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布魯克林橋
Brooklyn Bridge 古那拉 · 卡斯馬里法 ＋ 慕拉特貝克 · 朱馬里佛
Gulnara Kasmalieva & Muratbek Djumaliev 2013.1.12- 3.3
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立方計劃空間 重見 / 建社會 Re-envisioning Society 布魯克林橋 Brooklyn Bridge
藝術家 Artists | 古那拉 · 卡斯馬里法 ＋ 慕拉特貝克 · 朱馬里佛 Gulnara Kasmalieva & Muratbek Djumaliev 策展 Curator | 鄭慧華 Amy CHENG
專案管理 Project Manager | 羅悅全 Jeph LO
行政助理 Exhibition Assistant | 董淑婷 Dale DONG
展場技術 Technical Support | 藝術戰爭公司 Art War Company
平面美術 Graphic Designers | 陳萱白 CHEN Hsuan-Pai，羅悅全 Jeph LO 翻譯 Translator | 張至維 Eric CHANG
發行 Publisher | 立方計劃空間 TheCUBE Project Space 100 台北市羅斯福路四段 136 巷 1 弄 13 號 2 樓
2F, No. 13, Aly. 1, Ln. 136, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 100, Taiwan +886 2 2368 9418
www.thecubespace.com info@thecube.tw
出版 Published 2013. 3
© 作品圖片版權所有 藝術家 Copyright of the photographs for the artists 贊助 | Sponsor 2010 視覺藝術策展專案 2010 Production Grants to Independent Curators in Visual Arts
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布魯克林橋 〈布魯克林橋〉是由吉爾吉斯坦雙人組藝術家古那拉 · 卡斯馬里法與慕拉特貝克 · 朱馬里佛（Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev）2012 年所製作的錄像裝置及攝影作品。古拉那與慕拉特貝克曾生活於 共產社會，經歷蘇聯解體，他們的創作專注於呈現這些政治、經濟的變化與動盪如何改變了吉爾吉斯坦人的生 活、在地經濟和謀生方式。 在〈布魯克林橋〉一作中，他們以特有的紀錄手法，關注從前蘇聯管轄的中亞地區遷往紐約布魯克林俄語區的 非法移民。他們的作品亦受邀參與於鳳甲美術館所舉辦的 2012 第三屆台灣國際錄像雙年展，展出五頻道錄像 作品〈新絲路：生存與希望的系統法則〉（A New Silk Road: Algorithm of Survival and Hope ）。
2009 年五月，在兩位藝術家出發至紐約之前，他們請託在吉爾吉斯坦首都比什凱克（Bishkek）的友人，引介 一些從吉爾吉斯坦移民美國的同胞，對他們移民的經驗進行採訪。從吉爾吉斯坦至西方國家的非法移民潮一直 方興未艾，因此他們所訪視的每一個家庭幾乎都能輕易地舉出他們認識的人之中有此經驗的人。在〈布魯克林 橋〉一作中，古拉那與慕拉特貝克將過去曾經深究的主題──如全球化下的危機與轉機，延伸至這個移民現象 的探討上。 在立方計劃空間的展出，包含一個單頻道投影、四個訪談影片以及三張照片。投影內容是藝術家從行駛於紐約 東河上的跨河列車裡，拍攝與之平行的布魯克林橋的一段實驗性影片，以二十分之一速度播放，列車的聲響聽 起來像陣詭異風聲。而在四段訪談中，受訪者是由中亞共和國地區移民到美國的兩名男士與兩名女士，他們有 的還住在紐約市，有的已返回故鄉。這四位受過蘇聯文化影響的受訪者皆以俄語述說（影片配有中英字幕）， 他們道出的四則個人故事，可說是世界各地非法移民之經驗的典型。他們到美國後，無法發揮原有的專業技術 與知識，即使他們有人在自己的國家曾受過高等教育，或曾是執業的醫師、音樂家、教師等。對那些仍留在紐 約的人來說，在他們取得合法身分之前，勢必都將無法返鄉探親，而取得合法身份，是一段七至十二年的漫長 過程。他們通常從事與建築工程或服務業相關的工作，三不五時便需要將賺來的錢匯回家鄉，好讓子女能受教 育，讓家人能求得溫飽。 展出的攝影作品則取景於紐約布萊頓海灘（Brighton Beach），此處是所有流居國外的俄語人口大本營。在此， 藝術家觀察到，多數移民人口從未真正融入所處的新社會，他們總是身陷灰色地帶，懸盪在一條牽繫著過去和 未來的「橋」上，反覆猶疑著是否應該打包回鄉。有些曾經長期對此地懷抱憧憬的人，因為夢想幻滅，深受打擊， 於是決定返回故鄉。 藝術家將這件作品獻給他們在紐約布魯克林的友人。
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Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge is an exhibition of video art and photography created in 2012 by Kyrgyz art duo Gulnara
Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev. Based on their experience of living in Soviet society and through the
subsequent dissolution of the U.S.S.R., the artists explore how daily life, local economies and livelihoods are impacted by economic and political transformation.
