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ASANBAY ART CENTER

Asanbay Art Center has been a multi-disciplinary space in Kyrgyzstan with an extensive innovative, educational, engaging content. The space featured its gallery, restaurant, bar, library, an event hall and was suitable for exhibitions as well as events across art, design, fashion and performing arts.

 

Between 2016-2018, my role as a Founder and Creative Director, was to conceptualize, manage construction, procure equipment and resources, manage branding, PR, programming, curating, sales and marketing. This was a very challenging project, as it became a prototype for the first alternative art space, which through its diverse programming, flexibility, openness, eagerness to experiment, enriched the cultural life of communities of all ages.  

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Exhibitions 

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Asanbay Gallery presented the art works of artists from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Germany, and Russia. The Gallery's mission was to encourage appreciation and understanding of art and its role in society through direct engagement with original works of art and educational programs. 

Museum Night​

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As part of Museum Night, celebrated world-wide, Asanbay Gallery presented its Central Asian Video Art program. Artists represented: Said Atabekov, Alexander Ugay, Marat Raimkulov, Lazy Art, Evgeny Boikov, Chingiz Sulumbekov. In 2018, Asanbay presented "Aitmatov's Cinema World," where the photos of Alexander Fedorov, animated by artist Ruslan Tokochev, and excerpts from the films based on Chingiz Aitmatov's works were screened.   

Entertainment​

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The Art Center produced a number of cultural and entertaining events to offer enjoyment and encourage community building. Such events included: electronic music parties "resonance" (collaboration with R. Midic), concerts of local and international artists, theatrical performances, shows, movie screenings, festivals, pop up design fairs, and many more. 

Construction​

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A community becomes stronger when it gets a sense of ownership. I invited the talented photographer Danil Usmanov and filmmaker Chyngyz Sulumbekov to make a series of photos and videos of the construction site. I shared this material on social media platforms to keep the city curious. By the end of construction, people felt as if they were part of the project. There was no need to spend money for promoting the new space in the city. One post on Facebook would bring at least 300 people to the Center. An open dialogue through engaging cultural program was the key in accomplishing the original mission of Asanbay Center.