On the eve of the 30th anniversary of permanent neutrality of the country, the exhibition centre of fine arts of the Ministry of culture of Turkmenistan is hosting an exhibition of works by Turkmen artists dedicated to this glorious date. The exhibition features 150 works.
One of them is an exhibition of folk arts and crafts, consisting of 30 doll-like boys dressed in national costumes. These jigits, guardians of peace, were created by Gulalek Babakulova, a teacher at the Children and youth centre in the Akbugday etrap of the Ahal velayat, in honour of the 30th anniversary of neutrality of the country.
Among the paintings of Rahman Umarov, «My Homeland» is the most striking. The gaze of young woman is fixed on the full-flowing Amyderya, which gives life to all living things in her native land. A traditional headscarf falls gracefully from her head, transforming into a long train that merges with the waters of river into a single whole. Rahman Umarov is a symbolist artist, and the theme of the homeland is a key feature of his work. He always manages to convey this theme subtly and beautifully.
Many paintings in the exhibition are dedicated to childhood. Almost all of them are painted in bright, cheerful colours, which has an energetic effect on the audience, lifting their spirits. One of the paintings is very close in theme to the Day of Neutrality – «Dance of peace» by Mahri Charyyargulyyeva. The girls are rehearsing a ballroom dance, and the distinctive features of the national costumes of different nations indicate that the dance is about peace.
The painting Rejepberdi Muhammedov «Camel» captures attention of viewers with its humour. The artist depicts a little girl standing next to a huge camel. Its strong legs, enormous torso, and extremely long neck, with its small head held high, make this domestic animal look remarkably like a dinosaur to a child. It is not a camel, but a camelosaurus!
Among the paintings about childhood, several are dedicated to children relaxing in the squares and parks that are now abundant in the cities of the country. It is noteworthy that the paintings by Ogultach Myratgulyyeva and Yazjemal Geldimyradova are titled «Happy Day». This is understandable, as for boys and girls, finding themselves in a modern land of amusement parks is truly an unforgettable experience.
A very good work by Arzuv Atayev, «Who's First?», which depicts a competition of boys on bicycles. Young participants in cycling races experience daring, fun, and boyish enthusiasm, each of whom really wants to be first. And Arzuv conveyed all of this in his work.
Shirin Gylyjova presented a collection of jewellery at the exhibition. One of the exhibits, the «Tumar» brooch, was so popular with visitors that Shirin, at their request, tried it on herself. And next to it, another collection of jewellery was presented by Ovez Ovezov. Upon learning that this jeweller was a resident of the smart city of Arkadag, visitors began to examine his exhibits with interest. This is the first time in my experience that my place of residence has influenced my creativity, but today everything connected with the city of Arkadag is of interest to us.
