“artist and theatre” exhibition karakalpakstan
TRANSCRIPT
Theexhibition“ArtistandTheater”openedinNukus.Theexhibitionbringstogethernearly100artworksbyRussianandUzbekartistsfromtheSavitskyCollection.Ithighlightsworksofthe19201930sintheartofsetdesignandscenographywithworksfromwellknownandfrequentlyexhibitedartistssuchasMikhailKurzin,ElenaKorovay,VictorUfimtsev,M.Sokolov,A.SardanVasilyShukhaev,UralTansykbaev.TheexhibitionwillalsoshowworksbyR.Raspopov,M.Akselrod,A.Telingater,D.UshakovandV.Basovforthefirsttime.M.Babanazarova,V.SychevaandV.Kimwhococuratedtheexhibitionsaidattheopeningceremony,"Weareverypleasedtobeputtingonthisexhibition,inwhichanumberofmajorartistsareondisplayinadifferentwaythough.Thetheaterandscenographywasanimportant
A:OfcoursethehighlightistheSavitskyMuseum'scollection.Developingeducationalprogrammingandexcursionstoseetheshipsinthedesert(whichMIRalreadydoes)appealstosometravelers.AreasonablecostforasightseeingflyoveroftheshrinkingAralSeacouldappealtosome.Theyurtcampsintheareaneedbetterinfrastructuretobemoreappealingtothemid/highendtraveler–thencamelridesandexplorationofthedesertcitadelsintheregioncouldbeattractive.Addingsomegoodreststopswithgoodcleantoiletfacilitieswouldhelptopromotelongerstays.Q:Whataresomepolicychanges/improvementsthatgovernmentscanmaketoincreasetourism?A:Internationalairaccessandvisarestrictionsarealwaysthetoptwoelementsthatimpactacountry'sabilitytogrowitstourismarrivals.Movingtoanelectronicvisa(asmanyothercountrieshaverecentlydoneincludingTurkeyandArmenia),orabolishingthevisarequirementsaltogetherasmanyothershavedone(includingKyrgyzstan,Ukraine,Moldova,theBaltics,Georgia)wouldcertainlyhelpmakethedestinationmoreattractive.AllowingmoreinternationalaircarrierstolandatTashkentwouldmakeforgreatercompetitionoffaresintotheregion,whichwouldhelpbringdownprices.HighseasonairfarefromtheU.S.toUzbekistanisusually$2000.ThisisconsiderablymoreexpensivethananyEuropeandestination.Planningmajorculturalfestivalsonsetdatesannuallysothatforeigntouroperatorscanplaninadvanceformarketingpurposeswethinkwouldgiveagreatboosttotourismaswell.AgoodexamplewouldbeMongolia'sNaadamFestival,heldannuallyonJuly1112,itneverchangesdatesandtheeventisnevercancelled.Asaresult,it'sthemostpopulareventintheentirecalendaryear.
TobetterpublicizethetouristpotentialofKarakalpakstan,KKPnowhasitsveryownposteratbothNukusandTashkentairports.
MinisterO.Kurbanov,KKP'sMinisterforForeignEconomicRelations,said,"WhileweareproudofourgreatSilkRoadcitiesofSamarkand,BukharaandKhiva,aswellasthemanypossibilitiesinTashkentfortourism,weareequallypleasedtoseesomeofKarakalpakstan'stourismpossibilitiesdisplayedfornotonlyincomingtouriststotheRepublic,butalsothosewhentheyareflyingoutofTashkent."ThepostersarebasedonKarakalpakstan'sfirsttourismposter(nowonsaleattheSavitskyCollection,seeSpring2013newsletter)andincludesimagesofarchaeology,theAralSeaandofcoursethearts,are2x1.5meters.