For Brooklyn Bridge , Kasmalieva and Djumaliev used their characteristic video technique to document
experiences of Russian-speaking immigrants from one-time Soviet-controlled areas of Central Asia residing illegally in Brooklyn, New York. Previously, the pair exhibited their five-channel video work A New Silk Road:
Algorithm of Survival and Hope at the Third Taiwan International Video Art Exhibition in 2012 at Taipei's Honggah Museum.
Before traveling to New York in May 2009, the artists asked their friends in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to
introduce them to people who had immigrated from Kyrgyzstan to the U.S., in order to interview them about
their experiences. In New York, nearly all of the families the artists visited had met other immigrants with similar experiences, due to the rise in illegal immigration from Kyrgyzstan to western countries. In Brooklyn Bridge , the artists continue to focus on the immigrant experience, extending a theme they have been exploring for some time.
Works presented in TheCube Project Space exhibition include a single channel video projection, four interviews shown on television monitors, and three photographs.The experimental video, projected in slow motion at
one-twentieth of its actual speed, is a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge taken while crossing New York's East River on an adjacent subway line.The interviews present the stories of two men and two women who immigrated from
republics in Central Asia and either later returned home or still live in New York City. Having grown up in Sovietdominated cultures, the four interviewees tell their life stories in Russian (both English and Chinese subtitles are provided), which include experiences typical of illegal immigrants from many parts of the world. After arriving in the U.S., they worked in the construction or service industries, unable to use the training or skills they had
gained back home, even though they may have been educated as doctors, musicians or teachers. Furthermore, they were unable to return home to visit relatives while waiting to obtain legal status in the U.S., which took anywhere from seven to twelve years.
The photographs in the exhibition were taken in Brighton Beach, a section of New York City where many
Russian speaking immigrants reside, and present the artists' observations of an immigrant population that has
yet to fully integrate into American society. Although they have dreamt of America since a very early age, some ultimately decide to return after their dreams are destroyed.
Kasmalieva and Djumaliev wish to dedicate this body of work to their friends living in Brooklyn.
