# Bishkek undergrounds as Kyrgyzstan's key spaces of contemporary art

Dilda Ramazan

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Dilda Ramazan. Bishkek undergrounds as Kyrgyzstan's key spaces of contemporary art. 2025. hal-05248679v2

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Bishkek undergrounds as Kyrgyzstan's key spaces of
contemporary art

Les espaces souterrains de Bichkek comme lieux-clés d'art
contemporain du Kirghizistan

Подземные пространства Бишкека как основные места
современного искусства Кыргызстана

Dilda Ramazan

PhD student in Slavic Studies

Sorbonne Université, Eur'Orbem, CNRS/IFÉAC

Scientific advisor Svetlana Gorshenina
**Key words:** Bishkek, spatiality, alternative vision, contemporary art, Central Asia

**Summary**

Within the history of the emergence of contemporary art in the Central Asian region, the Kyrgyz capital plays a crucial role. A close analysis of its inner cultural context, however, reveals the importance of the underground spaces reimagined by local artists, which persists from the dawn of this new type of art (late 1980s-early 1990s) to the present day. Why are the undergrounds being targeted by the artists? And what does it inform us about the Kyrgyz art scene today?

**Mots-clés :** Bichkek, spatialité, vision alternative, art contemporain, Asie centrale

**Résumé**

Dans l'histoire de l'art contemporain en Asie centrale, la capitale du Kirghizistan occupe une position centrale.

Cette histoire est marquée par l'importance donnée aux espaces souterrains, réinvestis de manière créative par les artistes locaux.

Depuis l'émergence de ce type d'art dans la région centrasiatique à la fin des années 1980 et au début des années 1990, ces lieux continuent de nourrir la scène contemporaine.

Pourquoi les espaces souterrains attirent-ils l'attention des artistes ? Et que révèlent-ils sur les dynamiques actuelles de l'art au Kirghizistan ?

**Ключевые слова:** Бишкек, пространственность, альтернативное видение, современное искусство, Центральная Азия

**Резюме**

Кыргызская столица играет важнейшую роль в истории становления современного искусства в регионе Центральной Азии. Однако внимательный анализ её культурного контекста выявляет важность подземельных пространств, переосмысленных местными художниками, которая сохраняется с момента появления этого нового вида искусства (конец 1980-х–начало 1990-х годов) и по сей день. Почему эти пространства так востребованы художниками? И что это говорит нам о современной кыргызской художественной сцене?
Introduction

Contemporary art, as a new plastic and conceptual language, first emerged in Central Asia during the Perestroika era, or the late Soviet period. Although the cultural landscape at the time remained officially dominated by the Socialist Realist aesthetic project, new artistic forms began to gradually infiltrate the former Soviet territories in the latter half of the 20th century. This key shift was facilitated by the circulation of specialized art publications and the informal networks of *samizdat* and *tamizdat*<fnref n="1" />.

Moscow and Leningrad, as imperial centers and primary cultural hubs of the time, played a crucial role in introducing contemporary art practices to Central Asia, then a colonial periphery of the Soviet Union. These cities functioned as key mediators between the latest developments in the Western art world and the local evolving art scenes of the region. Many of the Central Asian cultural figures—now considered pioneers within the realm of contemporary art<fnref n="2" />—had studied in Moscow or Leningrad, where they encountered and often experimented with these emerging artistic forms firsthand. However, for the Kyrgyz art scene, in particular, other Soviet cities like Narva, in Estonia, held no lesser importance because of the unofficial artist networks across republics they helped to forge<fnref n="3" />.

It is worth noting that the term “underground,” with its multiple connotations, is frequently used to describe the nascent (counter-)culture of that era. In the context of the late Soviet art scene, however, it is often employed metaphorically to articulate the dichotomy between the visible, state-sanctioned culture and the marginal practices that existed on its periphery—largely unseen or suppressed. In this paper, focusing on the contemporary art scene of independent Kyrgyzstan, I propose to interpret “underground” quite literally, emphasizing the notion’s spatial dimension by considering spaces physically located below ground level. It should be admitted, though, that my personal choice to highlight the term’s literal meaning does not remove its possible figurative connotations that might have been in the minds of the actors/creators of this kind of art.