MIRagencysharesthoughtsonimprovingtourism
SavitskyCollection'sMrs.BabanazarovareceivesFrance'shighesthonour
TheFrenchAmbassadorinUzbekistanawardedtheSavitskyCollection'Director,Mrs.MarinikaBabanazarovawiththeChevalierdel'OrdredesArtsetdesLettres“Forservicesinthefieldofartandliterature”.France'sAmbassadortoUzbekistanMr.FrancoisGauthierbestowedtheordertoMrs.BabanazarovaduringthecelebrationofFrance'sNationalHolidayon14July.AmbassadorGauthierstatedthatMrs.Babanazarovaembodiesmanyofthevalues,whicharehighlyratedinFranceandUzbekistan,suchasrespectforculturalidentityandcare,protectionandpromotionofnationalheritage.AmbassadorGauthiercongratulatedMrs.Babanazarovaforhernearly30yearsofserviceattheCollection."DuetotheeffortsofMrs.Babanazarova,manyFrenchpeoplehavevisitedtheMuseum."
“ArtistandTheatre”exhibition
partofthesociopoliticalaspectsoflifeinthe1920sand1930s.Theseworkshaverichcolor,decorativefantasyandshowamasterythatisquiteimpressive.”
KarakalpakstangainsapresenceinNukusandTashkentAirports
Q:HowmuchhasMIRgrownsincethebreakupoftheformerSovietUnion?A:Tremendouslyinallsortsofways.Withrelaxedrestrictionsontraveltothesedestinationsprivatetravelforindividualsbecamemuchmorefeasible.Inaddition,welaunchedourownseriesofescortedsmallgrouptourscrisscrossingtheentireregionthatpeoplecanjoin,tomakemoreinroadsintoallcornersoftheformerSovietUnion.OurterritorynowstretchesfromTibettoThehran.Q:Howhastourismchangedsincethattime?Aretheredifferentproductscomingonthemarket(i.e.Festivals,WorldHeritageSites,thematic,etc.)A:Astheinfrastructurehasimprovedintheseregions,tourismhasnaturallyexpanded.ButsomeofthedestinationsoftheformerSovietUnionremainchallengingdestinationsduetovisarequirements,risingcostsandbureaucracysometimeswhichisstillaholdoveritseemsfromSoviettimes.Butthingsaredefinitelyimprovingandnowtheyarebeginningtochangemorerapidly.Therearefestivalsbutmanyofthemarenotorganizedfarenoughinadvancetomarketeffectivelytoaninternationalcrowd(simplynotenoughleadtime).Ourhopeisthatwillchangeastourismtakesamorecenterstageeconomically.Q:Howimportantistourismforacountry'seconomy,suchasUzbekistan?A:Itisbecomingmoreimportantallthetime.UzbekistanhasthatwonderfulblendofSilkRoadheritagethatmakesitatrulyworthydestinationforanytravelerinterestedincultureandhistory–itsuitsabroadaudience.Thecolorfulbazaars,traditionaldressstillwornbylocals,theincrediblearchitecturewithUNESCOWorldHeritagesitestatus,andarchaeologicalattractions,nottomentiontheart:silk,ceramicsandofcoursetheincredibleSavitskyMuseumtreasuretrove!Uzbekistan'stourismisgrowingquicklyandwehopetheinfrastructurewillcatchupsoontoo–butatthesametime,hopethatthemodernizationwon'tdisplacesomeofthetraditionalelementswhichmakethesedestinationsoveryspecial.Q:WhatisthetouristichighlightforKarakalpakstan?Whichsitecouldbefurtherimproved/nurtured?
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Visit www.karakalpakstan.org for more information about traveling around Karakalpakstan!
Fall 2013
Karakalpakstan
NEWSECTION!Onepainter’sstory
PublishedbyTheKarakalpakstanStateMuseumofArtnamedafterI.V.Savitsky
Fall 2013
Mr.DouglasGrimes,PresidentandfounderofMIRCorporation,createdtheSeattle,Washington-basedtravelcompanyaftervisitingtheSovietUnioninthemid-1980s.Hehasmadeover100tripstotheformerSovietUnionandotherdestinationsalongtheSilkRoad.
