Hall of independence of Turkmenistan
In Turkmenistan, the homeland of the glorious Oguz, world artistic values, unique traditions and customs of the world peoples, their culture and art are highly respected. This is clearly reflected in the activities of the Museum of fine arts of Turkmenistan – one of the largest scientific and educational institutions of the country.
The development of funds of the Museum of fine arts of Turkmenistan began with the creation of the Ashgabat Museum of Local History in 1925. In 1927, the Russian artist, academician A.Karelin, donated his collection of paintings, graphics, sculpture and applied art to the museum. Based on these works, an art department was opened in the Ashgabat Museum of Local History. Later, the art department was replenished with works of art received from the Moscow and Leningrad art funds, from the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Russian Museum, the Museum of the Academy of Arts and other museums. Due to the large growth of the collection and its popularity among the people, in 1939 a decision about establishing an independent Turkmen State Museum of fine arts was accepted. In 1998, upon completion of the construction of the museum complex in the new district of Ashgabat on Archabil Avenue, an association of the Museum of National History and Ethnography and the Museum of fine arts was formed.
In 2004, the construction of a new building for the Museum of fine arts began in the administrative centre of Ashgabat. The opening of this building took place on February 17, 2005. The new museum quickly gained popularity in the country and abroad.
The building has three floors, including a basement. The two upper floors include 11 exhibition halls, 9 of which are permanent exhibition halls of the museum.
The first hall is “Independent Turkmenistan”. It presents works by the masters of Turkmen painting Y.Gylyjov, A.Hajyyev, Ye.Adamova, as well as talented artists – painters S.Meredov, Ya.Bayramov, B.Ovganov and sculptor S.Babayev.
The exhibition opens with the work of S.Meredov “White wheat”. In the painting, the author depicts the history and present day of our state. That is, sprouting, young wheat under the open calm sky symbolizes our prosperous young state and life in peace, tranquillity and harmony. The young boy and two jugs depicted in the foreground indicate that our young state has a history of a thousand years. The two jugs with grains of white wheat dating back to the V millennium BC were found in 1904 in the ancient town Anau, a civilization that is 7,000 years old, by the American archaeologist Raphael Pampelli. This archaeological finding evidences about the inhabitants of local ancient settlements, who were the first in human history to cultivate wheat and barley, baking bread from white flour. This means that we can proudly call Turkmenistan the birthplace of white wheat.
Ya.Bayramov is the People’s Artist of Turkmenistan, the creator of bright memorable images of great military leaders, poets, and musicians. In the portrait genre, the artist shows himself to be an attentive and subtle observer. The exhibition presents the image of the founder of the Turkmen nation, “Oguzhan”, sitting on a throne, surrounded by his six sons. In his hands is a sceptre with a double-headed eagle looking to the east and west. Oguzhan’s throne is covered with an ancient Pazyryk carpet. A bow and arrows are included in the painting as a symbol of the unity and invincibility of the Turkmen. The painting also features totemic images of animals – a wolf and a bull. Oguzhan’s gaze is powerful and at the same time calm. The artist actively used combinations of contrasting colours in the painting, mainly red, blue, and golden tones on a yellow background.
B.Ovganov is a monumental painter. His creativity is based on the historical genre. The painting “The solemn meeting of Togrulbek Turkmen in Baghdad” (2002) depicts the triumphant moment of the entry of the victors into the city – the Seljuks Togrulbek on a white horse accompanied by his retinue in 1055-1056. The artist depicted a crowd of thousands people, who rejoice and are happy, since the rumour about the Turkmen warriors who did not turn defeated opponents into slavery and did not touch their property spread throughout the world, putting them on the level of defenders. The Seljuk rulers were distinguished by their peacefulness. During the era of the domination of the Turkmen, the Islamic world experienced the highest rise in economy, culture and science. The nobility of the city presents the Quran and a sword to the sultan, recognizing him as the winner. The picture is painted in bright, joyful tones, and the people’s jubilation conveys hope for a better future. The smallest details of historical costume, armour and weapons are masterfully depicted in the painting.
