Aibek Begalin
Magnificent art of the artist Aibek Kalenovich Begalin from Karaganda for a long time attracts attention of art critics, collectors, forcing persistently to define his place in cultural space of the modern fine arts of Kazakhstan and even to enter his creativity in world scales.
Pages of the biography. Once Antoine de Saint-Exupery said unexpected words: 'Where am I from? - I am from my childhood'. Aibek Begalin is from the childhood: he desired to become the artist at the age of 10; he told about it to his mother and did not change his. And 'mistery of blood' give interesting moments - his father and mother in the17th generation 'are closed' on Khan Argyne, and among relatives there is mother of Abay and composer Tattimbet.
Aibek Begalin was born on September, 13, 1963 in Tselinograd (Astana) in the family of the geologist. In 1974 the family settled in Karaganda. Here he received initial art education in the fine art studio of the Palace of pioneers, then at Children's art school. The present art becoming began in the Art institute named after V.I.Surikov in Moscow where Aibek entered in 1983 after the Alma-Aty art school. He studied in the studio by Boris Aleksandrovich Deghteryov, the famous Russian graphic artist. His diploma work - a series of illustrations to Ch.Ajtmatov's novel 'And longer a century lasts the day' deserved a praise of the State examination board under presidency of vice-president of Academy of Arts D.S.Bisty, was marked in 1992 year by the diploma of the Russian Academy of Arts. And Chingiz Ajtmatov inscribed a prophetical inscription on the book: 'To Aibek Begalin, the young artist, with a wish of the big success and masterful pictures'. It was on July, 28, 1989 when A. Begalin was graduated the Art institute and got honours degree. In 1990 he entered the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, now is the member of Board of Karaganda organization of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan. His works are in private collections and large museums of Kazakhstan, Russia and abroad.
A.Begalin's attitude, figurative system of his creativity were determined by Christian and East philosophy, and also existentialism, views by Gegel, F.Dostoevsky. Absorbing the best achievements of the world painting (I.Bosch, A.Djurer, Micelandgelo, A.Altdorfer, M.Vrubel), he synthesizes at the same time complex difficult symbolics of art traditions of the West and the East.
A.Begalin - the inventor of 'begaligraphiya', the most complicated graphic technic, individual, not having analogues; the founder of the theory of 'pattern structuralism'. Patterns are symbols, images-archetypes are out time and there for forever.
The basic category of structuralism - is the structural perspective, giving to an artist new opportunity to penetrate into space by complex superposition of volumes and abstract lines against each other.
The person of universal talent works in different kinds and genres, as the painter creating monumental and chamber canvas, as the easel and graphic artist; he is the artist and poet.
Steps of a creative ascention. Within a mature youth it is possible to define steps of his creative ascention.
- At the beginning the middle of 90th years there were his two personal exhibitions on which graphic series of "begaligraphiya" - a visible embodiment of concreteness and abstractness of structural art of A. Begalin had been submitted: 'Achetypes', 'Mythologems', 'Elements', 'Game of time', 'Universe', 'the Fire world'.
- Creations on the theme "Apocalypse" (27 big canvases 180х120) - one of the main creative lines of 1990 - 2000: 'Seven Lights', 'Three Apostles', 'Heavenly Jerusalem', 'The Struggle of Jakob', ' The Last Supper', The Crucifixion', 'The Ark', The Falling of the Star' and others (7 pictures of the given cycle are in Moskow museum 'The Ark of the New Testament'. For him this philosophical theme is out of time and space, and that is why actual. In apocalipstic canvas, revealing the drama, the spirit of present time, centuries 'catarthis' of the end of the XXth- the beginning of the XXI ndarise. It is the main point for understanding the conception of his art works.
When A.Begalin had finished "Apocalypse", he ended the large chapter of his life and creative work.
- At the personal exhibition (November, 2002) in Art gallery (in Karaganda) the new universal series 'Time' reflecting 'limbistic' spatial thinking of the artist and giving sensation of Eternity was represented: 'The Knight of time', 'The place where the time is born', 'The Iron star', 'Above the island of dreams', 'On coast of Stics'.
