For Gulnur Mukazhanova, the act of felting is a form of philosophical inquiry into the human condition. It's a slow and physically demanding process that requires patience, concentration, and ritual. The artist's works often unfold on an architectural scale, filling vast spaces with intricate installations that blur the lines between art, history, and spirituality.
In her recent exhibition at the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) in Hong Kong, Mukazhanova presents a sprawling installation of colorful fabric shapes suspended from the ceiling like islands. The work is sourced from old Kazakh wedding textiles and Hong Kong markets, and is held together with dressmaker pins rather than sewn or glued. This deliberate use of impermanence and fragility underscores the artist's fascination with the transience of life and the importance of memory and ritual.
Mukazhanova draws on Kazakh nomadic culture as a source of inspiration for her work, particularly in her use of traditional textiles like tuskiz carpets and felted objects. These objects were once hung in special places inside yurts to honor family lineages and protect against evil spirits. Mukazhanova's contemporary responses to these traditions are characterized by their abstract painterly qualities, with fuchsia material melting into soft, ethereal forms.
The artist's recent series, "Portrait Reflections," features 84 double-sided felt canvases arranged in a labyrinthine gallery. These works are intuitive and gestural, made through layering and brushing of fibers that follow the artist's bodily movement. The felting process is slow and physically demanding, requiring patience, concentration, and ritual – qualities that Mukazhanova sees as essential to the creative process.
Mukazhanova's work is also deeply personal and emotional. In recent years, she has explored themes of grief, loss, and dislocation in her art, particularly following the passing of her uncle during the pandemic. Her felt casts of her own body are a manifestation of this trauma, while her use of white silk and vibrant textile creates a sense of nostalgia and reckoning.
Throughout her exhibition at CHAT, Mukazhanova's work invites us to consider the intersection of art, history, spirituality, and the human condition. Her felting process becomes a metaphor for the way we navigate our lives – slow, deliberate, and often painful – but also transformative and redemptive. As she says, "Time loses definition when you think about the souls of your ancestors... The memory is heavy with my uncle's death alongside Qandy Qantar, alongside the [Soviet-era] Asharshylyk famine." This sense of interconnectedness is at the heart of Mukazhanova's philosophy – a profound and deeply human exploration of what it means to exist in this world.
In her recent exhibition at the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile (CHAT) in Hong Kong, Mukazhanova presents a sprawling installation of colorful fabric shapes suspended from the ceiling like islands. The work is sourced from old Kazakh wedding textiles and Hong Kong markets, and is held together with dressmaker pins rather than sewn or glued. This deliberate use of impermanence and fragility underscores the artist's fascination with the transience of life and the importance of memory and ritual.
Mukazhanova draws on Kazakh nomadic culture as a source of inspiration for her work, particularly in her use of traditional textiles like tuskiz carpets and felted objects. These objects were once hung in special places inside yurts to honor family lineages and protect against evil spirits. Mukazhanova's contemporary responses to these traditions are characterized by their abstract painterly qualities, with fuchsia material melting into soft, ethereal forms.
The artist's recent series, "Portrait Reflections," features 84 double-sided felt canvases arranged in a labyrinthine gallery. These works are intuitive and gestural, made through layering and brushing of fibers that follow the artist's bodily movement. The felting process is slow and physically demanding, requiring patience, concentration, and ritual – qualities that Mukazhanova sees as essential to the creative process.
Mukazhanova's work is also deeply personal and emotional. In recent years, she has explored themes of grief, loss, and dislocation in her art, particularly following the passing of her uncle during the pandemic. Her felt casts of her own body are a manifestation of this trauma, while her use of white silk and vibrant textile creates a sense of nostalgia and reckoning.
Throughout her exhibition at CHAT, Mukazhanova's work invites us to consider the intersection of art, history, spirituality, and the human condition. Her felting process becomes a metaphor for the way we navigate our lives – slow, deliberate, and often painful – but also transformative and redemptive. As she says, "Time loses definition when you think about the souls of your ancestors... The memory is heavy with my uncle's death alongside Qandy Qantar, alongside the [Soviet-era] Asharshylyk famine." This sense of interconnectedness is at the heart of Mukazhanova's philosophy – a profound and deeply human exploration of what it means to exist in this world.
. I mean, have you seen those felt canvases? They're like a meditation on the passage of time, you know? The way she layers and brushes fibers to create these intricate forms... it's like she's trying to trap the essence of her emotions in this physical space. And that use of Kazakh nomadic culture is so cool! I've always been fascinated by those traditional textiles and how they were used for more than just decoration.
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I'm low-key fascinated by Gulnur Mukazhanova's work... like, how she takes these traditional Kazakh textiles and turns them into this emotional, abstract stuff that feels both ancient and super contemporary at the same time 
. And I love how she's exploring themes of grief and trauma through her work – it feels like she's trying to make sense of the world and our place in it, you know? 
It's a really powerful statement about the importance of memory, ritual, and connection...
I mean, have you seen her work? It's like, totally fascinating. The way she uses felting as a philosophical inquiry into human condition is super deep. I'm not saying it's just about being all slow and meditative (although that does sound pretty cool), but seriously, the attention to detail in her pieces is insane. Like, those fabric shapes suspended from the ceiling? That's some next-level art stuff. And can we talk about how she incorporates these traditional Kazakh textiles into modern installations? It's like, cultural exchange on a whole new level.
! her use of felted objects and traditional kazakh textiles is like, whoa 
. the way she weaves together art, history, and spirituality is so thought-provoking 
. i love how she incorporates impermanence and fragility into her work, it's like she's reminding us that life is precious and fleeting 
. the way she uses color and texture to evoke emotions is just stunning 
. i can feel the weight of memory and ritual in every piece, especially with the "portrait reflections" series - it's like she's holding up a mirror to her own soul 
. have you seen her work before? 
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. Can't we just move on from these outdated templates? And have you noticed how slow it takes for comments to load? It's like they're trying to test our patience 
. Anyway, back to the exhibition... I mean, it sounds like Gulnur Mukazhanova's work is really thought-provoking 
. And the way she explores themes of grief, loss, and memory is just so raw and honest 
. It would be amazing if we could immerse ourselves in her art and feel like we're part of the ritual 
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. i mean, im all about exploring the human condition and whatnot, but can't we just have some decent coffee while we're at it? 
. it just looks like someone took some colored fabric, stuck it up on the ceiling, and called it art 
. don't get me wrong, i love a good textile, but this seems more like a bunch of old clothes on sticks to me 
. give me something that actually makes you feel something, you know?
. Maybe people just don't see it from her perspective yet?
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. And can we talk about the symbolism of using dressmaker pins instead of sewn or glued? It's like, she's embracing the imperfections and letting them shine through 
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. The way she weaves together grief, loss, and dislocation is like a masterclass in emotional vulnerability 
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. It's like, the ultimate reflection of our own human experience – slow, messy, and all-consuming 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to slow down and appreciate the beauty of impermanence and fragility? 
Her use of traditional Kazakh textiles and dressmaker pins is like a breath of fresh air – it's all about embracing the simplicity and elegance of our ancestors' ways 
. It's like she's taking us on a journey through her own body, with all its joys, sorrows, and imperfections 
. She's showing us that even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to find light and meaning 
. And isn't that what life is all about? 
I mean, I get why she wants to use these materials for her art, but it feels a bit insensitive, you know? 
. That being said, Mukazhanova's passion for her craft is undeniable, and I do love how she weaves together different themes like grief, loss, and spirituality into her work... it's just super emotional and introspective.
. The way she uses the felting process to create these intricate patterns and textures is just magic 