The Museum of Fine Arts is currently running an exhibition to mark the 120th anniversary of the birth of Byashim Nurali.It brings together works by the pioneer of the national school of painting, documents providing insights into different stages of the painter’s career, and a collection of musical instruments made by him.
One of the exhibition’s sections presents works by Turkmen artists and sculptors depicting Byashim Nurali.Also on display are drawings and paintings by students of Children’s Art School named after this extraordinary man, who left his indelible mark on the national culture.
Relatives of the first Turkmen artist attended the exhibition’s opening ceremony as guests of honor.Among those speaking at the ceremony were museum professionals, art experts, artists, and people fortunate enough to have known Byashim Nurali personally.
They noted the painter’s amazing versatility, unquenchable thirst for knowledge and striking, strong desire for doing something new.This is evidenced by the musical instruments he made, the films featuring him, and the picture carpet, woven by his spouse Amansoltan, for which this diversely talented artist made a sketch.
Wife’s Portrait’ shows a full-figured woman with a round face, striking features and a merry twinkle in her eyes.Interestingly, almost all women in paintings by Byashim Nurali look like that.
That was probably his vision or idea of beauty.Portrait of a Turkmen Girl ’, Art Student at the Easel’ and other works celebrating women are associated with those beauties depicted by Rubens.
Karakul Sheep Pelt Production’ and Bagshi among Shepherds’, the two most famous multi-figure easel paintings, win the hearts with their total frankness and sincerity.In the first of them, work is well under way and every pair of hands is much needed.
However, one of the workers decides to declare his true feelings to a young woman he is in love with.The woman, who stands with a lamb clutched to her chest, blushes shyly and looks happy.
Bagshi among Shepherds’ is imbued with genuine admiration for a talented performer (bagshi).Pouring some tea into a bowl, one of the shepherds gets so fascinated by the brilliant performance that he does not see the tea overflow the edges of the bowl.
Byahim Nurali’s older granddaughter, Gulshen, told an interesting story about Bagshi among Shepherds’.When she was six years old, she came to her grandfather, who was working on the painting and exclaimed: - Grandpa!
Grandpa!What is an Alabay dog doing here? - Don’t be scared, it is painted. -Grandpa!Grandpa!Do you see the bowl is overflowing!Her grandfather was amused by her words.
He gently stroked his granddaughter’s head and said: - Real art should be true to life.When our press photographer Yuri Ivanovich Shkurin asked the relatives of Byashim Nurali to pose for photographs with one of his painting, they all unanimously chose the portrait of Amansoltan, their grandmother and great-grandmother.
Myakhek, Byashim Nurali’s daughter-in-law, is a teacher of Turkmen; his grandson Serdar is an architect; his grandchildren Enai and Seyran dream of becoming painters; Gulshen, with whom we are familiar now, attended the Art School named after her grandfather as a child.
Among those visiting the exhibition were many children students of Byashim Nurali Art School, who had taken part in the art contest, now waiting for the judges’ decision.Our opinion may certainly be different from that of professionals.
But some works deserve a special mention: small sculptures by Kerim Meredov and Nazarklych Tejendurdyev, paintings by Oguljeren Durdyeva, and a graphic portrait of Byashim Nurali by Leyli Nuryeva.