<footnote n="1">¹ On the role of the unofficial publications in the development of new forms of art in the second half of the 20th century USSR, see, for instance, Parisi, 2015.</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² Ibrayeva, 2002. https://moscowartmagazine.com/issue/92/article/2049 (accessed August 1, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³ Feldman, 2024. https://post.moma.org/after-post-performance-at-the-end-of-history/ (accessed August 5, 2025).</footnote>
An illustrative example of this dual meaning of “underground” can be found in the history of Central Asian contemporary art, where both the literal and figurative senses of the term were deliberately invoked. In the late 1980s in Alma-Ata—the then-capital of Soviet Kazakhstan—an art collective known as *Zelenyi Treugol'nik* (Green Triangle) emerged. Active from 1987 to 1993, the group was composed primarily of students from the Alma-Ata Art College who sought alternative forms of expression, recognizing that Socialist Realism, as a system, could no longer accommodate their artistic aspirations<fnref n="4" />. Underground physical spaces were not only the first venues the group could access and creatively engage with<fnref n="5" />, but they also held ideological significance. These spaces symbolically reinforced the group's desire to position themselves as part of a cultural underground—a stance they consistently emphasized in their work and public identity (see Fig. 1).

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /><figcaption>**Fig. 1.** *Zelenyi Treugol'nik* exhibition affiche, 1989. Spelled in Russian, the word “underground” is visible in the center beneath the art group’s logo (image source: *Зеленый Треугольник* / *Арт-Атмосфера Алма-Аты* Facebook group).</figcaption></figure>

Following the disintegration of the USSR and the consequent collapse of all the social, economic, and political structures that had sustained it for decades, the contemporary art landscape in Central Asia—like other spheres of public life—underwent significant transformations. These

<footnote n="4">⁴ Vercoe, 2018. https://www.caa-network.org/archives/14552 (accessed August 1, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="5">⁵ Poluyakhtov. https://ariadna.media/scca/kk/poluyahtov.html (accessed August 2, 2025).</footnote>
changes were directly tied to the newfound independence of the five Central Asian republics and the arrival, during the 1990s, of foreign countries' embassies and representatives of international NGOs in their capital cities. This influx of Western actors, as well as the transition from a Soviet state-controlled economy to a free market system, spurred the emergence of the first privately owned local art galleries<fnref n="6" />. These galleries aimed to market and sell Central Asian artworks and artifacts to the new foreign audiences. As a result, contemporary artists in the region gained increased visibility—extending beyond the confines of the former Soviet Union and allowing for more direct, unmediated engagement with the global art world.

However, the wave of newly established art galleries did not spread evenly across the Central Asian region⁷. While Kazakhstan's art scene experienced a notable surge in gallery openings in the early years following the collapse of the USSR, neighboring Kyrgyzstan saw comparatively fewer developments and a less active contemporary art movement during the same period. Artist Muratbek Djumaliev attributed the particular dynamics of Kyrgyzstan's cultural scene in the early post-Soviet period to a lack of institutional infrastructure and the absence of meaningful dialogue with political authorities<fnref n="8" />. Nevertheless, a significant milestone was reached with the establishment of the private art gallery Kurama Art in Bishkek in 2003. As this paper will demonstrate, Kurama Art not only elevated Central Asian contemporary art to a new level of international visibility and professional recognition but also played a crucial role in facilitating the artistic appropriation of underground spaces in Bishkek. The gallery's impact and legacy remain tangible today—more than two decades after its founding.

