SOCIETY 368 / 2015

KUNST & KULTUR
COVERSTORY
The vastness of the
Kazakh steppe and
the cultural heritage
of her tartaric
ancestors are a
constant inspiration
for the art of
Leyla Mahat.
FOTOS: KULANSHI ART CENTER
The famous artist works with
oil, acrylic, modelling paste
and many other painting
techniques and materials that
complement the subject of her
work. Her motifs are often a
nod to Kazakhstan’s past – her paintings are
populated by horses, snakes and turkic runes.
She frequently employs a method in which
layers of paint are applied successively. The
formation of new structures and surfaces on
canvas illustrates the synthesis between the
varied techniques and artist‘s creative approach.
Her graphic works are achieved with
a linocut technique. Some pieces are meant
to be displayed as diptychons, yet each remains
an autonomous work of art. Leyla Mahat
prefers handmade paper for her engravings.
The artist forgoes the use of a printing
press, rendering each print unique.
Horses have a special place in Mahat‘s
work. The horse was a loyal friend and companion
at all stages of a nomad’s life. The image
of the horse in Leyla’s art is also a symbol
of the swiftness of time, the element of wind
and fire. We can see this in the works “Red
horse”, “Green kulan”, and “For my son”. Her
latest exhibition – “Between Worlds“– shown
at Palais Porcia comprises of works created
during her year in Vienna. She wanted to „cry
out to the world“, bringing her thoughts on
canvas with the help of paint in order to „understand
what moves humans in their heads
and hearts“. The series of diptychons and single
paintings oscillate between heaven and
earth, graphics and her symbolic horses.
At the tender age of ten, she visited the
Kazakh arts school, from then on she continued
her education at the Arts and Theatre
Institute (Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan), the Repin
Institute of Painting, Sculpture and graphics
in St. Petersburg and Freie Universität in
Berlin. She completed her studies with a Phd
in philosophy at York University. The gifted
artist soon became associate professor at
the Art Faculty of Kazakh National University
of Art in Astana, followed by a position
„Energy of red“, oil on canvas, 145x145
„Flowers on the
stone“, mixed
media on canvas,
80x60
(painting on the
left)
„Archer“, oil on
canvas, 140x100
SOCIETY 2_2015 | 163