An exhibition of fine art works titled “The Swift Horses of Our Motherland” has opened at the gallery of the Turkmenistan State Academy of Arts. The theme echoes this year’s national motto, “Independent Neutral Turkmenistan — the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses,” as well as the international successes of the riders of the “Galkynyş” equestrian sports group, who have become a source of pride for every citizen of Turkmenistan.
An interesting detail: all the exhibits on display come from the Academy’s Golden Fund. It should be recalled that the State Academy of Arts houses a museum where the best student works are preserved. For a student, it is a great honor if their work is granted a place in the Golden Fund of their alma mater.
The exhibition opens with Gyzylgul Hudayberdiyeva’s painting “The Horse Akhan,” created in a symbolic genre. The legendary, handsome horse rears up amid a stream of golden sunlight. Its proud posture symbolizes the rapid development of our Motherland. Reinforcing this idea, the modern architecture of our cities can be seen in a bluish haze in the background.
On the opposite side of the exhibition is another of Gyzylgul’s paintings, “The Galkynyş Group.” The artist captures a breathtaking moment from a circus performance by Turkmen riders, who amaze spectators with their incredible daring. Despite the tremendous speed at which the riders perform, the artist has rendered their faces clearly recognizable.
At the center of the exhibition is Bayram Mamiyev’s work “At the Wedding.” Interestingly, instead of the expected wedding procession or lavish celebration, the painting depicts riders racing with spirited excitement. The artist sought to emphasize that horse racing is traditionally one of the attributes of a village wedding.
Among the design works, Aygul Gurbanmyradova’s painting “Glorifying the Motherland” stood out. Two Ahal-Teke horses — one white and one black — symbolize day and night, that is, time itself. They race through the multicolored hues of life, bringing beauty and admiration into the world.
Leili Charyeva’s painting “Resting in Nature” conveys the atmosphere of a joyful morning, the fresh clarity of the air, and a friendly meeting by the river between a fisherman and two riders. Leili deliberately shifted the main figures to the right side of the canvas in order to capture as much of the picturesque native landscape as possible. The sky, mountains, and greenery of shrubs and trees appear in the painting in two forms — in reality and reflected in the river.
In his painting “Turkmen Horses,” Myrat Jumayev presents the Ahal-Teke steed as a standard of beauty bred in the vast expanses of our Motherland. In the distance, in the background of the painting, monuments of both antiquity and modernity are visible, underscoring the timeless reverence for the beauty of the Ahal-Teke horse.
Each year, the Golden Fund of the Academy of Arts is enriched with new works by talented students. The current exhibition, “The Swift Horses of Our Motherland,” has given visitors the opportunity to become acquainted with a part of this collection — student works from different years dedicated to the Ahal-Teke horses, the most beautiful horses in the world.