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〈布魯克林橋〉，2012，五頻道錄像錄像裝置 Brooklyn Bridge , 2012, five-channel video installation TheCUBE
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〈黃金國度〉，2010，數位照片，彩色，100 x 66 cm Eldorado , 2010, digital photograph, color, 100 x 66 cm
〈國王街〉，2010，數位照片，彩色，100 x 66 cm Kings Street , 2010, digital photograph, color, 100 x 66 cm
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〈禁止迴轉〉，2010，數位照片，彩色，100 x 66 cm No U-Turn , 2010, digital photograph, color, 100 x 66 cm
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在「現代」與「傳統」之間的橋樑上 古那拉與慕拉特貝克訪談 訪談者：鄭慧華、羅悅全
問：在你們的兩件作品〈新絲路：生存與希望的系統法則〉與〈布魯克林橋〉裡，都有很強烈的「介於中間」的 意象。在〈新絲路〉中，它是介於傳統與現代之間的狀態，包括貿易、交通、國家與邊界；在〈布魯克林橋〉裡， 它是介於家鄉與異國的狀態。這種流動不穩的狀態是否為目前吉爾吉斯坦人民的狀態？它如何影響你們的生活？ 這個問題不容易回答。當然，「介於中間」可以理解為負面的狀態：停滯、危機、不確定、猶豫，或是以〈新絲路： 生存與希望的系統法則〉為例，它的確加強了「介於中間」的力量。而在〈布魯克林橋〉，這個情境就更為可見， 因為當人們必須時常在兩種寶貴的事物中作出複雜的選擇時，就不由得陷入了痛苦的遲疑狀態。 看起來，我們有很長一段時間處在拋棄了某事物，卻又找不到自己最終目標的景況。我們就像是永遠的異鄉人， 而且這充滿反覆、似曾相識且無盡的過程，恰恰來自於我們的現實：在過去八年裡，我們已經歷了兩次社會變亂， 五年處於懸置狀態，兩次變亂的特點是第一與第二任總統流亡國外。2010 年的第二次變亂為一般人民帶來許多痛 苦，因為隨它之後，在吉爾吉斯坦南部就發生了種族衝突。 儘管如此，我們可以說，這種狀態也非全然無望，每件事情都有它的後果，而我們已看到一些政治的進步，比起 其他富裕的中亞共和國家，我們不是極權政體，這是重新思考、改變、分析的好時機，這段時間充滿了從平地起 樓去創造事物的可能性。 蘇聯時代與九○年代初，我們兩人分別在莫斯科與聖彼得堡受過古典美術教育，創作現代雕塑與版畫。之後，我 們發現這些媒材不足以反映我們在這所謂「過渡時期」裡所目睹的文化巨變。我們需要更具彈性、可攜性與易親 近的藝術技法，於是採用了錄像與照片，至今仍十分滿意。 問：你們所處的中亞地區經歷了從共產主義過渡到資本主義的歷史，這對吉爾吉斯坦人的影響是什麼？經過兩個 時代，這對吉爾吉斯坦的當代藝術與你們的作品產生了什麼影響？ 或許這個時代最明顯的成就是得到一定程度的自由。在蘇聯時代，有些自由若不是完全沒有，就是受到限制或檢 查。我們這裡所指的是私有與經營企業的自由、言論與表達的自由，以及遷移的自由。 但沒過多久，人們才瞭解到這些自由是要用其他經濟與社會關係作為交換，代價高昂：他們首先得犧牲免費教育 與健康保險的權利，然後是工作權與各種社會福利。 我們還不能漏掉藝術，蘇聯系統下的藝術是意識型態的「上層結構」，受到政府大力贊助，使得「官方藝術家」 產生了依賴與因襲的習性。當然，在廣大的都會藝術社群中也有少數例外，但在過去稱為伏龍芝（Frunze）的比 什凱克（Bishkek）這樣偏遠的省份，所有的文化生活在大部份情形下都受到管制。很明顯的，得到某程度的自由 之後，雖然我們仍未克服生活與藝術裡盲從因襲的態度，但仍見證了藝術的百花齊放。如今，「創意大軍」所服 務的不再是意識型態，而是市場需求。
