Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan 1938-1994 Almaty, Kazakhstan

(1938, Kyzylorda – 1994, Almaty) Salikhitdin Aitbayev was a leading figure of the Kazakh Sixtiers, a generation of artists who emerged during the Khrushchev Thaw. Breaking from the constraints of Socialist Realism, they forged a modern national visual language rooted in local culture and history. Aitbayev played a pivotal role in shaping this movement, blending formal innovation with cultural resonance. He studied under Uki Azhiyev and Moldakhmet Kenbayev – both also featured in Qonaqtar – and kept a welcoming studio that became a space for gathering among artists and intellectuals. Inspired by painters such as Paul Cézanne, Diego Rivera, and Pablo Picasso, Aitbayev expanded Kazakh painting without imitating. His breakthrough came in 1966 with Happiness, now seen as the starting point of the Sixtiers movement. Known for his expressive portraiture, he also came to challenge the Soviet system – most notably with Lunch at the Field Camp (1972), censored for its perceived religious imagery. That same year, a trip to Mangystau with historian Alan Medoev to study ancient monuments further shaped his worldview. On view in Qonaqtar, the painting On the Virgin Lands. Lunchtime captures a moment of quiet rest, yet its title refers to the Soviet campaign that brought volunteers and displaced people to farm the northern Kazakh steppe.