Kazakh Funny Games, wallpaper, 2016
Saule Dyussenbina uses motifs for her wallpaper that she has borrowed from Kazakh folk traditions and myths, as well as architectural views of the new Kazakh capital, Astana. A large number of buildings were constructed within the space of 10 to 15 years, planned for the most part by internationally renowned architectural firms. The wallpaper designs, reminiscent in part of the aesthetics of Delft tiles, Display detail of the Bayterek Tower, the symbol of Astana, the Ak-Orda-Presidential Palace, the Grand Alatau, a residential building complex made up of four skyscrapers and Foster & Partners' pyramid of peace and harmony, which serves as the centre for meetings of the "Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions". The sitting President of Kazakhstan, in office since 1990, also makes an appearance. Other designs combine vignettes from works by the Russian writer, Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837) with those of the Kazakh musician and composer, Kurmangasy Sagyrbajew (1823-1896). Animals also feature extensively in the wallpaper designs: thus, we are presented with scenes from a traditional eagle hunt, a Chanel logo made from sheep heads as well as the horns of a saiga antelope. This breed was subject to a mysterious population collapse in Kazakhstan, in which probably up to 150,000 animals died.
Saule Dyussenbina comments on the use of ornament in her work: "There was a time when people were able to divine the sacred meaning of ornamental patterns and express the events of everyday life as a geometrical code. Thus, our lives also turn into a knot of endlessly repetitive events and lose their meaning. They become a familiar pattern on the wallpaper in your room; you stop noticing them and no longer feel afraid of them. In the meantime, the wallpaper leads its own life and expands to cosmic proportions, ultimately cloning itself. Surrounded by it, we try once more to decipher the meaning of the ornamentation."
Saule Dyussenbina, artist, was born in the city of Karaganda in 1971. In 1997, she graduated from the Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts, the Faculty of Panel Painting. Since 1997, has participated in the International Festival of Young Artists “Zhiger” that takes place in Almaty. In 2002, took part in the International Festival “Shabyt” in Astana and won the Second Prize. From 2002 to 2014, she had seven solo exhibitions. As an artist, actively participates in regional and international exhibitions and projects. Saule created murals in public and private spaces. From 2010 to 2013, she taught at the Zhurgenov Academy of Arts. Her works are kept at the Kasteev State Museum of Arts in Almaty, the National Museum in Astana, the Nevzorovs Museum of Arts in Semey (former Semipalatinsk), in private collections of Kazakhstan, England, Italy, Belgium. Lives and works in Almaty, Kazakhstan