One of the best paintings by I.Ishangulyyev, “Pride of the Turkmen Yanardag”, 2002, was presented on the opening day of the museum. The golden-buck skin of the horse, as if cast in gold, the magnificent posture, grandiose gait, lightness, subtlety, grace of the Ahal-Teke horse are masterfully conveyed to the canvas by the author, and this attracts attention. The artistic solution in the design of the painting, consisting of a double frame, external and internal, is originally performed – it is edged with a carpet product “gapylyk”. Yanardag symbolizes the greatness and pride of the nation; it is no coincidence that the horse is depicted on the State Emblem of Turkmenistan. The following works “Carpet weavers” by People’s Artists of Turkmenistan Annadurdy Almammedov and Ayhan Hajyyev “Creators of Turkmen art” praise the ancient craft of our people, carpet weaving, a craft that is passed from generation to generation by our mothers and grandmothers.
The XVIII–XIX centuries are considered the time of the highest rise of Turkmen poetry, during this period the famous poets of the Turkmen land created – Magtymguly, Myataji, Kemine, Seydi. In their poems they glorified the Motherland, dreamed of the unity and independence for the Turkmen. Now, when their dreams have become reality and Turkmenistan has become an independent and neutral state, their poetry has become even more life-affirming.
Bright artistic originality distinguishes the canvas by Y.Gylyjov “Myataji” (1976-1977), a lyric poet, author of numerous poems, glorifying his native land, nature, the beauty of girls and the bravery of the young men. The poet is depicted against the background of an emerald spreading tree with ripe red pomegranates, he looks up, and in his hands he holds a scroll with verses. The poet saw beauty in ordinary everyday life. The clarity of the composition, the departure from the generally accepted canons emphasizes the artistic style of Y.Gylyjov. The flat interpretation of the background gives monumentality to the image; the viewer concentrates attention on the image of the poet. A deeply lyrical image is performed with saturated tones of red-brown and ochre-green. This contributes to the transmission of internal drama, conveyed by the subtlest nuances of painting. Particularly impressive is Myataji’s intense and focused glance, full of emotional power of expression, directed into space.
A.Hajyyev’s masterpiece “Magtymguly” was painted by him during student years at the canonical portrait competition. Having won it in 1947, he rightfully took his place among the classics of Turkmen painting. Thoughts about the Motherland and its future are visible in the serious eyes of the genius, unshakable confidence comes from him. At the same time, the artist masterfully emphasized the simplicity of the setting, the modesty of the poet in his work. The expressive colour scheme of this portrait, the red-brown tones, which focus attention on the poet’s face, make it possible to feel the concentration and depth of his thoughts.
The work of Ye.Adamova “New song” (1950) is presented in the centre of the exhibition hall. The group of well-known musicians – Nurjemal Adyyeva, Purli Saryyev and Mylly Tachmyradov are captured at the moment of creative search and birth of the song. A woman-bakhshi accompanies on the dutar a song about a new life, a bright and free fate of a Turkmen woman. Next to her are musicians Purli Saryev, Mylly Tyachmuradov and gidjak player Ata Abliyev. In the background at the piano, composer Ashir Kuliyev and pianist Gozel Kuliyeva, listening to the bakhshi with pleasure. The artist masterfully worked out all the details of the interior, clothes, texture of the fabric.
The portrait “Kemine” (1950) by Ya.Annanurov fully reveals the character of the poet and his appearance. Kemine lived a hard life. His poems expose hypocrisy, greed, and the vices of people. The satirist did not tolerate injustice. By painting the portrait, the artist tried to convey not only the external resemblance, but also the internal image of the poet, sage, and humanist. In the canonical portrait, Ya.Annanurov painted the popular image of the poet-satirist, whose facial expression and appearance are close to the people’s idea.
Next is the canonical portrait “Seydi” (1976) by the artist Ya.Bayramov. In the 70-s, the style of the portrait genre in painting changed. The images are lyrical, play of colours, much attention is paid to the precise creation of the image. The artist did not have any difficulties in creating this portrait, since he spent his entire youth in the Lebap region, the poet’s homeland. Since his childhood, Y.Bayramov was familiar with the biography and creativity of the poet. Communicating with the elders of the Ersary tribe, the artist composed a physiologically real image. When painting the portrait, he studied the character, disposition, habits, clothing, and distinctive features of the Ersary tribe and primarily conveyed this spirit. Every detail, fold, every wrinkle in the work conveys the lyricism, humanity, prudence, fearlessness, courage, suffering, sorrow, kindness of the poet.
All these masterpieces reveal the merits and artistic values of works of art of Turkmen people. It gives visitors of our museum a comprehensive idea of the nature and fundamental features of traditional folk art.