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在此環境下，九○年代以降的吉爾吉斯坦當代藝術，或許是無個性、無趣的所謂「專業藝術」之外的唯一出路。 當代藝術的主要意向，變成是要去成為公認的特異、原創與不因襲，主要欲望是要讓有鑑賞力的同路人感到驚奇， 創造出獨創且自成一體的氣氛。儘管有許多困難，過渡時期已成為發展當代藝術的理想環境。 對我們來說，主要的靈感來自發生於廣大中亞地區各處的這些巨大的社會過渡與變動。對居民來說，要在全新的 環境裡生存，去創造、成就、奮鬥、希望是很大的挑戰。我們過去十年來的作品，多半是致力於這些人類的渴望。 問：在〈新絲路〉與〈布魯克林橋〉中，影片裡的聲音佔據了幽微但重要的位置。〈新絲路〉中飛馳而過的卡車 聲音與居民的傳統歌唱；〈布魯克林橋〉中列車行進時的風聲（影片中刻意放慢了聲音的速度）與居於布魯克林 的吉爾吉斯坦傳統音樂家的笛聲，這中間正存在著「現代」與「傳統」的衝突，前者總是不斷前進，後者停留在
原地低迴。你們如何思考作品裡的聲音以及這種介於欲求「進步」與「傳統」之間的衝突？比如在〈春〉（Spring ） 這件作品中，你們也是以「音樂」與一種工業化的殘餘來作對照。
就如其他同世代的人一樣，我們父母生於鄉間，而我們是出生於城市的第一代。這表示吉爾吉斯坦的大部份人口 即使是生活在城市裡，也無法避免地會受到一些傳統社會生活的影響，這些影響來自於仍生活在吉爾吉斯坦非城 市地區的親戚。我們並不打算理想化現代或傳統，因為二者所顯現的現象都具有攻擊性。在鐵幕崩毀之後，這在 吉爾吉斯坦變得極為劇烈。帶有個人自由與移動性之範式的現代性，讓人可以達成某些成就，但同時也造成某些 人類關係的問題，並為大批人民帶來痛苦，迫使人們離開家鄉，而自由市場帶來無止境的消費也讓人類面臨生態 環境崩毀的危機。在此情況下，去訴諸某種傳統價值與信仰是十分試驗性的作法。吉爾吉斯坦的大部份人民來自 來鄉村地區，對他們來說，這是很自然的選擇。因此，炒作傳統民俗的生意變成十分普遍，許多政客也喜歡以此 議題玩弄人民。但守舊加上貧窮、缺乏教育是滋長基本教義派的沃土，吉爾吉斯坦有很多這類的例子。 在〈春〉裡，當我們提議比什凱克愛樂交響樂團的指揮在城市的垃圾場裡演奏維瓦第時，他立即回答說：「這是 在談我們國家」。對現實生活來說，荒謬、不可思議、高反差等等概念，有時是難以置信且有傷害力的，但對藝 術來說，它們卻可成為完美的實現手段。就像沒人會想到古典交響樂團能夠在這種風景裡演奏，但藝術讓你相信 它可以，還能夠讓你自行添加自己的想像、隱喻與結論。 問：面對種種流動的文化狀態──例如：文化全球化，政治經濟對不同區域的衝擊、科技快速的發展、越來越多 的移民──吉爾吉斯坦人的對於未來，悲觀之處為何？希望之處為何？ 當然，我們面對著新自由主義經濟帶來的所有後果，不幸的是，科技的快速進步也沒能解決經濟問題，因為就如 同大多數貧窮國家一樣，我們只能消費科技，而無法生產科技。我們社會的各個階層都已敗壞，罪惡深植於企業 與政府之中，社會中最貧窮的人民缺乏保護，還有大多數後蘇聯國家所面對的許多典型問題。 我們國家的文化景觀在最近二十年裡完全地改變。我們目睹了以往從未發生過的內部與向外的大規模移民。人們 或合法或非法地移往其他國家，以追求更美好的生活；而在吉爾吉斯坦偏遠地區的人民為了同樣的目的而移往首 都。人們只為自己、下一代與親人追求更好的生活是可以理解的。 問：一般說來，台灣對吉爾吉斯坦十分陌生。請簡單介紹當地的當代藝術狀況。你們如何在吉爾吉斯坦推動當代 藝術？遭遇的困難有哪些？ 相較於許多國家的當代藝術場景，吉爾吉斯坦政府從來沒有文化政策。儘管如此，比起其他中亞共和國家，我 們的當代藝術風景相對上較為活躍。大約十年前，開始有一些認真的私人企業投入推廣當代藝術。2005 年威尼 TheCUBE
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斯雙年展的第一屆中亞館，庫拉馬藝廊（Kurama Gallery）的經營者提供了資金與組織的支援，但由於當年吉爾 吉斯坦發生了政治危機──反對首任總統的暴亂，政府改組，這個了不起的成就幾乎沒人注意。下一屆贊助威尼 斯雙年展中亞館的，只有布達佩斯的開放社會基金會（Open Society Foundation）與荷蘭的人道發展合作組織 基金會（Hivos Foundation）。現今吉爾吉斯坦已有許多當代藝術機構，它們都各有各的方向與偏好。建築工作 室博物館（Architectural Studio Museum）每年策劃舉辦「四一展」（First April Exhibition），這個展覽從一開 始就成為將個體問題與共同問題以嘲諷的方式實現為藝術的平台。托隆當代美術館（Tolon Museum of Modern Art）是一座新成立的機構，它策劃展覽與工作坊，其目標仍不十分明確。此二機構都是由在地的生意人贊助。 B-Art Studio 為國際藝術家提供藝術駐村計劃；「比什凱克理論與行動學校」（School of Theory and Activism Bishkek，簡稱 STAB）是一家推廣左翼藝術行動的新組織；我們自己成立的 ArtEast 則專注於發展當代藝術。