ASTANA ART FEST

A camel made of glass bottles, living statues, the Iron Man made of EXPO construction materials and a fire show. Nur Zholy Boulevard has turned into a huge art gallery and a meeting point for tradition and innovation. The Festival has brought together the authors from Kazakhstan, the U.S., Japan, Russia, the U.K., France and Spain to celebrate science and art. Each of them has their own view on the philosophy of nomadism and modern reality.

MAIRA IZMAILOVA, DIRECTOR, ASTANA ART FESTIVAL:

- Many tourists are coming to Kazakhstan. We need to show our culture which is not archaic but rather modern, representing a new Kazakh, a neo nomad. Who is he? It is a person who constantly learns something; it is a person evolving along with everyone, caring about nature and environmentally conscious.

Even the traditional yurt has become a place of scientific and technological innovation. Here you can see how plants are grown with the help of phyto-lamps and agrometeorological stations, how waste is recycled, and how 3D printers, scanners and even next-generation computers are made.

YELUBAI KABDYLMANATOV, FESTIVAL PARTICIPANT:

- The advantage of it is in its small size and it is lightweight. It has a huge screen and the eyes don’t get tired. The bottom line is that you can put it in your pocket and it works. The tablet is like a pocket. It will be called Zhaibox.

The Astana Art Fest also traditionally features musical and theatrical performances, and an entire art forum. This year the festival has a fashion pavilion and kids’ theater. Organizers believe and hope that the audience is enjoying the rich theatrical and cultural program of the art festival.