In honor of the 35th anniversary of the independence of Turkmenistan, an exhibition of works by Turkmen artists has been opened at the Fine Arts Exhibition Center of the Ministry of Culture. Works by painters, sculptors, carpet artists, jewelers, and ceramicists, as well as designer works of decorative and applied art, occupy both floors of the Exhibition Center.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition included an awards presentation for members of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan in recognition of their active participation in international and state exhibitions. Amid the warm applause of those gathered, around 80 artists were presented with incentive awards from the Ministry of Culture, the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, the National Center of Trade Unions of Turkmenistan, the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan, and the administration of the Fine Arts Exhibition Center.
Bakhar Pirgulyyeva, a lecturer at the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan, received the Grand Prix for a carpet depicting an Akhal-Teke horse. Her students, who were also presented with incentive awards, stood beside her. Taking into account the motto of 2026 — “Independent Neutral Turkmenistan – the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses” — the theme of the Akhal-Teke horse proved to be particularly popular.
Another theme no less widely represented in the works of Turkmen artists is the creative and happy life of the people of Turkmenistan. It is most fully revealed in paintings devoted to childhood. For example, Maral Saryyeva captured on her canvas a group of happy, charming children in one of the kindergarten classes. Meanwhile, in Merjen Maksatmuradova’s painting “Children Are Our Future,” the protagonists are first-graders. Both works share a cheerful atmosphere prevailing in schools and preschool institutions.
The painting “Ancient Merv” by Hudaynazar Purliev was a great success at the exhibition. It literally attracted art lovers and would not let them leave without admiration. The painting could be viewed for hours. It depicts an Eastern bazaar filled with merchants dressed in colorful national clothing and surrounded by enormous chests containing overseas goods. The artist portrayed the scene with extraordinary attention to detail; one can even see the tiniest highlights on each individual brick of the buildings surrounding the marketplace. The painting was framed by a series of small embossed works dedicated to the Great Silk Road. One can only imagine how much imagination, time, and painstaking effort Hudaynazar Purliev invested in the work.
An irrepressible romantic of the East, Rakhman Umarov, once again surprised visitors to the exhibition with his new work “Red.” Part of the painting is occupied by a red shawl with a white pattern, followed by the profile of a young beauty and then another section of the red fabric. Red can be called the dominant color among all the others. Like a bright flower, this color attracts the attention of those around it. Obviously, this was precisely the effect the artist intended to achieve when creating his painting.
Among the ceramic works, “The Cat” by Bayram Annagulyev left no visitor indifferent. The cat resembled a robot from a science-fiction cartoon. With its eyes bulging, it looked at the spectators as if warning them: “Admire me quickly, because I have to go to the filming.”
The exhibition also featured displays of ladies’ handbags, jewelry, and a collection of dolls. All these exhibits are not only highly artistic works; they also reflect the peaceful and tranquil life of the people of Turkmenistan.
