Andakulova Gallery, Legend Art Club host Kazakh icon Almagul Menlibayeva

Andakulova Gallery, in collaboration with Legend Art Club, is currently presenting Genius Loci - Central Asia, a solo exhibition by acclaimed multimedia artist Almagul Menlibayeva (Aug. 3-Sept. 3) at the DIFC Satellite Gallery. The exhibition draws its title from the Roman concept of genius loci or the protective spirit of a place. Traditionally associated with sacred sites, historic neighbourhoods and ancient landscapes, genius loci has, in contemporary architecture, expanded to include imagined territories, including even speculative Martian habitats.

- Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

For Menlibayeva, the concept is a lens to explore both real and mythological places across the Central Asian steppe, tracing routes along the Silk Road, caravanserai, and other historical touch points, from abandoned fishing vessels resting on drained seas, to the poetic remnants of ancient trade and travel. In Genius Loci - Central Asia, Menlibayeva reflects on the cultural transformations of Central Asia, weaving together its histories, myths, and modernities. Key works include Ulugh Beg: Intrinsic Futuristic Machine, an immersive reflection on the life of Sultan Mirzo Ulugh Beg, the 15th-century ruler of Samarkand and pioneering astronomer.

Combining conceptual orbits, utopian/dystopian skylines and fictional architecture, the piece reimagines his historic observatory through video and photographic installations like The Window, a dual-city perspective juxtaposing the skylines of Dubai's DIFC to the left and Almaty to the right, capturing the contrasts and resonances between two cultural and economic hubs. Born in 1969 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Almagul Menlibayeva is a trailblazing multimedia artist whose work traverses video, photography, painting, mixed media installations, AI, and cyber textiles. She holds an MFA from the National Academy of Arts and Theatre, Almaty, and was part of the underground collective Green Triangle, during the late-Soviet art scene. Her retrospective exhibition will open the Almaty Museum of Arts in September 2025.