Drawing on two case studies, this paper examines the role of underground spaces, which—despite the shifting economic, political, and artistic contexts in the Kyrgyz Republic over the decades—have continued to serve as key arenas for contemporary art and cultural activity in Bishkek. Fieldwork for this research was conducted in Central Asia between April and July 2025 and it was possible through the financial support of IFEAC and Sorbonne Université. During my stay in the region, I conducted numerous interviews with Bishkek-based artists and attended several contemporary art exhibitions, both institutional and independent. These observations were

<footnote n="6">⁶ Ibrayeva, 2002. https://moscowartmagazine.com/issue/92/article/2049 (accessed August 1, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="77">⁷⁷ This disparity can be attributed to the differing trajectories followed by the five Central Asian republics in the early years of independence. For instance, Tajikistan, as is well known, was engulfed in a civil war shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.</footnote>

<footnote n="8">⁸ Djumaliev, 2001. https://ariadna.media/scca/en/kyrgart.htm (accessed August 2, 2015).</footnote>
further enriched by visits to the Kyrgyz State Memorial Frunze House Museum and the Gapar Aitiev National Museum of Arts, as well as a short field trip to Osh, where I explored the evolving urban landscape and toured the Turgunbay Sadykov Regional Fine Arts Museum. Apart from my interviewees, who provided me with rich oral history on the matter of contemporary art in Kyrgyzstan, I also relied on the information collected from several articles and journal publications, as well as on the interviews conducted outside of Kyrgyzstan, in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Last, but not least, I should mention that I have been working in the arts for the past 10 years, organizing collective and personal exhibitions in Central Asia and beyond or visiting them as a spectator. Therefore, a part of my knowledge also comes from my professional involvement within the Central Asian contemporary art scene.

In the following section, I will begin by introducing the Kurama Art Gallery and examining how its activities in the early 2000s helped ignite a renewed interest in Bishkek's underground spaces for artistic purposes. When doing this, I will elaborate on the distinctive characteristics of the Kyrgyz capital's art scene, particularly its heightened engagement with the city's spatial dimension, and the role played by local cultural pioneers and leading actors in fostering this interest. The paper will continue with an analysis of a recent example: *Ittey Bishkek*, a solo exhibition by Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy, held from mid-May to early June 2025 in one of Bishkek's central underground venues. This case study will shed light on the ongoing motivations that lead contemporary Kyrgyz artists to utilize underground spaces for presenting their work. Finally, while concluding the paper, I will shortly offer a regional perspective on this phenomenon, comparing the current dynamics of contemporary art in Kyrgyzstan with those in the neighboring republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

# 1. Kurama Art and Bishkek International Exhibitions of Contemporary Art

Established in 2003, Kurama Art was a private gallery located at 31A Erkindik Avenue in Bishkek<fnref n="9" />. Its founders were a Kyrgyz couple of art collectors, Churek Djamgerchinova and Nurbek Turdukulov, both of whom were deeply passionate about the arts, particularly modernist movements in painting. In addition to his interest in visual arts, Turdukulov was a local businessman and, at one point, held the position of Deputy Minister of Transport and

<footnote n="9">⁹ https://artfacts.net/institution/kurama-art-bishkek (accessed August 2, 2025).</footnote>
Communications under the administration of Askar Akayev, the first president of the independent Kyrgyz Republic. He was among the pioneering patrons in Central Asia to publicly support art and to engage in professional art collecting. His wife, Djamgerchinova, meanwhile, served as the director and public face of Kurama Art, acting as its primary spokesperson and representative at cultural events.

Textual sources from that period reveal<fnref n="10" /> that the ultimate ambition of Kurama Art Gallery’s founders was to establish a contemporary art museum in Bishkek. However, before pursuing this larger goal, they chose to begin with smaller-scale initiatives, focusing on supporting local cultural actors and grassroots projects. It was within this context that Djamgerchinova and Turdukulov partnered with Ulan Japarov—a Bishkek-based architect, artist, and curator—who was one of the most prominent figures in Kyrgyzstan’s emerging contemporary art scene. A founding member of *Studio Museum*, a multidisciplinary platform active since the early 1990s, Japarov had already led several curatorial and artistic projects across various locations in Bishkek by the early 2000s. Apart from that, he also had connections with artists residing outside of the Kyrgyz capital, in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, and beyond. This knowledge and the organizers’ synergy resulted in the emergence of ...*and Others [...i Drugie]* in spring 2004, the First Bishkek International Exhibition of Contemporary Art. Held at the Gapar Aitiev National Museum of Arts between April 25 and May 23, 2004, this group show was co-curated by Ulan Japarov and an Almaty-based artist couple Yelena and Viktor Vorobyev, while the exhibition’s production and main financial costs were assured by Kurama Art.

