Usually, people choose a profession for themselves based on their abilities, preferences, or following the chosen path of their loved ones who have achieved enviable success in life. But there are people who are chosen by the profession itself. Dovlet Akiev belongs to the category of such people. His mother repeatedly noticed how her son, who had not yet gone to school, was intently moving his finger through the air ...
- What are you doing? She asked once.
- Drawing.
- But you can't see anything!
- I remember. Here I have an alabai, here are chickens, here is our yard.
It was difficult for mom to understand her son, but one thing was clear: her little Dovlet would be an artist.
And when Dovlet went to school and came into contact with many illustrated textbooks, he began to redraw the illustrations. His pictures were very similar to books, and if he tried, they came out one-to-one, and when he tried very, very hard, they turned out even better than in the book. Classmates were surprised and vying with each other asked to draw something else.
In 1988, Dovlet Akiyev entered the Turkmen State Art School to become a teacher of drawing and painting. Then he serves in the army in the border troops. And after demobilization, he again studied at the newly opened State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan at the graphic faculty, where there were several specialties: poster, easel and book graphics. Dovlet Akiev chose the latter.
What is the specificity of book design? Each work is decorated with a cover with a drawing depicting the main characters of the story, headpieces for each chapter, and a font is selected. But before starting this work, you need to carefully read the text, one might even say, study it. Take a “freeze frame” at the most interesting place and, using your imagination, convey the content of the culminating episode with a drawing. Usually, several options are made in order to choose the best one. Another distinctive feature of book design is that everything has to be done quickly. Therefore, the vast majority of figures and objects are performed from memory.
In 2000, immediately after graduating from the academy, the certified artist Dovlet Akiev was invited to the children's magazine “Gunesh”, where he still works, delighting the children with cheerful positive illustrations.
In collaboration with the artist Vepa Annageldyev, Dovlet Akiev publishes three textbooks on drawing for primary school students, in which they share their drawing skills with boys and girls and try to teach them to draw in the same way.
But the most important investment of his talent is the design of books. Almost a hundred books - fairy tales, legends, historical fiction - have entered libraries and bookstores in our country, delighting Dovlet Akiev with skillful design. Oguzkhan, Gerogly, Jelalletdin, Chingiz Khan, Dali Domrul, Gonebek and many other heroes - found their appearance on the pages of books thanks to Dovlet. The artist travels through different eras, becomes a witness to extraordinary events, before the unique images of the heroes are reflected in illustrations.
Most of Dovlet Akayev's illustrations are drawn in his favorite way - with ink and pen in black and white, made with the use of fantasy elements. The artist often creates using subconscious impulses similar to bizarre dreams. In many of his illustrations, surrealism is felt, even, if I may say so, oriental surrealism.
In order not to repeat himself, Dovlet diversifies his technique by adding a red spot to a black and white drawing. This spot can be a candle flame, a peacock's feather, a blossoming flower, a dutar ... But no matter what tricks the artist goes to in order to be different, his emphasis cannot be confused with any other.
Unbelievable, but true - the artist worked on the painting “The Battle of Dandanakan” for 5 years. And as a result, 1350 warriors, 685 horses, 23 elephants, 16 camels appeared on a canvas measuring 70x50 cm, who are fighting in a fierce battle for life and death.
Dovlet Akiev likes to surprise the audience. For example, at the gala exhibition dedicated to the Great Silk Road, the artist presented a marching caravan on a three-meter canvas, and it did not walk along the usual trodden road with potholes, but along a flat line, as if it were a modern asphalt road. Reality and fiction touch even in this detail.
In a large spreading apple tree, the artist's eye saw, instead of apples, happy children who are having fun among the branches and leaves. This is how the funny and positive picture “The Tree of Happiness” was born.
The range of the artist's passions is unusually wide. He gravitates towards battle and hunting scenes, fabulous monsters, unearthly beauties. Each of his illustrations contains a drama, a struggle for survival.
Dovlet Akiev's worthy contribution to the culture of Turkmenistan was highly appreciated: he three times - in 2005, 2008 and 2010 - becomes a laureate of the prize of the President of Turkmenistan “Türkmeniň Altyn asyry”. In 2012 he was awarded the title “Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan”.
In 2013, when Dovlet Akiev with his works went to Azerbaijan for the International Exhibition of Paintings, friends and colleagues advised him to take works of the realistic genre with him. Dovlet did not follow their advice. And he did the right thing, because his surreal paintings aroused the greatest interest among the visitors of the exhibition.
There is no doubt that the rare talent of Dovlet Akiev will surprise compatriots and foreign audiences with his original exquisite works more than once.
Tamara Glazunova
Photos from the artist’s archives
