b. 1970, Almaty

(1970, Almaty – lives and works in Almaty) A leading voice in Central Asian contemporary art, Saule Suleimenova explores collective memory and the many layers of Kazakh identity. An alumna of the Kazakh State Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering, she employs diverse techniques, including grattography, painting on photographs and working with plastic residue, often through her signature cellophane painting technique. She uses archival research and family photographs often featuring generations of women. Suleimenova also creates works for public spaces, aiming to uncover lesser-known or omitted stories from Kazakhstan’s past and present. Her work Blessing, part of the Kazakh Chronicle series, exemplifies her approach. In this piece, Suleimenova paints on re-photographed archival and personal images. The scene incorporates the Central Asian blessing ritual – bata – evoking ancient forms of hospitality and spiritual protection, notably set atop an image of the Berlin Wall. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue between sacred tradition and urban modernity, connecting seemingly distant places and contexts within a smaller, more integrated world we navigate through transnational travel and electronic communications, asking important questions about empathy and solidarity.