Turkmenistan Art: “Reinvigoration” Abroad, Rip-Off at Home

US State Department

Turkmen musicians, Library of Congress, November 2011

The US and Turkmenistan organized a series of concerts and exhibits for "Turkmenistan Culture Days" in Washington, DC, the US Embassy and State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.

A Turkmen delegation was received at the State Department and the Library of Congress to discuss bilateral cooperation and further exchanges. A musical program included the ghidjak, a traditional stringed instrument with a bow similar to a violin’s, and the dutar, a two-stringed lute.

The Turkmen government saw the program as an opportunity to show off President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's role in preserving culture, and the US was hoping to familiarize the American public with the art of a country most could not find on a map, although it is increasingly important to American geopolitical interests. State Department writers helped the cause by describing the art scene in Turkmenistan as “reinvigorated”.

Turkmen theater and film director Annageldi Garajayev said Turkmenistan’s policy of "arts revival" involves new facilities for theater and is “creating opportunities.” He cited "new arts festivals, two new concert and cinema series, an opera revival, a successful Turkmen chamber orchestra and two new television channels devoted to culture."

The University of Maryland organized a meeting for the visiting Turkmen "cultural workers," as the Turkmen state media dubbed them, using the old Soviet phrase, and the Meridian International Center hosted an exhibition of Turkmen art,

State-approved Turkmen painting seems to find a home somewhere between Brezhnev-era Socialist Impressionism and the Canadian Group of Seven..

In the Washington exhibit, there was one work that limned earlier national traditions – with an automobile glimpsed through the classic arches, beneath which serene robed people were seated on a carpet.

One notably bizarre item was a costume with bangles made out of Soviet coins, the “CCCP” and wheat insignia visible. Given the unique Turkmen jewelry now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it seemed a come-down, but there were also finer pieces on display. And it’s always nice to see something golden from Ashgabat that isn’t a revolving statue of Turkmenbashi.

Predictably, the Turkmen delegation met with Prof. Frederick S. Starr, head of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at John Hopkins University, long-time friend of the Turkmen people. Prof. Starr said he greatly appreciated the Turkmen leader's policies, "in particular the constructive peace-building initiatives" and said the US "showed a keen interest in active collaboration in joint humanitarian projects," TDH reported.

These Washington exhibitions involved artists who made the cut to represent their country abroad – but even being an officially-permitted artist in Turkmenistan can be tough, however.

The independent news site Chronicles of Turkmenistan (chrono-tm.org) writes that two years ago, an unnamed professional sculptor made an agreement with the French construction firm Bouygues to make a decorative panel for the Hotel Oguzkent in Ashgabat. The sculptor completed the job and was paid, but then a government commission reviewed his work.

Deputy Prime Minister Maysa Yazmukhamedova, the long-time dragon lady of Turkmen culture -- notorious for controlling every costume ever appearing in Turkmenistan and getting pop singers on Youtube jailed -- Gulmyrat Myradov, minister of culture, and Babasar Annamuradov, chairman of the Union of Artists of Turkmenistan were appalled that the sculptor had signed a contract without involving the government. They convened an artists’ council, and decided to destroy the work of art, saying that Turkmen artists should not accept money for their works. Then they brought a team of students from the Academy of Arts, and reproduced the panel from scratch.

Turkmen artists complain that cultural bureaucrats are essentially privatizing state culture, exploiting student labor and selling art works to various companies without proper compensation to the creators, says chrono-tm.org. Meanwhile, unnamed sources claimed that Annamuradov has allegedly bought expensive cars and apartments for himself and his family in addition to his free apartment granted from the Ministry of Culture. Artists are afraid of complaining about what they see as unfair and corrupt dealings because of Annamuradov's connections to the leaderhsip.

Yamukhamedova has now ordered that artists cannot sign separate contracts with any firms nor independently sell their works, essentially depriving artists of any livelihood outside state-approved channels.