One of the key particularities of the project was the use of the museum’s underground halls for its scenography. The dark and narrow labyrinth-like passages were perfectly adapted for the display of video art and photography<fnref n="11" />. Such a remarkable curatorial move by Ulan Japarov was no surprise to anyone. Trained as an architect, he always had a particularly acute sensibility for spaces and spatial dynamics he intervened in. Working independently, prior to collaborating with Kurama Art, he would propose profound spatial reflections through his previous curatorial initiatives like *Parallel City* [Parallel’nyi Gorod] (1997), *Labyrinthos* (1998), and *Plus-Minus* (1999).

<footnote n="10">¹⁰ Djumaliev, 2004. https://moscowartmagazine.com/issue/33/article/630 (accessed August 2, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="11">¹¹ *Ibid*.</footnote>
As for the ...and *Others* exhibition's aftermath, it was widely regarded as a success on multiple levels. Not only did it revitalize the local art scene, but it also led to unexpected international collaborations. As part of the project's parallel program, several Russian art specialists were invited to Bishkek to view the show. Among them was Viktor Misiano, a Moscow-based curator already well established at the time. He was impressed by the exhibition's overall quality—its thoughtful and well-curated scenography, which included several thematic halls, and the high standard of local artistic practices. Familiar with Kurama Art's ambitious vision, Misiano proposed organizing a Central Asian pavilion at the upcoming 2005 Venice Biennale. The rest, as is now well known, is history: Kurama Art went on to serve as the official commissioner of the region's first-ever participation in the prestigious international event<fnref n="12" />.

What guides the central argument of this narration, however, is the subsequent establishment of the Bishkek International Exhibition of Contemporary Art—a format that would not only be historically associated with Kurama Art but would also regularly engage with underground spaces for its almost annual manifestations. As for the gallery's founders, being related to Akayev's government, Nurbek Turdukulov and Churek Djamgerchinova had to leave Kyrgyzstan after the 2005 Tulip Revolution; their initiative, however, endured. Under the leadership of local artists Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev and their joint project *ArtEast*<fnref n="13" />, additional editions of the International Exhibition of Contemporary Art continued to be organized in the years that followed.

For instance, titled *Zone of Risk — Transition*, the 2006 edition of the exhibition was held entirely beneath Bishkek's central public square, Ala-Too. For the first time, the underground spaces below the city's main square were repurposed as venues for contemporary art. The curators, Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev, took on the task of organizing the show's scenography and preparing the site—fully aware that they were entering a space steeped in historical memory. The halls were widely believed to have once served as KGB headquarters<fnref n="14" />, lending a haunting dimension to the project. This unsettling past was further layered by recent

<footnote n="12">¹² Musrepov. https://iada-art.org/hhhh/idrugie-ulan-djaparov-en (accessed August 3, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="13">¹³ *ArtEast* was an independent educational platform founded and led by Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev for over a decade. It played a foundational role in shaping Kyrgyzstan's contemporary art scene, with many of today's active cultural figures having received their artistic education through *ArtEast*. To learn more about the project, see Hinderliter, 2014.</footnote>

<footnote n="14">¹⁴ Winkelman, 2006. https://universes.art/en/nafas/articles/2006/zone-of-risk-transition (accessed August 2, 2005).</footnote>
political events, as Ala-Too Square had been a central site of the 2005 Tulip Revolution. This complex convergence of historical and political symbolism provided context for the exhibition's title, marking a transitional moment from the former political order to an uncertain new era.

For the next edition of the Bishkek International Exhibition of Contemporary Art, held in 2008, the number of venues expanded significantly. In addition to the underground spaces beneath Ala-Too Square (see Fig. 2) that continued being used for the project, the exhibition extended to the halls of the Gapar Aitiev National Museum of Arts, the State Historical Museum, and various open-air sites across the capital. Two years after the initial political transition, the country was confronting a new set of challenges, prompting artists to engage critically with the evolving social and urban landscape. The exhibition's title, *BOOM-BOOM*, directly referenced the rapid urban expansion of Bishkek during the late 2000s—a period marked by a construction boom and the accelerated emergence of new buildings. The works of both local and international artists offered critical perspectives on various spatial phenomena. Their placement across a range of venues thus formed a deliberate curatorial strategy, reinforcing the exhibition's thematic focus through spatial diversity.

