The Pygmalion Gallery unites several generations of Kazakhstani artists, from masters who have influenced the art development in the Central Asian region to ultra-contemporary and young artists whose talents have strongly established on the local art scene. In 2024, the gallery's founder, made significant efforts to organize the Kazakhstan pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, acting as initiator and curator. The development and promotion of Kazakhstani art are core values of the Pygmalion Gallery. Increasing awareness and building bridges between modern and contemporary artists in Kazakhstan is a primary focus.
In its endeavor to showcase the chronology of the development of artistic language in Kazakhstani art, the gallery does not limit itself to specific genres or media, displaying modernist and expanded painting, video and sound installations, textile art, and many other directions that reveal the diversity and richness of Kazakhstani art.
The Pygmalion Gallery regularly participates in international art fairs such as Volta Basel (Basel, Switzerland), QIAF (Qatar), Asia Now (Paris, France), introducing unique works of art and new names of Kazakhstani artists to collectors, experts, and art enthusiasts. Artists represented by the gallery have been featured in publications such as Financial Times, The Art Newspaper, E-flux, Milk Decoration, Artnews, Art Asia Pacific, and others.
Yerbolat Tolepbay
Yerbolat Tolepbay, born in 1955 in Lenger, Kazakhstan, is a key Kazakh artist of his generation. For five decades, beginning in the 1970s, his work has been an established part of the country's art scene. Marked by bright indigenous colors that seem to embody the essence of Kazakh culture, Tolepbay's works have gained international recognition, including solo exhibitions in 35 countries, such as Künstlerhaus in Vienna, the Miró Hall at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, and the National Museum of Bulgaria. His style is a synthesis of the abstract and figurative, the spiritual and the material, reflecting the radical changes in society from the Soviet era through perestroika, Kazakhstan's independence, and into today's global transformations.
Tolepbay's art is permeated by a search for spirituality and the return of humanity to itself. His works reflect on themes of internal change and human self-perception, especially relevant in times of crisis and transition. These transformations are central to his art, which is imbued with reflections on how global changes awaken the need for people to return to their roots and inner origins. Spirituality and the aspiration for harmony are signatures of his artistic approach. Tolepbay creates complex compositions that serve as portals for viewers, opening pathways to inner reflection. In these works, the fusion of Kazakh traditions and high mastery of painting forge deep connections between the past and present, as well as between humanity and nature.
The influence of his mother, who was a healer, has deeply shaped his perception of the world. The artist recalls how people came to her from morning until night for healing, which instilled in him a faith in spiritual forces and propelled him toward art. In Tolepbay's paintings, there are no sharp forms; indigenous bright colors symbolize spiritual balance. The art of Yerbolat Tolepbay opens a space where each viewer can find something intimate, regardless of cultural or geographical barriers.
In 2024, Yerbolat Tolepbay represented Kazakhstan in the national pavilion at the most recent Venice Biennale.
qyzğanyş
Hand weaving, wool
280x200, 2012
In this work, the artist draws upon his childhood memories. His mother, a renowned spiritual healer. The central figure in the painting reflects process of healing. Expanding on this theme, the artist creates a unique textile artwork—a tapestry—repeating his signature motif, weaving a narrative of care, resilience, and spiritual transformation.
LIGHT FROM THE HEAVEN
2017
OIL ON CANVAS
140Х170
In this work, the artist draws upon his childhood memories. His mother, a renowned healer, welcomed those in need into their home. The central figure in the painting reflects a woman who once came to the artist's family seeking healing.
Sacred Tree
70 x 50
Acrylic, oil
2020
The painting is inspired by one of the central motifs in Kazakh mythology—the Tree of Life. At the heart of the composition stands a majestic trunk, symbolizing strength and resilience. The work invites viewers to immerse themselves in the profound energy and grandeur of this sacred tree, a timeless emblem of hope and healing.
Dance
120x100
2018
Acrylic, oil
Dance
2020
120 х 100
acrylic, oil on canvas
Kelinshek
2020
Acrylic, oil, 170x136
The main character of the composition is a woman, already middle-aged. She is painted in the very middle of the canvas, as if showing her stateliness. Her face is calm, her clothes are modest and her arms are crossed at the bottom, showing her submissiveness. Crossed at the bottom, showing her submissiveness. The Kazakhs have a phrase that a woman rocks the cradle with one hand while she rocks the world while the other is rocking the world. As in this work, in the background of the woman one can see a man waiting for her, and in the distance a village and yurts.
The Road
2020
Acrylic, oil
160x140
This immersive large-scale painting captivates with its vibrant signature colors and enigmatic narrative. Amid the chaotic crowd, bustling and rushing in all directions, a single figure stands out—a girl painted in light blue, glowing against the dark, shadowy tones of those around her. Her serene presence exudes lightness and harmony, suggesting she has discovered her path and is confidently moving toward it. The work invites viewers to reflect on individuality and purpose within the frenzied pace of modern life.
The Road to the Temple
2020
Acrylic, oil
160x140
The painting epitomizes the search for good, the path to something something light. Like people blindly following each other in search of the pure. The work carries something profound. The artist uses unexpected color accents, and bold combinations of localized backgrounds and stains, achieving dramatic tension in the contrasting juxtaposition of the main color with calm, gentle tonal transitions.