A“portraitgallery”ofKhorezm'skingsdiscoveredonthesiteoftheancientsettlementofAkshakhan-Kalahascreatedamajorsplashinthearchaeologicalworld.Scholarsdatethemuralstotheendofthe2ndcenturyBCtothebeginningofthe1stcenturyAD.Inthatcase,thesefrescoesarethenolderthansimilarexamplesfromAfrosiab(7thcenturyAD),Varakhsha(5th-8thcenturiesAD),Pendjikent(5th-8thcenturiesAD),andevenToprak-Kala(3rdcenturyAD).
BeforethearcheologicalexplorationoftheKhorezmmonumentsbegan,informationaboutthepreIslamickingsofKhorezmwasscant.AncientauthorssuchasArrianusandStrabomentionedFarasman,theKingofKhorezm,intheirchroniclesonoccasion.TheKingallegedlyvisitedAlexandertheGreat'sheadquartersinBaktra(nowBalkh,Afghanistan),andofferedtoleadAlexander'sarmiesagainsthisownenemies,suchastheAmhazonsandColchis.
Thesocalled“recordofBiruni”isanotherrepositoryofknowledgeaboutthekingsofKhorezm.Althoughhegivestherulers'names,thefamousBiruninevermentionstheyearsoftheirrule.
WhenarcheologistsbegantoexcavatethecitiesandsettlementsofancientKhorezm,theyfoundmanydifferentcoins.AnalysisshowedthatKhorezmhadhadasuccessionofatleasttwodynastiesfromthe2ndcenturyBCuntilthe4thcenturyAD.Inthe2ndcenturyBC,CentralAsiawasinvadedbynumerousnomadictribesknownastheYuezhitribes.ManycitiesandsettlementswereburnedtoashesduringthesetimesandtheGrecoBactrianKingdomwascompletelydestroyed.
Khorezmwasalsoinvolvedinawhirlofevents.Archeologistsdiscoveredtracesoffiresandthedestructionofmanyarcheologicalmonumentsofthetime.ButthemainthingwasthatthenewYuezhidynastyascendedthethroneofKhorezm.Thenewrulersbeganmintingtheirowncoinswiththetribaltamga(stamp).
AsfortheprecedinghistoryofKhorezm,scholarslooktoBiruniforassistance.Hisrecordswerebasedonhistoricallegends,whichwerewidelycurrentamongKhorezmians.AccordingtoBiruni,thelandwasfirstcolonizedin1292BC,almost1000yearsbeforeAlexandertheGreat.Thescholarreportsaboutthearrivalof“Siyavush,thesonofKayCavus,andtheestablishmentofKayKhusrawandtheprogenyonthethrone
there.”
ProfessorS.P.Tolstov(19071976),afamousexpertinthehistory,archeologyandethnographyofCentralAsiaandfounderofthearcheologicalandethnographicexpeditioninKhorezm(inwhichayoungIgorSavitskyparticipatedasasketcher),assumedBiruni'saccounttohavebeenanechooftherealmigrationsofancientIraniantribesfromtheBronzeAgetotheAmuDaryadelta.However,currentlyavailablearcheologicalfindingsprovesuchmigrationsfromthelandsofancientBactriaandMargianahappenedmuchlater,inthe8thto7thcenturiesBC.Beforeseriousarcheologicalexplorationofthe
AkshakhanKalasite(KazaklyYatkanKala),archeologistsvandhistorianslackedthefactsneededtocorroborateBiruni'schronologyabouttheSiyavushids'arrivalinKhorezmandtheaccessionofthefirstKhorezmShahstothethrone.
TheSavitskyCollectionhasmovedagreatnumberofpeople.Manyhaveseennewspaperarticles,TVreportsorthedocumentaryfilm"TheDesertofForbiddenArt"andhaveflowntoUzbekistanjusttoseetheMuseum.SimilartothesededicatedgroupsofpeopleisthecoupleMrandMrs.ChristosandShirinChorosis,whorecentlymarriedinGreece.BothofthemweresomovedbytheMuseum,itscontentsanditscurrentstatus,thattheydecidedtoforgoweddingpresents,urgingtheirfriendsandfamilytomakeadonationtotheFriendsofNukusMuseum.
