The exhibition «Issatay Issabayev. Heritage», dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of the distinguished graphic artist Issatay Issabayev, has opened at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Information, members of the diplomatic corps, prominent public and cultural figures, representatives of the artistic community, and members of Isatay Issabayev’s family.

During the event, Sherkhan Talap, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Culture, read a congratulatory message fr om Aida Balayeva, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Minister of Culture and Information. The message stated: «Issatay Issabayev was a unique figure who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Kazakhstan’s national visual arts and was able to profoundly express the spiritual identity of our people through his creative work. The artist’s rich legacy is one of the precious treasures within the golden fund of our national culture».

The artist’s daughter, Aliya Issabayeva, noted that the exhibition was being held in Astana for the first time and expressed her gratitude to the National Museum. She shared warm memories of her father and emphasized that Issatay Issabayev introduced Kazakhstan to the world through his art. According to her, his works vividly and profoundly depict the everyday life and traditions of the Kazakh people, as well as the world of epic poetry and folklore through artistic illustration. His portfolio also includes numerous illustrations created for books by Kazakhstan’s renowned poets and writers.

Speakers at the event included Toleugazy Baigaliyev, Chairman of the Astana branch of the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan and a Distinguished Cultural Figure of Kazakhstan, and Elizaveta Kim, art historian and member of the International Association of Art Critics under UNESCO. They shared their reflections and spoke warmly about Issatay Issabayev and his artistic legacy.

The exhibition features more than 80 graphic artworks by the artist, works from the family collection and the National Museum’s holdings, as well as rarely displayed original printing plates and matrices made of zinc, linoleum, and boxwood. The exhibition will run until June 26.

In addition, an international hybrid-format roundtable titled «Issatay Issabayev: Artistic, Cultural, and Institutional Heritage» was held, wh ere participants shared memories of the artist and discussed his scholarly works and artistic achievements.

The large-scale event brought together international experts in art, culture, and museum studies, diplomats, and artists from Lithuania, Germany, England, and the United States.