2012 NOMADIC ART CAMP
The main aim of this project is to make people aware of the importance of nature preservation and the cultural heritage of the people as the harmonious relationship between man and nature is an important resource for future generations. At the core of this project is the universal idea to explore the lost connection between humans and the natural space, to foster a new relationship between urban and rural dwellers, and to comprehend this through communication and an attempt to translate these sensations and feelings into the language of contemporary art. The project provided a unique opportunity to analyze and debate ideas of cultural heritage, identity and biological diversity and consisted of several components:
a) A theoretical symposium of artists, cultural anthropologists, philosophers, politicians, environmentalists, sociologists, curators from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Switzerland, France, and Germany in the Bishkek. The symposium also comprised a workshop in which in groups the topics: Nationality/traditions and identity in contemporary times: Regional and international experiences; Multi-ethnicity, roots and identity with the state and society at large; Transformation of meanings and traditions with the lapse of time, their expression by means of visual and performing arts and literature; Significance/topicality in our time of folk tales and literature and the moral expressed in them; were discussed and the findings fed back into the plenum;
b) The practical part of the project a Nomadic Art Camp as the artistic interpretation and transformation of the theory was held was held on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, the second biggest mountain lake on earth. There, living in yurts close to a village in a serene landscape, exposed to the pace of village life, the aspirations and worries of village people and interacting with them, the participants figured out their response to the project topic and elaborated their works. The camp was also visited by directors, curators and artists from Switzerland - Hans Peter Maag, Inge Maag, George Steinmann, Helen Hirsch, Christof Rosch, Sonja Trachsel;
c) Exhibitions of the contemporary art works created during the art camp in the Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts named after G. Aitiev and promoted through further traveling exhibitions of new artworks, performances and other media motivated and inspire local people to participate and explore biocultural heritage and diversity in fall in regional cities Karakol, Jalalabad and Osh. The exhibits revolved around issues such as being still caught in Soviet or other dogmatic stereotypes as well as attempts to break out from them, commonalities in significance of symbols despite design differences, disintegration of families and loss of roots due to labor migration, disregard for the environment (as an economic resource), and advertisement and consumerism induced new identities.
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