Press Release

Aigana Gali
The Holy Garden
10 January to 5 February 2011
Private view 11 January 2010, 6pm - 9pm

In January 2011 the Hay Hill Gallery presents The Holy Garden an exhibition of works by Aigana Gali, one of the brightest young talents of contemporary Kazakh art.

Aigana’s paintings evolve from re-interpreting and questioning Christian iconography. Religions such as Christianity have always labelled saints and even God with a human face. On the contrary, Islam forbids any pictorial depiction of holy characters. This has always fascinated Aigana since she was brought in a family where a religious mix of an Orthodox Christian mother and a Muslim father has provided her with endless themes for contemplation - the nature of God within human beings.

In her portraits of saints Aigana aspires to capture presence and atmosphere rather than physical features of a human face. Thoughtful painting, classical composition, Renaissance palette and a unique technique which incorporates photography and painting symbolise her works.

Aigana’s first solo exhibition was held in 2003 at The Almaty Art Gallery. Being one of the freshest young talents of contemporary Kazakh art, she has made six successful solo shows, including a major exhibition in the Kazakh National Museum. The first London exhibition was held at The Westbury Hotel Gallery in London in 2010.

Aigana has works both in private and public collections in Russia, Europe and Kazakhstan. Over hundred works already have being sold.

Aigana Gali:
Aigana Gali was born in 1980 in Almaty (Kazakhstan) of Georgian/Kazakh descent and was raised in Kazakhstan, which is the ancient crossing on the Great Silk Road, where Asia and Europe mix to give the world a unique blend of culture. The religious mix of orthodox Christian mother and Muslim father has gifted her with an endless theme of her works - the nature of God within human beings. She was always interested in the depiction of Saints, and in the 2002 Aigana took a course of Christian Iconography at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. She has studied at the Kazakh State Fine Art and Architecture Academy, then at the Kazakh Academy of Science and then moved to London, where she is studying at Sotheby's Institute of Art and working at Kazakh-British Art Council as an Art Councillor.

Apart from visual arts, Aigana has worked as an artistic director in a theatre and featured in three main roles in Kazakh films. In the 2009 she was nominated as a “Discovery of the Year” as an actress at the Eurasia Film Festival.

Notes to Editors:

Hay Hill Gallery, located on Cork Street, specialises in the sculpture of the famed artist Auguste Rodin and represents a number of internationally recognised contemporary artists. An exhibition of works by Aigana Gali will be held jointly with an exhibition of works by the French artist Patrice Valota alongside the sculptures of Auguste Rodin.

For press information and images please contact Alexandra Tuulos, info@hayhill.com

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