<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>**Fig. 2.** Lightened passage under the Ala-Too Square used for artwork display (image source: *BOOM-BOOM* exhibition catalogue)</figcaption></figure>

The use of underground spaces has thus become a defining characteristic of all of the Bishkek International Exhibitions of Contemporary Art, opening up new curatorial possibilities for the local art scene. While initially introduced in 2004 as a scenographic choice, this strategy
took on deeper symbolic significance following the events of 2005. Entering and activating these
underground sites became a form of spatial intervention—one that challenged and reappropriated
the dominant narratives associated with them. Spaces once linked to political unrest and secrecy
were reimagined through artistic practice. What was once the site of revolt was, in a sense,
reclaimed by art.

It is important to note, however, that the early post-independence interest in spatiality
among the pioneering figures of Bishkek's contemporary art scene can, in part, be traced back to
their strong connections with late Soviet architectural movements and their lasting influence<fnref n="15" />.
The following case study—a recent project also held in one of the city's underground halls—will
help illustrate why a new generation of local artists and cultural practitioners born post-1991
continues to engage with these spaces today.

## 2. Ittey Bishkek

In the mid-2010s Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy returns to her native Bishkek after completing
journalism studies in Moscow. She then begins working in a big, widely known international
media outlet, authoring and producing her own analytical shows that portray the sociopolitical
reality of Kyrgyzstan. Disappointed by the lack of understanding she encounters within her
professional environment and not eventually finding what she was looking for in her hometown,
Asangulova-Kyzy begins sharing her growing inner frustration with her beloved city. She starts
walking across Bishkek daily and nightly. On top of that, she meticulously documents the walks,
initiating a sort of diary via her various digital platforms. She takes plenty of photos of the city
streets and urban signage, often accompanying the pictures with witty captions. Bishkek becomes
a text, and she is eager to read.

This walking practice lasts for nine years up until one day when Asangulova-Kyzy decides
that she has enough material to spatialize the fruit of her long wandering around and finally present
it to others. She launches a fundraising campaign and begins preparing for the first ever solo show
in her life. She has a title, and it is the same one as the project's: *Ittey Bishkek*. "Ittey" is the word
of the Kyrgyz language that literally means "doglike," but most often it is used in phrases to

<footnote n="15">¹⁵ The so-called “paper architecture” [bumajnaya arhitektura] conceptual movement had a huge impact on the first generation of Bishkek’s contemporary art creatives, because the city (called Frunze back then) is where the first All-Union Festival of Paper Architecture was held in 1988. For more information on the movement, see Avvakumov, 2019.</footnote>
enhance the meaning of a following word, usually of qualitative and descriptive character. For
instance, *ittey jakshy* could be translated as “freaking good”, *ittey suluu* – “amazingly beautiful,”
and *ittey suuk* – “bloody cold”. *Ittey Bishkek* then strives to unveil the “Bishkekness” of Bishkek,
the core of what makes this city itself.

For Asangulova-Kyzy, *Ittey Bishkek* was conceived as an exhibition-circus. Humor plays
a central role in the artist’s practice, yet the notion of a circus also introduces a specific kind of
spatial and cultural expectation. Traditionally associated with staged performances for
entertainment, the circus is a space where laughter is often directed *at* someone or something,
rather than shared *with* them. This dynamic introduces an essential element of mockery. By
framing her solo exhibition as both carnivalesque and circus-like, was Rakhat positioning herself
as the object of ridicule? Or was she, rather, using irony to mock someone—or something—else?

The venue chosen by the artist for showcasing *Ittey Bishkek* was the underground hall of the Kyrgyz State Memorial Frunze House Museum. Located in downtown Bishkek, near the museum building itself, it has long stayed abandoned. According to the artist, one of the reasons she was let inside to exhibit her experimental project was the fact that the museum staff were planning to expand their display, thinking about using the basement to present the institution's collection<fnref n="16" />. However, when Asangulova-Kyzy first entered the space, there was not even any electricity, so she had to fix this in addition to installing her own works. Assisted by her fellow artists, each of whom helped her in dealing with various issues related to lighting, management, and production, Asangulova-Kyzy created a multi-level spatial narration, investing each part of the venue (see Fig. 3).