Picture series 'Apocalypse' and 'Time' are united by the common composition and plastic decision, color scale - ochre-brown with scarlet-red, ultramarine-dark blue and citreous stresses. The panoramic point of view considerably strengthens mythocosmic scale.
- As the representative of Euroasian oykumena, . Begalin addresses to ethnocultural problematics, an example to that is his picturesque and graphic Turkic suite 'Kazakhstan': 'Chingizkhan', 'The leader of east Scythians', 'Buhar Szhirau', 'kazybek bi', 'Kokpar(Contention of a goat).', 'Kyz kuu', 'Shanyrak 3000', 'My uncle Tattimbet'; the expressive graphic series "Asia", the totem signs ('Wolf', 'Golden eagle').
- In parallel A.Begalin writes the poetic landscapes ('Winter', 'Winter in Karaganda'), amazing and beautiful still-lifes, portraits of known contemporaries - 'The Portrait of the Pope' (John Pavel II).
(25 big and small pictures), dedicated - The Personal exhibition - 2003 to the 40th -anniversary from his birthday, with the greatest completeness and perfection has developed of A.Begalin's creative talent. His uncommon supererudition shown in unusual plots of his grandiose works created during this year amazes people: 'Sultan Bejbars', 'Nomads', 'Kassandra,s vision. The Grecian Horse', 'The Tower of the Oberon', 'Leviaphan' , 'Travel of the Categorical Imperative', 'Atlantida', 'The Megacity '," the Machine of time ", 'The Paradise', 'Soul'," Falling of the star ' - one of the most amazing pictures. Developing in it the theme of "Apocalypse", the artist gives sensation of space catastrophe, and there can be an anticipation of a birth of the new worlds? And in this cycle the artist connects Ellada with the East. Among the newest works - 'Nomads', 'Kassandra,s vision. The Grecian Horse', sated with " primitive energy ', for tells about falling of Troy, but it most likely - a trope of existential revolt. The Turkic theme is continued with a heroic portrait of Sultan Bejbars; images of horsemen on tulpars in the picture 'Nomads' - creative interpretation of the Kazakh historical epos, the symbol of courageous nomads, in a rough attack of elements overcoming resistance; the canvas is decorative, with judgement of skythian-saksky tradition. Mythological consciousness of the artist is boundless: and the mythology of Indians of Central America occupies his imagination ('КKetsalkoatle').
with romantic ones: - Mythocosmic motives invariable make contact preraphael motives find an echo in 'Eden', by romantic moods, fabulousness coloured his canvas: 'Aurora', 'The paradise girl', 'Amazon', 'Princess the Dream'.
- The manner of painting pictures and A.Begalin's creative method. His painting is multycomplicated and structural. The idea of a picture is born impulsively and instantly appears on the canvas, passing the stage of sketches, 'acquiring' set of many details. His works are virtual: the longer you look, the deeper you penetrate to the point, mistery of the work of art. Graduate of the Art institute , he excellently obtains the academic classical style, at the same time the creative way of research of the world of A.Begalin defines as neomodern. 'The code of the plastic language, 'philosophic-romantic symbolism', philosophic -metaphorical significance of all elements of the form - colour, light, space - are designed for multylayered perception, invite audience to intellectual discussion; for a brush - the idea generates complex associations.
- Creative credo: 'Impossible - is the symbol of my inspiration, my art and psychological credo; we aspire to reach impossible, and during any moments of truth this aspiration helps to solve the problem on meaning of the life'.
His life and creative way as a matter of fact. In the beginning of a century
O.Spengler in the system of world culture will name this human type as ''faustovsky' and will define it as 'active, struggling, overcoming'. Condition of the soul, probably, A.Begalin has transferred in a sacral painting "Soul" - the winged soul flies above the world - kind, virtual, covering all the world, but simultaneously there is a crystal nucleus - a source of vital force and power as main dominants of unic person in it.
Larisa Zolotaryeva,
Professor of Fine Arts , art critic
Member of Association of Kazakhstan Artists
