Professor of art history, University of Zhubanov, member of the Union of artists of Kazakhstan Marziya Zhaksygarina, who visited this summer in Greece, with an exhibition of his bookplates and works of students of the University, shared his impressions about the trip
How did the opportunity to organize an exhibition in Greece?
February 15 at the University of Zhubanov held a personal exhibition of Yannis Kiriakidis – the famous schedule of Greece, who arrived in Aktobe at the invitation of the rector Bauyrzhan Yerdembekov. The exhibition was a huge success, both among connoisseurs of graphic art and among students. Janis gave guest lectures and master classes. Meetings with students at Janis left an unforgettable impression. Janis was impressed by the scale of the ongoing Affairs at the University, carried out and planned to improve the conditions of educational activities of students. Leaving, Janis offered to hold my exhibition with students of exlibris in Greece. The rector of the University Bauyrzhan Yerdembekov supported this idea. Not shelving them such a great offer, I’m on my way to meet my dream.
Who helped to organize the exhibition and stay in a foreign country?
At the airport I was met by Imankulov Abzal Orazbekovich Secretary for cultural and humanitarian cooperation of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Greece. Abzal – a charming young man who has already learned the local customs and traditions while traveling to Athens, managed to tell briefly the history of the city, the schedule and habits of the Greeks, and the lessons he received from the daily life of Greece. On the way home too personally.And Greek friends artist Yannis Kiriakidis and Elena Chatova, gave me a two-day bus tour of the cities, where we enjoyed the joint communication, trip, ancient beauty, historical monuments.
As for the exhibition, during the opening, the owner of the gallery “Anonimos”, which is located in the heart of Athens, Grigorius Dimitropoulus and his wife Khrysya Papa, warmly covered buffet table, greeted each guest personally. Not to mention that this exhibition has been the strong financial support of the rector of the University Zhubanov Bauyrzhan Yerdembekov. The Greeks were surprised and admired that art and young people in our country have such support.
What was the reaction of the Greek art lovers on your work and that of students?
The exhibition of the Kazakh bookplate in the history of ancient Greece is an unprecedented event, because it was opened for the first time, because the students of K. Zhubanov ARSU was introduced for the first time – everything was for the first time. According to the curator of the exhibition, Yannis Kiriakidis, our work has aroused great interest among connoisseurs of Greek graphic art as its national color, originality and surprisingly the opening of the exhibition was crowded. Guests especially looked at student works and recognized their authors and bookplates at other international exhibitions. So, the artist Magda Vamvatira approached one stand of student works exclaimed: “I know this work, I know this artist!”. It was nice that the works of our young authors are under the scrutiny of artists of the world.
What unique places Greece managed to see during the trip?
The Acropolis is my dream! As we ascended the Acropolis hill, we could see Athens at a glance. Amazing, fantastic feeling. The city spreads out below, left and right, front and back, and the continuation to the horizon is the sea, which then merges with the sky. To this day, the Acropolis and other masterpieces of ancient Greek architecture have reached a monotone-light, but in fact the Greeks of antiquity loved bright colors. Because in the heyday of the Acropolis temples were covered with colorful frescoes and stuccoes, and then under the influence of the sun, wind, etc. paint simply faded.
On a cruise ship I visited the Islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina, in the Saronic Gulf; as part of a two-day tour with Greek friends -the cities of Sparta, Mystra, Monemvasia, Gifio, Areopoli, Mani, Kardamili and Kalamata, Athens. Small whitewashed houses and steep ladders were visible. Doors, handles, shutters, non-repeating pattern, winding narrow streets filled with flower pots, leave an incredible impression. Greece is something exceptional: frozen antiquity and modern inclusions of modernity. The climate and nature was a gift from the divine. Every inch of Greece’s land keeps an amazing history. It’s amazing that the Greeks have never changed their writing, alphabet and it’s great! Modern Greeks can understand and read their history from the original sources – stone writings, of which the land of ancient Greece conceals a lot.
My long dream to see the Acropolis and Athens became a reality! And all thanks to the opening of my personal exhibition of bookplate and group exhibition of 19 students.