<figure><img src="image_4.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="16">¹⁶ Told during an interview with Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy held in Bishkek on June 11, 2025.</footnote>
<caption>**Fig. 3.** *Ittey Bishkek* exhibition's DIY scenography (photo by the author, 2 June 2025)</caption>

The *Ittey Bishkek* exhibition received a lot of attention from the city residents and local media because of a scandal the project sparked. To better advertise the show beyond social media, Asangulova-Kyzy placed a banner on the visible part of the building, which also served as the exhibition's giant affiche. Attached to the wall, it showed the artist's face with a smile so big that it let her braces be seen as well. In the picture, Asangulova-Kyzy's head was floating in the clear blue sky next to an eagle and above the idyllic mountainous landscape of Bishkek illustrated by numerous residential buildings and bright red poppy fields (see Fig. 4).

<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>**Fig. 4.** *Ittey Bishkek* exhibition affiche and banner
(image sources: Instagram account @itteybishkek and vesti.kg)</figcaption></figure>

When indicating where she was drawing her inspiration from for the visual, the artist admitted she was referencing the cover image of President Sadyr Japarov's 2023 publication *The Way of Building New Kyrgyzstan* [Jany Kyrgyzstandy Kuruunun Bagyty], where some similar elements were used and the same idealized collage aesthetic was employed (see Fig. 5).
<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>**Fig. 5.** Sadyr Japarov's book *Jany Kygyzstandy Kuruunun Bagyty*
(image source: Kaktus Media)</figcaption></figure>

According to the GKNB<fnref n="17" /> employees upon whose involvement in the project the scandal initially broke out, the word “ittey” typed on a banner in gigantic red letters next to the capital city’s name should not have been displayed in the downtown area, because, to them, it was a disgrace<fnref n="18" />. While Asangulova-Kyzy was away, the city administration workers eventually took the image off the wall<fnref n="19" />. Later, the Inner Affairs employees visited the exhibition, censoring part of its works, which they considered shameful or disrespectful. Thus, *Ittey Bishkek* was on the verge of closing, but, luckily enough, it persevered. However, the incident and the consequently increased attention to the artist’s project had a direct negative effect on her relationship with the Frunze Museum staff, making the exhibition and its author unwelcome. Even though Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy was initially hoping to prolong the show so that more Bishkek residents would see it, this could not happen.

One of the key reasons the artist chose to exhibit her project in that specific location was the symbolic weight it carried for the city's history. Situating *Ittey Bishkek* in the museum's underground space could be interpreted, among other things, as a gesture to root the artist's vision of the city into the soil itself—preceding, and thereby challenging, the colonial legacy represented by the Frunze House above<fnref n="20" />. In doing so, Asangulova-Kyzy offered a critical reflection not only

<footnote n="17">¹⁷ GKNB abbreviation stands for Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security.</footnote>

<footnote n="18">¹⁸ Told during an interview with Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy held in Bishkek on June 11, 2025.</footnote>

<footnote n="19">¹⁹ https://vesti.kg/obshchestvo/item/138979-gknb-i-vlasti-bishkeka-popytalis-pomeshat-rabote-vystavki-ittej-bishkek.html (accessed August 5, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="20">²⁰ An exemplary case of architectural encapsulation—a box within a box—the Kyrgyz State Memorial Frunze House Museum is literally constructed around what is believed to be the original home of Mikhail Frunze. Born into a settler</footnote>
on President Sadyr Japarov’s “New Kyrgyzstan” political agenda but also on the official urban
history of Bishkek—one she had personally reclaimed through years of wandering its streets. Her
underground *Ittey Bishkek* thus emerged as a distorted twin of Japarov’s polished, state-sanctioned
version of the city above ground: a parallel city, shaped by lived experience and haunted by nearly
a decade of personal and collective memory.

