Gulnur Mukazhanova's latest installation, "Dowry of the Soul," takes her intricate felt creations to a monumental scale. The artist has been experimenting with textiles, particularly Kazakh felt, as a means to convey complex philosophical ideas about existence, rupture, morality, and heritage. By incorporating traditional elements from her native Kazakhstan, Mukazhanova navigates the tension between globalization and cultural preservation.
In "False Hope or Moment of the Present" (2018-2025), Mukazhanova's suspended sculptures composed of thousands of colorful fabric scraps create a vibrant, abstract landscape that embodies the artist's concept of felt as a medium for exploring the human condition. The intricate connections between threads, pins, and fibers convey the labor-intensive process of creation and the relationship between materiality and meaning.
The artist's use of tuskiiz carpets, traditional Kazakh wall hangings, serves as a metaphorical bridge to the past, symbolizing the transmission of memories and rituals from one generation to another. Mukazhanova's felted works also become "not only a bridge to ancestors but also a source of healing." As she continues her ongoing series, Portrait Reflections (on the history of my homeland, Qandy Qantar), one portrait for each life lost during Almaty's Bloody January protests, the boundaries between past and present begin to blur.
A more recent work, Bosaqa" 1 (Threshold 1) (2024), features layered textile and felt surfaces that evoke a sense of nostalgia and reckoning. The artist's hand is visible in the intricate process of creating her works, as if conducting wool and wisdom into a gentle arch. In this installation, Mukazhanova blurs the lines between the physical and spiritual realms.
The monumental "Post-Nomadic Realities - Untitled" (2025) canvases, marked by vertical fields of red, pink, blue, and yellow pigment over gray felt, take on a life of their own. The six-channel soundscape by SAMRATTAMA adds depth to the installation, evoking the vast expanse of the Kazakh steppe.
Ultimately, Mukazhanova's art serves as a testament to the power of materials and processes in conveying complex emotions and ideas. By merging traditional techniques with modern sensibilities, she creates an immersive experience that not only reflects her cultural heritage but also invites viewers to ponder the human condition.
In "False Hope or Moment of the Present" (2018-2025), Mukazhanova's suspended sculptures composed of thousands of colorful fabric scraps create a vibrant, abstract landscape that embodies the artist's concept of felt as a medium for exploring the human condition. The intricate connections between threads, pins, and fibers convey the labor-intensive process of creation and the relationship between materiality and meaning.
The artist's use of tuskiiz carpets, traditional Kazakh wall hangings, serves as a metaphorical bridge to the past, symbolizing the transmission of memories and rituals from one generation to another. Mukazhanova's felted works also become "not only a bridge to ancestors but also a source of healing." As she continues her ongoing series, Portrait Reflections (on the history of my homeland, Qandy Qantar), one portrait for each life lost during Almaty's Bloody January protests, the boundaries between past and present begin to blur.
A more recent work, Bosaqa" 1 (Threshold 1) (2024), features layered textile and felt surfaces that evoke a sense of nostalgia and reckoning. The artist's hand is visible in the intricate process of creating her works, as if conducting wool and wisdom into a gentle arch. In this installation, Mukazhanova blurs the lines between the physical and spiritual realms.
The monumental "Post-Nomadic Realities - Untitled" (2025) canvases, marked by vertical fields of red, pink, blue, and yellow pigment over gray felt, take on a life of their own. The six-channel soundscape by SAMRATTAMA adds depth to the installation, evoking the vast expanse of the Kazakh steppe.
Ultimately, Mukazhanova's art serves as a testament to the power of materials and processes in conveying complex emotions and ideas. By merging traditional techniques with modern sensibilities, she creates an immersive experience that not only reflects her cultural heritage but also invites viewers to ponder the human condition.
! Her use of traditional Kazakh textiles in a modern context is like, totally mind-blowing. The way she incorporates intricate felt creations into her installations is like a portal to another world 
. I love how she's experimenting with different scales and mediums, from tiny sculptures to massive canvases, and it's all so visually stunning 
. And the story behind each piece? Wow, it's like she's weaving (pun intended) these complex narratives that invite you to reflect on our existence 
. What I find really inspiring is how she's using her art as a way to connect with her heritage and share that with us, while also exploring universal themes like hope, memory, and healing 
.
. I love how her art makes you feel all these emotions - nostalgia, hope, reckoning... it's like she's taking you on this journey through time and space. The way she weaves together threads and fibers is like a metaphor for connection and meaning, you know? 
. Like, I get it, the use of felt and traditional Kazakh elements is super powerful in conveying these deep philosophical ideas about existence and morality. But what really gets me is how she's not just stuck in the past, but actually using that as a way to connect with the present and create something new. It's like, she's taking all these cultural traditions and threads (literally) and weaving them into this beautiful tapestry of emotions and ideas. I mean, have you seen "Post-Nomadic Realities - Untitled"? 
I'm loving this artist, Gulnur Mukazhanova, so much! Her use of Kazakh felt and traditional tuskiiz carpets is like a breath of fresh air... wait, didn't we just talk about how cool textiles are in art? 
She always said it was like weaving stories into fabric.
This artist is like a 
intricate and emotive 
it's like a 
thread of hope pulling us through the 
complexities of existence 
[GIF: A person being pulled by an invisible thread, stretching and morphing into different shapes]