這三 家機構都是由國際基金會所贊助。 我們的機構 ArtEast 已正式運作了 10 年，剛開始的 2005-2008 年間，我們策劃了三屆比什凱克國際當代藝術展 （Bishkek International Exhibition of Contemporary Art），以及許多由國際藝術家所帶領的工作坊。我們創造了 非常好的國際網絡，對國際藝術機構與策展人來說，我們的組織已成為熟悉當代藝術的專業單位，並持續為國際 藝術場景介紹中亞藝術家。 但很快地，只對觀眾呈現當代藝術是明顯不足夠的，在一個新的國際層級上為新生代藝術家提供一些教育更為重 要。我們要強調，吉爾吉斯坦的官方藝術教育十分保守，且根基於蘇聯課程。藝術學院與大學的學生，技能與藝 術史的知識十分貧乏，只有極少數的狂熱者試圖突破與自學，但絕大多數的情況是無望的。 2009 年，我們成立了 ArtEast 當代藝術學校，這是一項三年的實驗計劃。主要想法是要在非常短的時間內，於年 輕藝術家、藝術經理與策展人中產生可持續的當代藝術社群，幫助他們瞭解 20 世紀與最近十年的藝術脈絡以及新 媒材，提供實現想法的機會。這個過程很令人振奮，因為所有事情都是不拘形式的，在我們與年輕世代一起討論 與合作的時候，充滿著團結、創造與開放的氣氛。當然，年輕藝術家要能夠維持與生產有價值的作品，通常要相 當長的一段時間，但我們已得到相當顯著的成果。現在我們不少學生若非涉入多項藝術計劃，就是開啓了自己的 計劃。我們仍然試著幫助他們，將大多數優秀的學生推薦給各個國際藝術活動，讓他們有機會出國深造。 問：目前你們創作所關注的方向為何？最近有什麼新作的計劃？ 我們剛剛在一個位於伊塞克湖（Isssyk Kul Lake）美麗湖岸邊的偏遠村落進行一項藝術與行動主義的計劃。新資本 主義經濟在人與人之間帶來新的關係，加上這個村落一直是吸引都市人前來的渡假勝地，過去二十年來，貧窮、 絕望、吸毒的在地人，與富有的外國人之間的距離越來越明顯。由於缺乏良好的教育與知識，文化失憶症更加深 了這條鴻溝。我們將與當地居民對話，教導當地學童新的視覺技術，好讓他們適應這新的現實，並提供成人關於 傳統生態建築、可持續使用之能源與水的入門技術，並且發展文化環境與各種合作。這項計劃已得到克里斯頓森 基金（Christensen Fund）的贊助，但我們仍需要義工與熱心人士的協助。在未來，我們將在新的延續策略之下， 於村中設立藝術家駐村，與當地人建立良好關係。 此項計劃可稱之為「情境的」，因為它創造新關係。而我們創作活動的另一部份是拍攝影片，這部份是較具再現 性的，它通過轉換為隱喻反映了我們的現實。
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〈新絲路：生存與希望的系統法則〉，2007，五頻道錄像裝置 A New Silk Road: Algorithm of Survival and Hope , 2007, five-channel video installation
〈春〉，2009，單頻道錄像 Spring , 2009, single-channel video TheCUBE
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On the Bridge Between Modernity and Tradition Interview with Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev Interviewers: Amy Cheng, Jeph Lo
Q: Your works A New Silk Road: Algorithm of Survival and Hope and Brooklyn Bridge both prominently feature
imagery of inbetweenness. A New Silk Road presents an image of being between tradition and modernity
(trade and traffic, countries and borders), and Brooklyn Bridge of between homeland and foreign land. Is this indeterminate/fluid situation similar to one the Kyrgyzstani people find themselves in today? How does this situation affect your life?