Onepainter’sstory-ViktorUfimtsev
Bornin1899,Barneevka(SouthUralregion),ViktorUfimtsevstudiedatOmsk'sCommercialCollegeuntil1918,whenhewascalledupformilitaryserviceandfoughtintheranksoftheWhiteandRedArmies.DiscoveredandencouragedbyDavidBurlyuk(UkrainianFuturist,bookillustrator,publicist,oftendescribedas"thefatherofRussianFuturism")whowasholdingartperformancesinOmskatthetime,Ufimtsev,withN.A.MamontovandShablTabulevichcreatedthefuturistgroup"ChervonnayaTroika"(TheThreeofHearts,192122).In1923UfimtsevandMamontovleftforTurkestan–«somewherewheretherewouldbenophilistinestagnation,somewherewhereisnoapathy,onlyknotsofnerves,creatingfuturism».ThistripbecameaturningpointforUfimtsev'sart.HefellinlovewithMiddleAsia,bothtouchedandinspiredbyeasterncolorsandAsianauthenticity,whichwerepresentinhisfuturepaintings.UfimtsevlivedfortwoyearsinTashkent,Samarkand,andBukharaandduringthistimebefriendedA.N.Volkov,A.V.Nikolaev(UstoMumin),L.L.BureandA.V.Isupov.Ufimtsev'sdayjobwasworkingattheSamarkandCommissionforProtectionofArtandAntiquities.
In1925,UfimtsevreturnedtoOmskandworkedasthechiefscenographerinOmsk'stheatreforsevenyears.Hetravelledalloverthecountry;visitedtheAltai,theCaucasus,FarEastandCentralAsia.Uptothe1930s,Ufimtsevisbusybothparticipatinginanumberofexhibitions(The1stAllSiberianexhibitionofpainting,sculpture,graphicartandarchitectureinKrasnoyarsk,Novosibirsk,Tomsk(1927),the1stKazakhstanTravellingArtExhibition(1928)andothersbothholdinghispersonalexhibitionsinNovoNikolaevsk(Novosibirsk,1921),inSamarkand(1924,togetherwithUstoMumin),inOmsk(1926).Ufimtsev'sworkismultifacetedeaselgraphicart,posters,collages,evensamizdat(selfpublished)poetrycollections:SomeofhisworksappearedinTheFuturists—Collection1(1921)andAutographs(1920–23).In1934,increasinglysuccessfulasapainter,hedecidedtomovetoTashkentpermanently.In1935,Ufimtsevwrote:«Whatisleftwithmeafterallmypursuits?Quiteabit.Impressionismtaughtmecolour.Futurism–quicknessand
inventiveness.Cubismandconstructivismprovidedwithfundamentality,simplicity,objectfirmness,surfacetreatment.Realism–livelinessandhealth.Butselfcultivationisinprogress.I'mstilllearning.Myprofessorsarelifeandspectator».InTashkentheworkedasthechiefscenographerattheHamzaDramaTheatre(193336)andplayedaroleinthecreationoftheUnionofArtistsofUzbekistan;since1933memberoftheorganizingcommittee,succeedingtotheChairoftheUnionfrom1940.In1944UfimtsevwasconferredthetitleofthePeople'sArtistoftheUzbekSovietSocialistRepublic.The1930'swasthemostchangingtimesformanyartists.ThepoliticalfightagainstformalismwastakingplaceinthoseyearsandUfimtsevgradallyturnedtosocialistrealism,developinghistoricalpicturesandproducingsocialistpatrioticcanvases.ThemostpeacefulperiodofUfimtsev'slifeisthe1950's.AftertripstoAfghanistan,TunisiaandIndia,Ufimtsevworkspredominantlywithstilllifepaintingandlandscapes.In1964,shortlybeforehisdeath,hedonatedhisworkstothecityofAngren(Uzbekistan),whichledtoagallerynamedinhishonour.Ufimtsev'sworksareinmanymuseumcollections,includingtheStateTretyakovGallery,theStateRussianMuseum,OmskRegionalMuseumofFineArtsnamedafterM.A.Vrubel,theStateArtMuseumoftheRepublicofUzbekistaninTashkent,aswellasTheSavitskyCollection.
