SKY AND EARTH
The older I become, the closer I get to myself. The unnecessary shells are shed. The opinions of others aren't that important anymore.
My essence... it is still hiding somewhere inside, but it's not covered in the mess that is common norms and social standards, skewed looks and current trends.
What was important in the past is coming back.
The significance of a beloved one's smile.
The ability to keep silent, when you don't want to talk.
The bravery to speak out, when someone's act upsets you.
The chance to leave, if you feel the need to be alone.
We were all like that at the beginning. During childhood.
Then why are we so perplexed by the attention we give to information that we in reality do not need?
The herd instinct and consumerist cravings make us do absurd things.
They force us to judge.
To rate.
To take on someone else's mask.
To forget about ourselves.
To try to be like everybody else.
And suddenly, at some point, sadness arrives.
It's like a breath from the depths within.
The Earth is struggling with pain and hardship.
We overheated her.
We broke her up.
She’s sliced up and cut open.
Yet we want more. And more.
So that it's "cooler" than what the others have.
So that there's a lot of it.
We want that, what we don't actually need.
What for?
To be like everybody else!
What does it bring to you personally?
The confidence in having everything correct.
But what is "correct"?
What everybody else does and has!
Following this viscous cycle we run around like crazy rabbits on paramedics.
There's no time to think about how someone somewhere is waiting for you. Wanting to hear your voice. Run through your unruly hair with their hand.
Look into your murky eyes, tired from all that nonsense rush.
It's the wiser and the greater, who are waiting.
Children and the elderly.
Those who still haven't taken on, or have already disposed of, the extra weight.
What is left is an inhale.
A heavy and bitter, like love, inhale.
LM
Dr. LEYLA MAHAT – artist, curator, gallery director. Associate professor of the faculty of painting and sculpture of Kazakh National University of Arts. Doctor of Philosophy of fine arts. The Chairperson of Curatorial board of Contemporary Art Center «Kulanshi». President of the Eurasian Academy of Arts.
Awards:
- State Award «20 years of Independence» for contribution to the art, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
- Medal of contribution to the art named after Franz Kafka, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Diploma of Asia-Pacific Association of Artists, Tokyo, Japan
- Award “For contribution to the art” International Parliamentary Assembly, Moscow, Russia
- Honored Member of the Academy of Art, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laureate of the European Art Union
- Achievement Award «Golden Europea» and «European platter», Prague, Czech Republic
Dr.Leyla Mahat is an author and curator of Kazakh and international projects. Exhibitions of paintings artist were held at the museums and galleries of Kazakhstan, Russia, United States of America, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Japan, China, Bangladesh, India, Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Moldova, Turkey, Slovenia, Latvia and Romania.
Paintings in public collections of:
- State Museum of Arts n.a A.Kasteyev, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- National museum of Republic of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan
- Museum of the First President of Republic of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
- Museum of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture, Ankara, Turkey
- Historical Municipal Museum Uldingen, Germany
- State Museum of Fine Arts, Chisinau, Moldova
- «Art 21» Gallery, Munich, Germany
- «Saray» Gallery, Berlin, Germany
- «Five+Art» Gallery, Vienna, Austria
- Foundation's collection of Kisho Kurokawa, Tokyo, Japan
- Gallery of Tokyo University of Arts
- Contemporary Center Guangzhou, PRC,
and in Private Collections in: Kazakhstan, USA, Turkey, Germany, Russia, Great Britain, Belgium, India, Austria, Japan, Czech Republic and other countries.
Projects:
- «ART FORUM KULANSHI», Astana, Kazakhstan, 2006-2012
- «KünsteWoche» Festival Jesteburg, Germany 2005, 2006
- «Internationale Art Festival in Izmir», Türkei, 2004
- «Silk Road by Modern Art» – Gallery “Art 21”, München, Germany, 2006
- «Silk Road by Modern Art» – Art Center Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2006
- «United Buddy Bear» – Germany, the world tour
- «Bangladesch Art Biennale», Dhaka, Bangladesch
- «ART EXPRESS», Berlin-Budapest, Hungary 2008-2009
- «International Art Festival», New Delhi, India, 2013
- «New Silk Roads: Painting Beyond Borders», Singapur, 2015
- «Beijing International Biennale», Beijing, China, 2015
- «Made in Astana», Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 2016-2018
- «Art Circle» International Art Festival, Gorishka Brda, Slovenia, 2017-2019
- «Astana Street Art», Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 2018,2019
- «Miami Artweeks. Miami 2.0», Artbox project, Miami, USA 2019
LEYLA MAHAT
- Doctor of Philosophy – fine art
- Associate professor of “Painting and sculpture” department / Art Faculty, Kazakh National University of Arts, Astana, Kazakhstan
- Head of the Contemporary Art Center Kulanshi in the Palace of Peace and Accord, Astana, Kazakhstan
AWARDS:
- State Award “Medal - 20 years of Independence” for the contribution to the culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Franz Kafka medal, Prague, Czech Republic
- Diploma of the Asia Pacific Association of Painting, Tokyo, Japan, 2013
- Medal for the contribution to the development of Kazakhstani-Russian University, 2010
- Honorary Member of the Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, Czech Republic, 2003
- European award for artistic and cultural activities – Golden Europea, European platter, Prague, Czech Republic
PUBLIC RELASTIONS:
- Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana, Kazakhstan
- A.Kasteev State Museum of Fine Art, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Museum of Modern Art, Astana, Kazakhstan
- Museum of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture, Ankara, Turkey
- Museum of Fine Arts, Chisinau, Moldova
- Historical Museum, Unter Uldingen, Germany
- Museum of Fine Arts of the Hoja Ahmed Yassawi University, Ankara, Turkey
- Fine Art Gallery of the University of Fine Arts and Music, Tokyo, Japan
- “Art 21” Gallery, Munich, Germany
- “Saray” Gallery, Berlin, Germany
- National Contemporary Art Center “Tokio Modern Art,” Tokio, Japan
- Collection of the Kisho Kurakawa Fund, KISHO KURAKAWA architect & associates, Tokyo, Japan
- FIVE+ART GALLERY, Vienna, Austria
PROJECTS:
- ART FORUM KULANSHI, Astana, Kazakhstan, 2006-2012
- “Art Week” Festival, Фестиваль «Неделя Искусства», Jesteburg, Germany 2005, 2006
- International Izmir Festival, Izmir, Turkey, 2004
- “Silk Road by Modern Art” – “Art 21” Gallery, Munich, Germany, 2006
- “Silk Road by Modern Art” – Art Center, Berlin, Germany, 2006
- “UnitedBuddyBear”
- Bangladesh Art Forum 2010, 2012, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- ART EXPRESS, Berlin-Budapest, 2008-2009
- Festival of The Arts, New Delhi, India, 2013
- New Silk Roads: Painting Beyond Borders, Singapore, 2015
- Beijing Biennale, Beijing, China, 2015
- Kunstraum Palais Porcia in Wien, 2015
EXHIBITIONS:
Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Italy, USA, Japan, India, China, Germany, Japan, Moldova, Belgium, the Netherlands, Hungary, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Singapur, Bangladesh, China, Austria