Erkin Bazarghaliyevich Kaishybek, Head of the Museum of Abai University, member of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan and recipient of the “Excellence in Culture” distinction, has won the Grand Prix of the republican competition of professional artists, “Khalqym Degen Qapez...”, dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of Kapez Baigabyluly. Nearly 40 artists from different regions of Kazakhstan took part in the competition. The competition also featured a substantial prize fund.

   The creative competition was held on September 24–26 in the village of Toghyzbulak, Kegen District, Almaty Region. Professional artists from various regions of Kazakhstan participated in the event. The main objective of the competition was to promote the historical figure of Kapez Baigabyluly and his spiritual heritage through visual art, as well as to revive national historical memory.

   The competition was held in two stages. During the first stage, artists presented studio works depicting the life, creative legacy and historical personality of Kapez Baigabyluly, as well as the era in which he lived. Following the evaluation of works submitted by nearly 40 artists from different regions of the country, 20 professional artists were selected to advance to the second stage. The second stage was held in Kegen District in the form of a creative plein-air session. The artists depicted the landscapes of Toghyzbulak village and the Kegen region, creating new works in the open air.

   The jury evaluated the works based on their artistic concept, content and technical execution before determining the competition winners. As part of the competition, 40 studio works by the 20 selected artists were displayed in the foyer of the Kapez Baigabyluly School and presented to the public. The exhibition featured works reflecting the historical figure’s life and creative legacy, the era in which he lived, and the natural landscapes of his native region.

   Erkin Bazarghaliyevich Kaishybek participated in the competition with a large-scale painting that combines the image of Kapez Baigabyluly with the landscapes of his native land. The work received high praise from the jury, resulting in the artist being awarded the Grand Prix.

   Speaking about the artistic concept of his work, the artist noted that the painting incorporates several symbolic images associated with the life and personality of Kapez Baigabyluly.

   “The painting depicts mountain slopes symbolizing the stature of Kapez Baigabyluly, the Merke River, and the landscape of the village in that region. The dombra in his hands represents his identity as a composer. The briefcase in his other hand symbolizes his public and state service. He worked in education, taught and mentored students, and contributed to the construction of a school in Toghyzbulak village. The setting sun represents a difficult period in Kapez’s life — his repression in 1937. However, the sunset does not symbolize the disappearance of his legacy. On the contrary, through the high mountains surrounding him, I wanted to convey Kapez’s spiritual stature. I also specifically studied the clothing of his era and sought to portray him in a way that corresponded to the historical period in which he lived,” Erkin Bazarghaliyevich said.

   The artwork was painted in oil on canvas and took one month to complete. In terms of scale, it was also one of the largest works submitted to the competition.

   The Grand Prix winner received a First-Degree Diploma and a cash prize of 1,250,000 tenge. In addition, Erkin Kaishybek was awarded the “JASAMPAZ” prize badge and a laureate diploma.

   It is worth recalling that at the end of last week, celebrations dedicated to the 130th anniversary of educator, public figure, singer and composer Kapez Baigabyluly were held in Kegen District, Almaty Region. Alongside the republican exhibition of artists, the anniversary programme included a traditional singers’ competition, traditional Kazakh wrestling and various other cultural and sporting events.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  «Abai University» Media Center 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Фото: Дәурен Ермекбай