This is not an easy question to answer. Of course a state of in-between could be perceived as negative: as
stagnation of a process, or as crisis, uncertainty, hesitation, or in case of the work A New Silk Road: Algorithm of
Survival and Hope , as a trick to cope with being situated between bigger forces. In Brooklyn Bridge this mood
is more visible because people are forced into a situation of painful doubt, as people often are when making a complicated choice between two valuable things.
It seems that we are on the way after leaving something but cannot find our final destination, making us
something like eternal strangers. And this is a feeling of repetition, déjà vu, and endless process based on our own reality: during the last eight years, we had two social upheavals in Kyrgyzstan with five years in between
them, and both times the results were typical in that the first and second presidents escaped from the country. The second upheaval brought a lot of suffering for ordinary people due to the ethnic conflict that followed in the South of Kyrgyzstan in 2010.
Nevertheless one can say that this situation is not hopeless, that everything has its results, and we have already
seen some political progress. Our government is not a totalitarian regime like that of other wealthy Central Asian republics, and it is a perfect time for rethinking, revising, and analysis, that this period is full of possibilities to create something new from the bottom up.
We both received quiet, classical art educations—one in Moscow, the other in Saint-Petersburg—during the
Soviet period at the beginning of the 1990s. We made modernist sculptures and prints, but later realized that
these media are not enough to reflect the giant cultural shifts we witnessed in the so called transitional period. We needed more flexible, portable and accessible technology for art. We found video and photo and have not been disappointed yet.
Q: Your region has transitioned from a communist system to a capitalist one. What is the most significant
impact this has had on the Kyrgyzstani people? How has living through these two different eras influenced the contemporary art of Kyrgyzstan and your work?
Perhaps the most significant achievement of this time was the obtaining of certain freedoms, some of which were either completely absent or limited or censored due to Soviet ideology in the previous era. Here we
are referring to freedom of private ownership and entrepreneurship, freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of movement.
But very soon people understood what they had to sacrifice in terms of completely different economic and
social relationships in order to have these new freedoms. The price was quite high: first of all they sacrificed their
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right to free education and health care, then the right to work and many types of social support. We should add that art in the Soviet system was a part of the ideological superstructure and quite generously
supported by the government, which created dependency and conformism among “official” artists. Of course, there were rare exceptions in the larger artistic communities of the metropolises, but Bishkek, or in that time
Frunze, was a remote province where the state regulated all cultural life. And significantly, by obtaining certain
freedoms we did not overcome conformism in life and art, but moreover witnessed its magnificent blossoming. Now "creative forces" do not serve ideological requirements but instead market demands.
In these circumstances, contemporary art in Kyrgyzstan since the late 90s has probably been the only alternative to the faceless and boring so-called “professional" arts. The main intention of contemporary art has become a
priori otherness, originality, and non conformism, and the main desire is to surprise one’s colleagues, who would be quite sophisticated and critical, to create an atmosphere of creativity and unity. The transitional period, despite of all its difficulties, has become an ideal environment for the development of contemporary art.
The main inspiration for us personally has become all these monumental social shifts and changes, covering a vast territory of the Eastern Block. It is a real challenge for this population to survive under completely new
conditions: to create, to achieve, to struggle, to hope. We have dedicated most of our work of last decade to these human aspirations.
Q: Compared with strong visual imagery, sound is not central to A New Silk Road or Brooklyn Bridge , yet still plays an important role in these works. For example, the sound of trucks barreling down the highway and
local residents singing traditional music in A New Silk Road , and of the rushing subway train (which you lower the speed of the video) and Kyrgyz immigrants playing flutes in Brooklyn Bridge , seem to represent a clash
between modernity and tradition. The modern sounds are continually rushing forward, while the traditional ones are calm and lingering. How do you think about sound and the conflict between the desire for both
progress and tradition in your work? For example, in your work Spring you juxtaposed music and post industrial scenery.