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Newformsofsupportingthemuseum
SavitskyKarakalpakstanArtMuseum
Intheyurt,1927
Tothetrain,1927
Drinktothedregs,1929
NEWSECTION
SecretsoftheKingsofKhorezm
Fall 2013
ArcheologistscalledthenorthernsectionofthecorridorthePortraitGallery.Theydiscoveredthattheentire25meterplaneofonewallwasdividedintocellsbydoublelines,eachcellmeasuring45by60centimetersinsize.Eachcellcomprisedaspecificportrait.Calculationsshowedthatthreelevelsmayhavecontained120portraits.Allthepersonagesintheportraitswereveryyoung.Theimageswereratherstylized,buteachportraithaditsownindividuality,albeithardlyperceptible.
Thewallpaintingsseemtohavebeendestroyeddeliberately,likelythevictimofpillageanddesolation.Withtime,thesitewasburiedunderthedesertclayandsand,preservingthevaluablefragmentsofthepast.
Thediscoveredinscriptionsappearedtobethemostvaluablefindings.Archeologistsuncoveredanintactpieceofplastercoating.ThepiececontainedaninscriptionintheoldKhorezmianlanguage.Atthemomentofdiscovery,itwasthoughtthatthisinscriptionwassomekindof“tag”toindicatethenameofoneofthepersonagesandidentifyhisorherstatusattheroyalcourt.Mostprobablyalloftheportraitshadsuchtags.
AcopyoftheinscriptionwassenttoSt.PetersburgtoProf.V.A.Livshits,afamousexpertonIran.Hesucceededtosingleoutthephrase“…thesonofYekhich,”andtheideogramMLK,whichmeans“king.”HiseffortsconfirmedthattheportraitgallerycontainedimagesoftheKhorezmiankingsandmembersoftheroyalfamily.
Asforthe“procession,”theartistmayhavesimplydepictedoneoftheimportanthistoricepisodesfromoneofthedynasties.Forinstance,itmayhavebeenasceneillustratingthearrivalofthecountry'sfounder.
Thenewdiscoveriesenabledarcheologiststocometoaveryimportantconclusion:theportraitgallerymusthavebelongedtotheancient,previouslyunknowndynastyofKhorezmiankingsrulingoverthecountryuntiltheendofthe2ndcenturytothebeginningofthe1stcenturyBC.Atthatpoint,theYuezhidynastyseizedpowerinKhorezm.Thisturnofeventscanlogicallyexplainwhytheportraitsweredestroyed.Havingdeprivedtheolddynastyofitsthrone,representativesofthenewroyalfamilytriedtoeraseanyremnantoftheirpredecessors.
Theteamworkoftheinternationalresearchers(archeologists,restorersandarchitects)helpedrevealanotherpageinthehistoryofancientKhorezm.TheobjectsofancientartthatweresealedformillenniaintheclayandsandofAkshakhanKalamadeitpossibletoclarifythedetailsofthedramaticeventsthattookplaceinKhorezmattheendofthe2ndcenturyandbeginningofthe1stcenturyBC.ResearchersobtainedtangibleevidenceprovingtheexistenceofthesemilegendarydynastyoftheKhorezmShahs.
ScholarsaresurethatAkshakhanKala,asilentwitnessof2,000yearoldevents,hasnotyetdisclosedallofitssecrets.Theyanticipatenewdiscoveries.
ShamilAmirov
In1995,amonumentwasfirstunearthedbyajointarcheologicalexpeditionoftheKarakalpakResearchInstituteofHumanities(Prof.V.N.Yagodin)andtheUniversityofSydney,Australia(Prof.AlisonBetts).