Two
2020
Acrylic, oil, 90x60
The painting very sensitively conveys the union of harmony and peace between reverently loving each other young people. The two characters of the painting merge into a single vertical, which is unshakable and upward, like their love.
Abstraction
2023
Acrylic
65*85 cm
Steppe Flowers. III
2020
Acrylic
40*80 cm
Sisters
2020
Acrylic, oil
90*60 cm
Bouquet of flowers by the rock
2020
Acrylic, oil
160x140
“Bouquet of flowers” - bright, colorful painting. On it the artist depicts a kind of subjective reflection on a bouquet of spring flowers. If you look closely, it's like looking through a microscope or the reflection of the flowers in the glare of daylight.
The spreading palette of colors seems to symbolize life itself. symbolizes life itself, as different and multifaceted different and multifaceted.
Coast
2020
Acrylic, oil, 160x140
This work disposes the viewer with its calmness and umirovtorenie. Combinations of warm and cold colors convey the vividness of the subject. The lack of specificity, the movement in them is frozen in complete statics, and the subject, losing its touch with reality, transformed into abstract forms. Here, the artist has clearly shown how we can see our inner, resting state of mind, expressed in the guise of the dominant color in this painting. in this painting, a blue-marine hue. The reflection in the water mirrors the soul in which everyone will find their unique meaning.
Argymak
14,5*22,5
“Argymak” is a graphic work (engraving). On it depicts horses, an integral part of life of the nomads, the ancestors of modern Kazakhs. The value and nobility of these animals and to this day preserved in Kazakh culture to this day. Freely galloping argymaks, developing in the wind mane as a symbol of Kazakh aspiration for freedom.
The Seventh Sky
2020
Acrylic, oil, 190x142
“The Seventh Sky” is a painting with an interesting story and deep meaning about a girl, floating easily in a jump high and close to the to sky, to the future, and to her dreams. One day while traveling, the master met this young, fragile and incredibly lively girl. She was jumping on a jump rope in the middle of the courtyard and asked the unexpected guest how he got here. Yerbolat talked about himself and about the many countries of the world where he had been he had been lucky enough to visit during his long creative life.
The girl listened to this story with surprise and interest, and then, lowering her thick eyelashes then, lowering her thick eyelashes with faint sadness, said, that she had no opportunity to leave her village someday and see the world. This meeting became a moment of truth and an epiphany for Yerbolat Tolepbay, who proved that art has no boundaries. On his return home, the master decided that since the girl couldn't leave her native village to see the world, the world should see her on his canvas.
Vibration
2022
Acrylic, oil, 90x180
The painting “Vibration” embodies the concept of healing through color and abstract form, much like a sound wave. The artist uses vibrant hues to create visual vibrations that convey a sense of movement and energy. These abstract elements interact to form harmonious compositions that resemble the vibrations of sound waves. The painting seeks to evoke a sense of calm and restoration in the viewer, emphasizing the healing power of art. “Vibration” demonstrates how visual elements can affect emotions and inner state, offering the viewer a unique experience of harmony and spiritual renewal.
Dance
2022
Acrylic, oil
195x290
Transcendental Dance
2022
Acrylic, oil
290x195
Transcendental Dance
2022
Acrylic, oil
290 х 195
Zhanna Nugerbek
Zhanna Nugerbek was born on December 28, 1988, in the village of Aktyk, Akmola region, Kazakhstan. In 2018, she graduated from the I.E. Repin St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, specializing in sculpture. She currently teaches ceramic art at the Department of Decorative Arts at the T. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts and resides in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Zhanna’s artistic journey is closely tied to the exploration of masculinity and femininity. Her time studying in St. Petersburg sparked an interest in the visual history of Kazakhstan and a deep investigation into her roots. The feeling of distance and longing for her homeland became a key catalyst in her work, resulting in a series of pieces that reflect her distinctive artistic approach. In her art, she frequently emphasizes feminine imagery, offering a counterbalance to the traditional male monuments of Kazakh warriors (batyrs) that are commonly seen across the country.
Zhanna is actively engaged in developing and experimenting with different forms of sculpture. Her interests range from studio sculpture to monumental outdoor installations and land art.
Centaur
paper, acrylic, metal
80x70x30 cm.
2021
Sold
The centaur sculpture by artist Zhanna Nugerebek explores one of the foundational motifs of Kazakh nomadic culture: the mythical half-human, half-horse figure. This work simultaneously engages in a dialogue with the history of European modernist art, drawing a connection to Giacometti's stylistic influence. The sculpture is also available for commission in a bronze edition.
Sleeping Horses
sculptural composition
height 20 cm width 40 cm depth 25 cm
Three figures of sleeping horses display meditative peaceful poses. For me, nostalgia for the lost nomadic past in Central Asia is represented in this "dream" instead of countless battle images of horsemen.
Anvar Musrepov
Anvar Musrepov graduated from the Rodchenko Moscow School of Photography and New Media and is currently pursuing a diploma program (master’s degree) at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. He works with various media including installations, kinetic, performance, and video essays. Blurring the borders between artist and curatorial practice, his research focuses on the decolonization narratives of the future. As a curator, Anvar actively works on educational projects and residencies, developing the young scene of contemporary art and integrating innovative approaches into the local art environment.
KORKUT
Screen printing
70x100
2024
Edition 25 + 5 AP
