In 2026, the international “The Big Wash” art flash mob was held in the Turkmen capital at two venues: in the courtyard of the Bouygues French School and at the French Institute in Turkmenistan. The project is coordinated by journalist and composer Aina Shirova. The “Big Wash” event has been held in Ashgabat for several years. This year, its geographical reach expanded to include original works from the cities of Anev and Arkadag. Both children and adults actively participated in the flash mob.

Anyone wishing to take part could bring their own artwork and hang it on a clothesline using clothespins. This is the essence of the event: all the drawings are displayed on lines stretched outdoors, allowing everyone to feel like an artist.

The theme of “The Big Wash” in 2026 was “Photography and Graphics.” Participants presented works created using a variety of techniques, including watercolors, gouache, pencil, markers, and collage. There were even original embroidery pieces made on paper rather than fabric. Each artist offered their own interpretation of this intriguing theme. Some chose to combine elements of photography and graphic art. For example, furniture was drawn by hand onto an actual photograph of a room. Another idea involved symmetry, with one half consisting of a photograph and the other of a drawing. One example featured a photograph of a real volcano alongside a drawn version of the same volcano.

Some works were directly related to the art of photography. The artists sought to capture the interplay of light and shadow, the effect of a camera flash, or a frame as seen through a photographer’s lens.

A highlight of the event was the participation of Alena Grand, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Turkmenistan. The diplomat not only visited “The Big Wash” but also personally hung an artwork created by her son on the clothesline.