Köktem – kök kılem: Nauryz Celebrations at the Museum

In Western art history, textiles have long been relegated to the status of a secondary medium. In contrast, for nomadic cultures, fabric serves as a vital repository of knowledge and memory, where ancient motifs and craftsmanship have transmitted the wisdom of generations since time immemorial.

The Museum’s Nauryz celebration program, "Köktem - kök kılem: Nauryz Celebrations at the Museum", explores textile as a profound cultural code - from ancestral traditions to its reinterpretation in contemporary art. The program features Şeberhana workshops, lectures, film screenings, and curated themed tours.

The museum will be open daily from March 21 to 25 from 11:00 to 20:00, including Monday.

All events are free with a standard museum entrance ticket.

Wool Art Activities by Şeberhana

In this series of workshops, under the curation of textile artist and researcher Ajar Altynsaqa, we will travel from a fluffy cloud of wool to a multicolored felted carpet.

The activities will take place daily from 13:00 to 16:00.

From 21 to 25 March: we will create a collective syrmaq-carpet, which will decorate the museum balcony during these holidays.

21, 23 and 25 March: we will fluff wool with sabau rods and weave a shym-shi screen.

22 and 24 March: we will lay out intricate patterns from wool and try our hand at felting.

Lectures and Artist Talks

22 March at 16:00 - Artist Talk with Saule Suleimenova on her new work, When We Became Visible

23 March at 16:00 - The Steppe Cipher: A Universe Hidden in Kazakh Art lecture by researcher and textile artist Ajar Altynsaqa.

To truly grasp Kazakh traditional art, one must first look into the very soul of the Steppe. This is the story of an intimate dialogue between the nomad and the surrounding Universe - reflecting how they perceived the world order and defined their place within it. We will explore how nomadic concepts and philosophies took physical form, infusing everyday objects with life and transforming them into sacred talismans. Prepare to see the familiar nomadic way of life through a profoundly new lens. The lecture will be held in Russian.

24 March at 16:00 - Artist Talk with Almagul Menlibayeva as part of the exhibition: I understand everything.

25 March at 16:00 - How Nomads Weaved: The World’s Most Mobile Loom lecture and workshop on alasha rug weaving. Lecture by Gulnar Tankayeva, an independent researcher of Central Asian applied arts and workshop by craftswoman Gulzira Sarsembayeva.

In this lecture, you will explore the evolution of Kazakh domestic weaving and meet master artisan Gulzira Sarsembaeva - one of the key figures instrumental in reviving the alasha technique today. Finally, you will not only witness the ormek loom in person but also have the chance to try your hand at weaving on the world’s most mobile loom. The lecture will be held in Russian.

Film screening

Screening of feature and animated films with film scholar Asiya Baqdauletkyzy.

While ‘Kyz Zhibek’ (1970) is an attempt to present Kazakh culture and traditional way of life in all its grandeur and triumph, ‘The Walnut Tree’ (2016) offers an ironic and honest exploration of contemporary Kazakh identity. Two animated films, appealing to both adults and children, complete the programme: ‘Khoja Nasyr the Builder ’ (1971) by the founder of Kazakh animation, Amen Khaidarov, provides a satirical take on the national character, while Marzhan Zhubanysh’s ‘Looking for the Master of the House’ creates a vivid, ethereal, almost fairytale-like visual embodiment of the Kazakh ethno-world, while simultaneously offering a reflection on patriarchal traditions.

22 March at 18:00 - Kyz Zhibek (1970) film screening, in Kazakh.

23 March at 18:00 - The Walnut Tree (2016) film screening, in Russian.

24 March at 18:00 - Khoja Nasyr the Builder (1971) (without dialogue) and Looking for the Master of the House (2024) (in Kazakh).