This way, the project clearly demonstrates continuity of the approaches that were already
tested out during the Kurama Art and Bishkek International Exhibitions of Contemporary Art era.
Targeting the underground, local artists and creatives see in it spatial, conceptual, and historical
value. These are not the “easy” or “all set up” spaces, since they demand considerate efforts in
cleaning, preparing, and adapting them for the artwork display; however, in a context where
accessible specific art venues barely exist, undergrounds become an attractive alternative.

That said, the censorship of *Ittey Bishkek* by the municipal authorities and the GKNB can
also be perceived as a sign of the city’s current unwillingness—or unpreparedness—to confront
critique, even when it takes the form of artistic expression. In this context, the choice of an
underground space becomes not only a symbolic gesture but also a strategic one. For many cultural
actors, it offers a relatively safer alternative, since reclaiming a visible, above-ground site in
Bishkek’s city center nowadays quickly invites heightened scrutiny and political consequences.

Conclusion

The analysis of two cases—Kurama Art’s Bishkek International Exhibitions of Contemporary Art in the mid-2000s and Rakhat Asangulova-Kyzy’s *Ittey Bishkek* in the mid-2020s—clearly indicates dynamics of continuity within the Central Asian contemporary art landscape two decades later. In Kyrgyzstan’s context, marked by consecutive historical ruptures and a rapidly evolving political climate, there are artistic methods and approaches that are being passed down, even if unconsciously and involuntarily<fnref n="21" />. While the city administration’s reaction to using downtown underground venues as exhibition halls may vary through the years, the artists’ intentions remain relatively the same. In the 2000s, as well as in the 2020s, the undergrounds are

<footnote>family in Russian Turkestan, Frunze became a Soviet military officer, and during the Soviet era, what is today Bishkek was named after him.</footnote>

<footnote n="21">²¹ Kyrgyzstan’s contemporary art community is rather polarized, as I could witness. The ties between its different constitutive parts and representatives exist, but rarely are being activated. The question of the community’s sociological structure will be treated in my PhD dissertation.</footnote>
chosen primarily for the scenography-related diversity they can offer, enriching the curatorial
strategy and narration behind each project, but also bringing important historical and symbolic
value, allowing cultural actors to propose a critical commentary on the socio-political reality of
the country.

Alternatively, the continued use of underground spaces in Bishkek's city center<fnref n="22" /> may also reflect the unavailability or inaccessibility of other cultural venues equipped and open to hosting experimental contemporary art projects. As noted earlier, the lack of institutional infrastructure dedicated to contemporary art in Kyrgyzstan remains a significant challenge—one that persists despite the ongoing wave of construction and urban development in the capital. This context helps explain why underground sites continue to attract local cultural actors.

Such a situation may be interpreted as symptomatic of the broader issue: contemporary art, as a field, still struggles to gain full legitimacy and, consequently, visibility in the eyes of the local administration and official cultural institutions. While this limited recognition might have been understandable during the early post-Soviet years—when the Kyrgyz Republic, like its regional counterparts, was still navigating its national and cultural identity—it raises pressing concerns today, more than thirty years into independence.

This contrast becomes particularly striking when viewed alongside the current cultural
developments in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where new contemporary art venues—often
equipped for multimedia use—are emerging through the initiatives of various actors<fnref n="23" />. In these
countries, the ruling regimes increasingly rely on contemporary visual culture and art exhibitions
as tools for national image-making. In this context, one is left to wonder: how long will
Kyrgyzstan's contemporary art practitioners continue to operate in underground spaces, rather than
receiving the institutional support and public visibility they merit? Will the external processes of
institutionalization and legitimization currently unfolding in neighboring states eventually
influence the professional landscape in Kyrgyzstan? These questions call for continued
observation and further research.

<footnote n="22">²² Another important and influential contemporary art hub in Bishkek, *Theater 705*, also rents a basement space for its activity. See Dvareckas, 2025. https://artfocusnow.com/discoveries/underground-haven-theater-705-reshapes-kyrgyz-performance-art/ (accessed August 15, 2025).</footnote>

<footnote n="23">²³ These include, among others, the privately funded Tselinny Center for Contemporary Culture in Almaty, Kazakhstan and the state-financed Center for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.</footnote>
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