Female Kazakhstani artist exhibits The Rhythm of Color
Jem McCarron
WVoN co-editor
From the end of July through to 21 August, the Agora Gallery in New York is hosting the work of Kazakhstani artist Julia Ismambetova.
Her exhibition, The Rhythm of Color, introduces the viewer “to a deceptive simplicity which on closer inspection proves to conceal a thought-provoking sense of mystery and an intriguing complexity.”
Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Ismambetova studied at the Faculty of Art in Almaty State University where she then lectured in the Arts and Crafts Department for three years.
Her exotic images are created with batiks and silks, although because she combines traditional techniques with modern she prefers to classify her work as “graphics on silk”.
Her art is described as “both decorative and abstract” and she draws on Kazakhstani folklore to inspire her images of horsemen, nomads, landscapes and everyday life.
She says “When working on each new batik, I open a new and unexpected direction for my expression, which is prompted by the material itself, and leads to the impulse to create new compositions.”
Batik is an ancient yet extremely complex form of fabric painting that requires great patience to master.
When working with this medium the artist is at the whim of the materials, ensuring that every piece is unique with its own character.
The images to be exhibited in August don’t require long explanations yet each evokes its own mood and feeling capturing the essence of a moment or scene beautifully.
The Agora Gallery specialises in fine art and showcases both local and international artists, often in the form of group exhibits.
It also publishes the bi-annual ARTisSpectrum Magazine which is distributed around the globe and sponsor ARTmine, a comprehensive artist’s resource.
If you are lucky enough to be able to visit Chelsea’s Agora Gallery in New York you can view Ismambetova’s work from 31 July to 21 August with the opening reception being held on 2 August from 6-8pm.