlin, Germany (a catalogue)
First festival of video Art in Kazakhstan
"Re-orientation", Art on Central Asia in ACC Gallery Weimar, Germany
Participated in the exhibition 4biennaleof graphic in Novosibirsk, Russia
2001-2003
"Inner Asia", exhibition of graphics from Kirgizstan ,Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Siberia
2001
"The days of the culture of Kazakhstan in Moscow", Exhibition dedicated to 10 th annyversary of independence of Kazakhstan, Moscow in Central House of Artists, Russia
"Collektion 2000", International Vision the gallery , Washington DC, USA
"Kommunication and experience of interaction ", Central Asia festival contemporary art in VDNH, Almaty, Kazakstan(a catalogue)
"Handmade", international exhibition in gallery "Pushkinskaya 10", SanktPeterburg, Russia 1995
"Nomads Culture in the end of the centuries", State Muzeum of Modern Art. Almaty, Kazakhstan
Solo Exhibitions
2008
"Kissing Totems", Priska Juschka Fine Art, New York, USA
2007
"On the road", galerie davide gallo, Berlin, Germany
2004
"Steppen Baroque", video and painting, "Alma-Ata" the gallery, Almaty, Kazakhstan
2003
Rudolff gallery mix. Media , Amsterdam, Netherlands
Arttra gallery, video and mix.media, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2002
Arttra gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
"International Vision", graphics, Washington DC,USA
2001
"Colour of Temptation", painting and graphics in Tengry Umay Gallery , Almaty, Kazakhstan
Prizes
2004
Almaty, 3rd prize at the "Sacrate places of Kazakhstan" video festival by Center of Contemporary Art Sorous-Kazakhstan
2002
Almaty, 2nd prize at the Ferst Video Festival by Center of Contemporary art , Sorous-Kazakstan
Almaty , received an Independent Prize of Kazakhstan "Tarlan"
1995
Uzbekistan, received the Grand Prix of the second biennale of Central Asia " Asia Art" in Tashkent
Kazakhstan, received State Grand Prix for artists "Darin".
Catalogues and press
2007
Steppen Baroque as a Spiritual Renaissance, text by Jari-Pekka Vanhala, Universes in Universe
-->Thermocline of Art - New Asian Waves, ZKM Karlsruhe, Germany
-->Tarinankertojien aika - Time of the Storytellers - Narrative and Distant Gaze in Post-Soviet Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, edit by Viktor Misiano and Jari-Pekka Vanhala
2006
-->Art from central Asia, Centre for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle Warsaw, Curated by Viktor Misiano, Warsaw
-->Zones of Contact, curated by Charles Merewether, article by Viktor Misiano, Biennale of Sidney
"The syndrom of Tamerlan", Haggerty Museum (Milwakee,USA), curated by Valeria Ibraeva, Enrico Mascelloni, Sarenco, catalogue by Skira, Milano-Ginevra
2005
-->Art in Italy nr.25
-->"Vom Roten Stern zur blauen Kuppel - Kunst und Architektur aus Zentralasien", curated by Barbara Barsch, Philipp Meuser, Berlin, Germnay
-->"The syndrom of Tamerlan", Palazzo dei Sette (Orvieto,Italy), curated by Valeria Ibraeva, Enrico Mascelloni, catalogue by Skira, Milano-Ginevra
2004
-->Caravan Cafè - Art from Central Asia, curated by Enrico Mascelloni
