farm named after Amangeldy, Atyrau region 1937-1988 Almaty

(1937, Zaburunie – 1982, Almaty) Recognisable for his bold use of colour, Shaimardan Sariyev was a key figure of the Kazakh Sixtiers generation, who helped to lay the groundwork for the development of a national school of painting. He studied at the Kharkiv Art Institute (1959–62) and, upon returning to Almaty, worked on book illustration and design at the publishing houses Writer (Jazushy) and Flame (Zhalyn) from 1976 to 1982. Colour was his primary expressive tool, and he often articulated his artistic philosophy through aphorisms: ‘Mix colours in the Kazakh way’, ‘Paint as if you’re sculpting’, and ‘To paint, testing eternity…’. Sariyev saw his work as a synthesis of European painting and Kazakh tradition, securing his legacy as a vivid voice in Kazakhstan’s modern art history. His use of bright, locally resonant colour, stylised forms and decorative silhouettes is particularly striking in his portraits. In Qonaqtar, his Portrait of the Son reflects the family as a site of belonging, depicting a boy whose gaze is both pensive and intense. The composition evokes tenderness and quiet strength, revealing the painter’s gift for psychological nuance through his craft.