A mannequin dressed as a ghost with a white sheet and black hair, standing beside a wall with hanging branch-like structures decorated with various gourd-shaped objects and tags, possibly part of an art display or installation.

2007 South Pole

As the second phase of the International Art Symposium in Osh in August 2006 and concluded with an exhibition in Bishkek in February 2007. The symposium aimed to assemble contemporary artists who have spent recent years reflecting the condition of society in transit countries. These transitory life-ways are especially noticeable in high mountainous societies. This sort of South Pole serves as a melting pot in which many distinctive cultures and ancient religions have been brewing together for centuries to form a region where social problems have come to a “boiling point. Low quality of life, unemployment, socio-economic instability, depopulation of village areas, criminalization, child labor exploitation and human trafficking are some of the forces that are directly or indirectly connected to the strong motivations leading to migration.

Participants

Kyrgyzstan: Batyr Djaliev, Mamat Kamchybekov, Almas Samidinov
Uzbekistan: Alisher Khamidov, Irina Batova
Tajikistan: Surayyo Tuychieva
Kazakhstan: Moldakul Narymbetov, Kanat Ibragimov
USA: Margaret Morton, Stefan Eins
Croatia: Vlado Franjevic
Estonia: Elo Liiv
Artistic director: Shaarbek Amankul

Two women wearing white masks in a dimly lit room with hanging objects and artifacts on the wall.
Seven raw fish with scales and fins laid out on a paper towel
A horse standing outdoors with a mountain backdrop and industrial structures in the background.
A woman with long dark hair and pale skin, dressed in traditional Japanese attire, lying on a bed or platform, with another person leaning over her. The setting appears to be indoors.
Sunlight casting shadows through a round hole in a metal strip onto a floor, creating circular patterns.
A person dressed as a ghost or zombie with white face paint, black hair, and dark clothing, holding a small object in their hand.
A person dressed in traditional or costume attire, with a golden object on their head, possibly a headpiece or hat, while another person wearing a cap and uniform stands nearby. The scene appears to be outdoors with tents and vehicles in the backgrou
Two young women wearing traditional dresses and braids, standing inside a tent with a window and colorful textiles hanging in the background.
A vehicle is on fire, with flames coming out of the front side, during nighttime.
Person wearing a balaclava with red and white stripes, sunglasses, and light brown skin.
Small toy train set arranged in a line on a concrete surface
A mannequin with a painted white face and black hair stands beside a wall with a tree-like structure of branches hanging with various gourd-like objects and signs with writing in Cyrillic script.