The Game, Arystanbek Shalbayev
The Game, from the series of matches-barrels
Acrylic on canvas
144 x 144 cm (56,7 x 56,7in)
2000
This artwork addresses economical and political obsession of Kazakhstan with non-renewable sources of energy during the high demand for such throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s. The Dutch disease comes as no surprise in the country where limited resources are allocated to the segment of creative economy, mid-size businesses, and the development of civic society. A dangerous game, indeed, analogous to playing with matches and an easily inflatable oil stain. The artwork was recently exhibited at MANA Contemporary as a part of Thinking Collection Telling Tales group exhibition of Kyzyl Tractor curated by Leeza Ahmady and Vladislav Sludskiy as a signature program of Asia Contemporary Art Week New York (ACAW).