The Fine Arts Centre of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan organized an exhibition of portrait paintings, combined with a concert program.

Students of the Children's Art School named after B. Nuraly exhibited 50 portraits of outstanding figures of art and literature, and the Turkmen National Conservatory named after M. Kuliyeva performed a concert, in which most of the program consisted of original works by the individuals depicted in the portraits.

- The idea of combining paintings with music has been bothering me for a long time, - says the event organizer, composer Ayna Shirova. - The world of art develops according to its own canons: each type goes through certain stages of creativity - folk art, classics, contemporary art. Moreover, each type of art influences other types.

We shared the idea of organizing an exhibition-concert with the management of the Children's Art School named after B. Nuraly.

- Now the children are on summer holidays, - continued the conversation the school director Ovezgeldi Yazmyradov, - so we asked the children: «Who would like to take part in the portrait exhibition?» Many responded. We planned to exhibit 30 works, but there were 50. The largest number of portraits was exhibited by Alipalvan Hudayberenov, who was remembered by art lovers for his exhibition of portraits from the last exhibition of works by the Children's Art School.

Familiar and unfamiliar faces looked at the audience from the easels - Durdy Bayramov - artist, Saraht Babayev - sculptor, Atageldi Garyagdyyev - singer, Babasary Annamyradov - sculptor, Baba Annanov - actor, Ashyr Dogda - host of children's entertainment programs, Nikolay Mayorov - poet, Nury Halmammedov - composer, Sergey Ohomush - composer, Tahyr Atayev - conductor, Kakajan Ashyrov - director, Zurab Tsereteli - sculptor and others. Among them - a copy of the portrait of cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, who is currently on a space expedition, and the original author Batyr Sultanov sent to Moscow as a gift for the cosmonaut's 60th birthday.

The children participating in the exhibition of portraits of outstanding figures of art took a group photo to remember the event.

The concert part of the program was opened by the work of Nury Halmammedov «Hayrana Galar» by the winner of international competitions Stella Faramazova and the graduate of the Academy of Music named after Gnessin Aybolek Muhyyeva. The concert also featured works by Nikolay Mayorov, Natalya Shcherbinina, Sergey Ohomush, Rejep Rejepov, Ayna Shirova and others. The concert ended with the performance of «Turkmen Rhapsody» by Mamed Guseynov by the orchestra of Tahyr Atayev, the soloist was the winner of the Moscow festival «Sounds of Dutar» Gulhanum Lametova.

The exhibition-concert made a deep impression on the audience and aspiring artists of the portrait genre.