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We have very limited information on individual Tajil artists. In modern Tajikistan it seems to be the Russians that are pursuing painting. This rather complicates the issue as to just what is Tajik art and who is a Tajik artist. Most of the artists and paintings we have found are from the Soviet era.
The painting here comes from the Art Gallery of the Union of Tajik Artist in Dushanbe. It shows a traditionally dressed man and his wife and son out shopping. They have bought lots of things. These are carried by father who is loaded up with the purchases. He seems to have enjoyed the shopping trip. His wife certainly has. The most excited of all is their small boy. He is wheeling his brand new bike which was also purchsed that day. He is has proud as a peacock. He wishes he could ride it but he is walking with his parents. Notice that except for the cap that the boy wears western clothes while his parents wear traditional garments. I'm not sure just when this painting was done, but presumably during the Soviet era. The boys' clothes, the style of bike, and a car in the background suggest perhaps the 1960s. The artist was a Russian by the name of Ponomarev Anderei. The curator of the Art Centre was not sure when it was painted. she seemed to think about 1980.
It has a 1950s feel to it. The family seem to be happy with their purchases.
A HBC contributor writes, "My second mountain trip brought me into contact with a mountain artist. He would not be photographed. Here is the story:
I came across Ivan while out in the mountains. The hike had followed the
River Siama. We had followed a mountain path which had dropped down into
a valley. There was a homestead here. A picturesque building in a remote
area had to be of special interest. It belonged to an artist called Ivan. He was a Russian who came from Siberia. He is an artist and professional photographer. His photographs were displayed on the walls and he told me about his paintings, some of which he showed and let me take photographs of.
He was also a professional climber and it was in this capacity that he had
come to Tajikistan 20 years ago. He married and had a son, who features
in many of the photographs on display. At that time he lived in Rogun but
moved to Dushanbe. He came to the Siama River about 10 years ago and liked
it very much. He decided to stay but his wife remained in Dushanbe and teaches
at the Polytechnic University. He visits Dushanbe about twice a year. He grows his own food but visitors bring him supplies that he needs but can't make himself. He spends winter alone because it is not possible to get in or out of the valley until the spring and the snow goes. Ivan is a winter artist and uses the solitude for inspiration and the long winter days give him the opportunity to express his ideas and create paintings some of which are about Siberia. The portrait of his son is an example of his photographic work."[Fergusson]
Here we have a painting by V. Nazarov. We know nothing about the artist at this time, but the name sounds Russian. The painting was done in 1981, it is titled 'Poetry Concert.'
The painting is dominated by the high hills at Hissor. In the bottom right hand corner is
a cultural gathering. It is being televised. On the hills around the open air concert of poetry readings sit the audience. Notice the Young Pioneer, wearing his Pionneer kerchief standing in Western school clothes. The adults near him are dressed in traditional garments. The boy looks as if he is on his way home from school because he is dressed in school clothes and has a satchel on his back. He could also be holding food for a picnic lunch. The boy might be a participant in the event either he has performed or he is to perform with his school. The TV camera is filming a traditional country dance.
We note work by K. Tkackenko. We are not sure rather to classify him as a Russian or Tajik artist. He provides us images of Tajikistan in the 1930s, including one of a Tajik school. We have very little chronological information about Tajik education. Modern secular education is a relatively recent phenomenon. We do have a painting of a village school done about 1934 in which the children are in traditional dress. The painting looks like the 19th century, but may not be that old. The first Western dressed people appeared about 1927 in Tajikistan. Dushanbe was a 3 year old city then. The first car appeared in 1934. .
I think this painting is about the Russian education system which brought scholarship children from the villages to be educated in Dushanbe.
Thus painting shows Tajik children playing football. It is from the Tajik Museum in Dushambe. The painting was done in 1978 during te Soviet era. I do not know who the artist was. Notice the inclusion of a floweing fruit tree, a Tajik touvh to a Western sports scene. Also notice that the boys are mostly wearing long pants, except for the gollie. The artist has included one girl. This seems a Soviet touvh to a sport that in Tajikistan is normally played by boys.
The painting here showing a race track seen is from the Tajik museum in Dushambe (figure 1). It shows a boy jockey. We do not know who painted the work or when it was done. Nor do we know anything about horse raceing in Tajikistan. Central Asian horses tend to be smaller than those familiar to Europeans and Americans. The painting here suggests that the horses were ridden by boys or is the boy just pictured as wanting to be a jockey. The horse is a colt, too young to race. Notice the boy's traditional Tajik cap which has a red tassel. The short pants seem to be more Western clothing. It looks like he has had a spill while riding--notice what looks like a white bandage on his leg.
We know of no other Tajik artists at this time.
Fergusson, William. E-mail message, December 2, 2003.
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