In the gallery of the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan, on the eve of the holiday of Neutrality of our country, an exhibition-competition of works by students and teachers was held for 2023. The opening of the exhibition coincided with the upcoming 300th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding classical poet of the East Magtymguly Fragi. Therefore, at the literally grandiose exhibition, which presented more than 400 works, the main character for the vast majority of authors was Magtymguly.
In selecting the winners, to maintain complete impartiality, works are given numbers instead of names. The names of the winners will be announced on the holiday of Neutrality.
The monument to Magtymguly by Saragt Babayev, installed in the foothills of the Kopetdag in the vicinity of the southern part of Ashgabat, appears on canvases with enviable frequency from different angles and solutions. An interesting picture in which the Magtymguly monument occupies the background, and in the foreground, there is a state choir, a symphony orchestra with conductor Resul Gylyjov and soloist Atageldi Garyagdyyev.
The Turkmen poet's visit to the Great Silk Road bazaar in India is depicted in an easel painting. The poet examines overseas goods with interest. In the background you can see the Lahore Gate to Delhi. Students create authentic works using facts from the poet’s biography.
To the picture of the mystical plan «Get up! - they said» there is a QR code attached, thanks to which you can get extended information on this work on the Internet.
One of the stands documented photographs of the work on the construction of the monument. Many visitors to the gallery look with interest at how the monumental sculpture of Magtymguly, 60 meters high, was assembled from huge fragments.
A successful portrait of the poet is made in a carpet with a high thread density. In the background is an enlarged feather in a stylized version, in the foreground is a realistic portrait of Magtymguly. The author of this work tastefully selected colors with fawn shades. The carpet is distinguished by exceptionally neat execution.
Among the design works, a circle woven from black threads with a portrait of Magtymguly attracts special attention. A thin web of intersecting threads, from under which the poet’s face is visible, intrigues visitors to the exhibition with its originality and incomprehensible execution. This technique is called String Art.
Among the exhibited jewellery works, a set of jewellery consisting of a necklace and earrings stands out for its beauty and sophistication. In the centre of the necklace, among ornate ornaments, there is an elegant girlish figurine. This is Menli. The author was inspired to create these decorations by lines from Magtymguly’s poem, which are engraved on a gold plate installed next to the decoration.
Interesting exhibits were presented by students of the Faculty of Architecture and Design - a model of the Museum of Botany, made in the shape of a tulip, a Shopping and Entertainment Centre, the facade of which is decorated with national ornaments, and a project of the Tower of Happiness in the form of a crystal vase with a cafe, restaurant, offices and an observation area for tourists.
At the centre of the exhibition is a collection of designer women's clothing. Among the exhibits is a velvet cape «Margush» with mosaic fragments from the ancient city of Gonurdepe 2-3 millennium BC. High fashion outfits are decorated with beadwork and small jewelry. The collection is framed on the sides with fragments of a Turkmen yurt, thereby the author reminds viewers where the motives for creating such exquisite things come from. All these outfits are intended by the author for female images of Magtymguly.
Numerous busts of Magtymguly, as well as compositions made of plaster, are found throughout the exhibition, as are ceramic decorative vases painted in a modern style.
An electronic novelty - one screen with a portrait of Magtymguly, the other with a pen sliding over paper. The authors of the unusual exhibit are students of the design department.
At the exhibition, prepared by student youth, there is something to surprise even the most demanding visitor.
