A Curator Hour Was Held at Almaty Museum of Arts Within SDG 4

On 20.02.2026, within the framework of SDG 4, a first-year doctoral student of the specialty “Geobotany” of the Department of Botany and Agroecology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, A. D. Myrzakhan, under the supervision of the department curator, Senior Lecturer K. T. Abidkulova, conducted a curator’s hour for second-year students majoring in Biology during her pedagogical practice. The event took place at the Almaty Museum of Arts and was aimed at broadening students’ intellectual and cultural outlook, fostering aesthetic awareness, and developing interdisciplinary thinking skills.

The primary objective of the curator’s hour was to familiarize students of the Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology with current trends in contemporary Kazakhstani and international art, as well as to enhance their analytical competencies in interpreting artistic works. During the visit, participants explored both indoor and outdoor museum exhibitions, including permanent and temporary displays. The exhibition spaces reflected significant stages in the development of visual art in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, demonstrating historical and cultural transformations of the region.

Particular attention was given to paintings and graphic works by prominent Kazakhstani artists, including Aisha Galimbayeva, Salikhitdin Aitbayev, Moldakhmet Kenbayev, Tokbolat Togysbayev, and Shaimardan Sariyev. Their works illustrate the formation of the national art school, the synthesis of traditional motifs with modern artistic approaches, and the evolution of thematic and stylistic directions in Kazakh art. Students analyzed compositional structure, color solutions, symbolism, and conceptual content of the artworks.

A separate part of the program included the personal exhibition of contemporary Kazakhstani artist Almagul Menlibayeva entitled I Understand Everything. Her works, created in various media formats — textile, photography, video art, and performative practices — are characterized by conceptual depth and engagement with themes of identity, memory, landscape, and geographical space. Students noted the symbolic richness of her works and their relevance to the cultural discourse of Central Asia.

In addition, students became acquainted with artworks by internationally recognized contemporary artists such as Richard Serra, Jaume Plensa, Yinka Shonibare, Anselm Kiefer, Yayoi Kusama, and Bill Viola. These works demonstrate diverse approaches to spatial perception, temporality, and the representation of the inner world of an individual through innovative materials and artistic forms. Their analysis contributed to students’ understanding of global artistic processes and their interconnection with social, cultural, and environmental issues.

The event concluded with a discussion session in which students analyzed conceptual directions, artistic methods, and authorial techniques represented in the exhibitions. Particular emphasis was placed on interdisciplinary connections between contemporary art and the natural sciences, including biology and ecology. The curator’s hour contributed to the development of critical thinking, communicative competence, and a holistic worldview among students, in alignment with the academic mission of the university.

Department of Botany and Agroecology