AkshakhanKalaattractedtheresearchersbecauseofonefact:thoughthemonumentwasfirstdiscoveredbytheKhorezmarcheologicalandethnographicexpeditionasearlyas1956,itwasthebiggestsiteontherightbankofAmuDarya,whichhadneverbeenthoroughlyandexhaustivelystudied.
ThesiteoftheancientsettlementofAkshakhanKalaislocatedintheBirunidistrictofKarakalpakstan,inoneoftheonceflourishingoasesoftheancientkingdomofKhorezm.TracesoftheTashkyrmanmaincanalprovetheareahadacentralizedartificialirrigationsystem.
Byitssize,morethan42hectares,AkshakhanKalasurpassesalltheantiqueandmedievalmonumentseverunearthedintheterritoryofKarakalpakstan.ThevastspaceandmonumentalarchitectureenablearcheologiststoconcludethatAkshakhanKalawasoneofthefirstcapitalcitiesofancientKhorezm.
Topographically,thecityisdividedintotwopartsthecityperse(“lower”town),andthesacred(“upper”town),whichconstitutesnolessthanonequarteroftheentirecity.The“upper”townhadastrongfortificationsystemand,asthestudyshowed,containedpublicbuildings,religioustemplesandmausoleumsaswellasotherstructures.Oneofthemajorcomponentsofthecomplexwasatemple/palacemeasuring60x60meters,withacorridorrunningbetweenthedoublewall,towersateverycornerandentrancesoneachsideofthestructure.Fragmentsofclaysculptureswithpolychromepaintingandotherplasterandclaypartsofthearchitecturaldécorareevidenceoftheoriginalsplendorofthetemple/palaceinterior.Thedécorpolychromeornamentalpatternsmadeontheplasterprecoatcanstillbeseen.Fragmentsofstuccodecoratedwiththinleavesofgoldfoilwerealsodiscovered.
Threerowsofwalls,totalingonekilometerlong,surroundedthecentralbuilding.Theouterwallswerecoveredwithplaster.Someofthewallscontainedtracesofwallpaintings,leadingexpertstobelievethatallwallswereoncepainted.Astheexcavationsshowed,thewallsofthe53meterwesterncorridorwerecoveredwithmurals.Inthesouthernsectionofthecorridor,remnantsofwallpaintingsshowingaprocessionofpeopleandanimals,mostlikelyhorses,werealsofound.
Thefirstsmallfragmentsofwallpaintingswereuncoveredtherein1999.Theexpeditionwasnotreadytoexcavateandconservethemuralsatthetime,however.In2005,theexpeditionresumeditsworkonthisuniquearcheologicalsite,enhancedbyagroupofrestorersfromUzbekistan,Ireland,FranceandSwitzerland.Theybeganfromthesouthernsectionofthecorridor,wherethefragmentsshowingthe“procession”werefirstunearthed.
Atthetime,theexpeditionmemberscouldnotimaginethatin2006themoststunningimageswouldcomefromthenorthernsectionofthesamecorridor.Thosewerenotmuralsasthearcheologistsexpected.Whilecleaningupdebris,theydiscoveredagreatnumberoffragmentsofpolychromeportraitsthatoncedecoratedthecorridorwalls.Theyincludedasequenceofboldhalflengthportraits.Allthepersonageswerewearingcrownlikeheaddressesdecoratedwithwhatappearedtobeabird.Someofthefigureswereadornedwithtorquelikenecklaces.Archeologicalsourcesdescribethegoldnecklacesandcrownsshapedlikebirdstobetheattributesofsupremepower.Redcoloredearsmaketheportraitsevenmorestriking.Itislikelythattheearsareanattribute,too.Manynationsstillconsiderredtobethesymboloffertilityandpower.
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TheKarakalpakstanStateMuseumofArtnamedafterI.V.SavitskythankseditorsofficeofUzbekistanairlinesmagazineforprovidingEnglishversionofthearticleandphotographs.
Satellitesnapshot
Fall 2013
Restorationinprogress