The last February weekend draws to a close in ecology-themed fashion. Both Astana and Almaty have something to share about humanity’s impact on nature and potential solutions to ongoing climate change. But there’s more; the capital’s residents will have the opportunity to experience Sebastian Zawadzki’s piano compositions, evoking a deep emotional sea within one’s being. In Almaty, guests and residents of the city will be treated to the new female voices in filmmaking, exploring haunting, puzzling, and reinvigorating life takes.
Discover these and more events in the digest by QazMonitor below.
Astana
Lecture on art in Ancient Greece by art researcher Zarina Issa
Among other ancient cultures, such as Chinese or Indian, the art of Ancient Greece stands out for its refinement of portraying the idealized human form, remarkable even by today's standards. Art researcher Zarina Issa will take her audience on a trip through the worldview and mythology of the Hellenic people, exploring how these elements informed timeless expressions forever etched into world culture.
NOTE: To attend the event, please sign up through Oqy book shop’s DMs.
Date: February 24, 2:00 p.m.
Address: Oqy book shop, Turan Avenue 34A
Entrance: ₸3,000 (as of February 22, 2024, $6.67)
QATYGEZ by Iskander Adal: comic book launch event
A new comic book braves the local scene this Saturday. QATYGEZ by Iskander Adal brings to the table a gripping vigilante narrative. With its sharp and gritty aesthetics, this comic book presents a world inhabited by rugged individuals, unforgiving circumstances, and solutions made by fists.
Date: February 24, 5:00 p.m.
Address: Oqy book shop, Turan Avenue 34A
Entrance: Free
"Ecofeminism and Veganism" lecture by lawyer Aigerim Kussaiynkyzy and ecoactivist Nursulu Gapurova
Climate change not only exacerbates water shortages and forest fires but also highlights issues surrounding women's rights. Lawyer Aigerim Kussaiynkyzy and ecoactivist Nursulu Gapurova will discuss how ecofeminism draws on the concept of gender to analyze the relationships between humans and nature, offering feminism's perspective on ecopolitics.
Date: February 25, 6:00 p.m.
Entrance: ₸500 ($1.11)
NOTE: The lectures will be conducted in Kazakh and Russian. Contact Fem Tendik’s Instagram page for address and further details.
Sebastian Zawadzki concert
Even a quick glimpse at Sebastian Zawadzki’s discography can throw for a loop. His latest work builds on sci-fi aesthetics and the synth genre, transporting its listeners to a meditative landscape, evoking the everyday of a distant futuristic world. Many of his other works, though, draw upon the legacy of piano romanticism and the expressions of melancholy, its inner ebbs and flows.
Date: February 25, 6:00 p.m.
Address: Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall, Mangilik Yel Avenue 10/1
Entrance: ₸5,000–₸17,000 ($11.12–$37.80)
Almaty
"Kazakh Ornaments as Icons of Tengrian Culture and Combinatorics of Their Modules in Modern Design" lecture by designer Yerlan Kozhabayev
Ornament, or oyu-ornek in Kazakh, is a medium that carries meanings for those who can decipher it. Take the ram's horns, for example; koshkar muyiz are meant to symbolize one’s kut, a person’s spirit and wish for well-being. Researcher and designer Yerlan Kozhabayev will discuss how these sometimes elaborate messages were interpreted in the past, as well as how Kazakh ornamentation can be incorporated into contemporary design.
NOTE: The lecture will be conducted in Kazakh.
Date: February 24, 2:00 p.m.
Address: Egin art space, Nurmakov Street 79
Entrance: Free
Screening of female filmmakers by QYZQARAS
The QYZQARAS community greets movie aficionados with another showcase of female filmmakers' voices and the topics they explore. This screening will feature the works of five directors, spanning documentary, conceptual pieces, and animation. From an eerie tale of a mother's reunion with the son she gave up for adoption in Kamilla Omarova’s Shards, to Sana Serkebaeva’s Aitys, an unreliable documentary piece challenging the authenticity of ethnographic portrayals of an age-old tradition.
The screening will feature the following movies:
– Mockumentary, and Aitys by Sana Serkebaeva;
– Arpalys by Tomiris Davletova;
– Shards (Осколки) by Kamilla Omarova;
– Conversation (Разговор) by Xeniya Pridatchenko;
– Madeline The Child Exorcist by Kamila Daurenova.
NOTE: To attend the event, please sign up through QYZQARAS's DMs.
Date: February 25, 2:00 p.m.
Address: bULt rave space, Gagarin Street 83
Entrance: Free
"OmirConf" animal rights conference
The issue of animal rights stands high on the public agenda. This growing discussion encompasses a growing list of issues, and OmirConf is dedicated to addressing these questions and seeking solutions to the challenges of wildlife preservation. Guest speakers at the event will address the necessary legislative changes, the importance of public awareness campaigns, and the role of activism as a catalyst for change.
NOTE: To attend the event, please sign up through the organizer’s official form. To see the full program refer to the official schedule.
Dates: February 24-25
Address: KIMEP University, Abay Avenue 2A
Entrance: Free