Oriented on making people closer

As part of the VII Moscow International Arts Festival “Sounds of Dutar”, on November 4, the Russian Academy of Arts will present the project “On the Shore of the Gray Caspian Sea” by artist Darius Asadullayev.

A series of graphic works, inspired by the work of the Turkmen composer Nury Halmamedov “Kechpelek”, is based on memories of childhood spent in Cheleken.

Darius Asadullaev - artist, designer, author and curator of art projects - was born in 1979 in the Caspian town of Cheleken, in Turkmenistan. In 1999, he graduated from Valery Kurbanov’s five-year course, specializing in graphic design, at the Ashgabat Art School. In 2008, he completed an internship at the British School of Design (Skipton School of Art and Media, NY, UK). His works are kept in private collections in Russia, Great Britain, India, Israel, Italy and the USA.

A series of his memorable exhibitions in Ashgabat (2005-2015) continued with interesting personal projects in Russia: “Dostoevsky. Pentateuch”, “Golden-domed Rus'. Forgotten Faces", "The Master and Margarita. Understanding”, etc. By the way, Darius Asadullaev is also a nominee for the Russian “Writer of the Year” award in 2015 and 2017. As an artist, he works on a system of relationships between color and musical tones.

— Nury Halmamedov is a multifaceted personality. His life’s path is a path of creative quest and discovery, the path of an innovator who managed to give national music a three-dimensional sound and introduce folk flavor into classical music, creating unusually beautiful works imbued with philosophical reflections, forcing empathy and admiration, the author says.

“By organizing various events within the framework of the festival: conferences, exhibitions, competitions, we set ourselves the goal of connecting them thematically with landmark events in the biography of Nury Halmamedov. An example of this is art exhibitions,” the Organizing Committee of the “Sounds of Dutar” festival said.

In total, during the “Sounds of Dutar” festival since 2015, five art exhibitions have been held at its site.

The first of them is “Legends of ancient Merv: the evolution of the image” in 2016. Nury Halmamedov grew up in an orphanage in the city of Bayramaly, near which the State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv” is located, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the historical aura undoubtedly influenced his work. The art exhibition “Legends of Ancient Merv: Evolution of the Image” presented paintings and graphic works of ten Turkmen artists, representatives of the Mary painting school: Ata Akyev, Allaberdy Amangeldyev, Bazargeldy Kurbangeldyev, Kurbangeldy Kurbanov, Annadurdy Muradaliev, Annageldy Meretgeldyev, Kossekmurad Nurmuradov, Ainagozel Nuryeva, Allaberdy Ovezdurdyev, Chary Khummedov.

The second art exhibition was held in 2017, it presented miniatures “From the world of oriental fairy tales” and was timed to the 95th anniversary of the People’s Artist of the USSR Izzat Klychev, who had a friendship with Nury Halmamedov. In 1979, Izzat Klychev performed the artistic design of the collection of romances “Üç desse” (Three vocal cycles) by Halmamedov.

The third exhibition was in 2018. These are watercolors “Colorful Life” by the artist, director, Honored Artist of Turkmenistan, member of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan, member of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, member of the International Association of Animators Evgeny Ivanovich Mikhelson, with whom Nury Halmamedov was connected not only by friendship, but also by co- creation. The composer wrote music for 8 Mikhelson cartoons: “Homeless Kongurja” (1971); "Friends" (1972); "Commotion" (1974); “Churek and the Baby” (1975); "Oh, Rested" (1976); "Three Brothers and the Green Dragon" (1977); “How are you, brother Fox?” (1978); “Why does the Camel eat a thorn?” (1982). Their last collaboration was the concert film “Inspiration” (1982), which included works by Nury Halmamedov based on poems by Kurbannazar Ezizov.

The fourth art exhibition within the framework of the V festival took place in 2019 and was timed to the 85th anniversary of the honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Honored Artist of Turkmenistan Vladimir Artykov. As a graduate of the art department of VGIK (All-Russian State University of Cinematography), he began his creative activity at the Turkmenfilm film studio. Here, on the film “Makhtumkuli”, a tandem was formed: director Alty Karliev, composer Nury Halmamedov, artist Vladimir Artykov.

The fifth art exhibition, held as part of the VI festival in 2021, was called “Vladimir Igaev - friends and students.” Igaev graduated from the Moscow Pedagogical University, mathematics and art-graphics faculties. His works by the artist are owned by such organizations as: Japan Foundation, Tokyo, Association of Landscape Architects of Fukuoka (Japan), Memorial Fund for the International Exhibition of Gardens and Greenery (Osaka, Japan), in the Nanjing Museum (China), as well as in private collections in Russia and other countries.

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Photo: provided by the organizing committee of the “Sounds of Dutar” Festival