Our parents, as most people of our parents’ generation, were born in countryside, and we are the first generation born in the city. This means that most of the population of Kyrgyzstan, even if they live in the city, cannot avoid being influenced by relatives from the traditional part of society living in different regions of the country. This
duality is probably reflected to some extent in our work. We idealize neither modernity nor tradition, because
both, at different times, are aggressive in their manifestations. The atmosphere was extremely critical here after
the collapse of Iron Curtain. Modernity with its paradigm of individual freedom and mobility has allowed people to achieve some things but at the same produced problems with regard to human relationships and has also caused a great many people to suffer. This has forced people move from their places of origin, and the free
market, with its unlimited consumption, values people's needs more important than the natural environment. In this situation, appealing to traditional values and religion is tempting. Most of the population in Kyrgyzstan is from rural places and for them it is a natural decision. This is why speculating about traditional folklore is so
popular, and many politicians try to play this game with the people. But there are many examples in Kyrgyzstan where tradition, in conjunction with poverty and lack of education, has created a perfect breeding ground for fundamentalism.
When we proposed playing Vivaldi at the city dump to the conductor of the Bishkek Philharmonic Orchestra, his reaction was immediate: “It is about our country” – he said.
Absurdity, incredibility, contrast are notions that are sometimes unbelievable and hurtful in real life, but for
art become an ideal means for realization. For example no one imagines that a classical orchestra could play
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music in this landscape, but art can make you believe for this, and moreover to allows you to add your own imagination, metaphors and conclusions.
Q: As the Kyrgyzstani people face increasing cultural flows (for example: cultural globalization, the impact of
the political economy on different regions, fast-paced technological development, increasing migration), what hopes and misgivings do they have for the future?
Of course, we are facing all of these as a result of the neo-liberal economy, and unfortunately, technology does
not solve economic problems because most poor countries consume technology but don’t produce it. We have corruption in every strata of society, deep intergrowth among crime, business and government, no protections for the poorest part of society, and many other problems typical of most post-soviet countries.
The cultural landscape in our society completely changed during the last two decades. We have seen domestic
and external migration that is unprecedented and incredible in scale. People legally or illegally move to other countries to find a better life, and people from the remote regions of Kyrgyzstan move to the capital for the
same reason. It is understandable that people want to have a better life for themselves and their children and relatives. They want to protect their lives, freedom and jobs.
Q: Generally speaking, Taiwanese people are not so familiar with Kyrgyzstan. Please introduce a little bit
about the contemporary art scene and art education in Kyrgyzstan. How do you promote contemporary art in Kyrgyzstan? What difficulties have you encountered?
In contrast to contemporary art scenes in many countries, Kyrgyzstan’s has never been guided by an official
government cultural policy. Nevertheless, compared to other Central Asian republics, we have a relatively active contemporary art landscape in Kyrgyzstan. There were some serious private business investments to promote contemporary art about ten years ago. The owners of Kurama gallery provided financial and organizational
support for the first ever Central Asian pavilion at the 2005 Venice Biennale, but its fantastic achievement went almost unnoticed in Kyrgyzstan due to a political crisis in that year; and uprising against the first president and
change of government. All of the following pavilions in Venice were supported by the Open Society Foundation from Budapest and the Hivos Fund from the Netherlands. Today in Kyrgyzstan there are several initiatives in the form of institutions of contemporary art, each of which possessing its own directions and preferences.
Architectural Studio Museum organizes First April Exhibitions every year. From the beginning, this exhibition
has been a platform for artistic actualization (making liberal use of irony) of individual and common problems. Tolon Museum of Modern Art is a new institution which organizes exhibitions and workshops, but its mission has still not been clearly formulated. These two initiatives are supported by local businessmen. Furthermore, B-Art Studio has supported some art residencies for international artists, the School of Theory and Activism -
Bishkek, or S.T.A.B., is a new organization promoting leftist art activity. Our organization, ArtEast, has worked on developing contemporary art from its inception. These three institutions are supported by international funds. ArtEast has been operation officially for 10 years, and has organized a total of three Bishkek International
Exhibitions of Contemporary Art, which took place between 2005-2008 and have included many workshops
led by international artists. We have created a very good international network such that our organization has become an expert in contemporary art for international art institutions, and curators and promotes Central Asian artists in the international art scene.
But very soon after our founding it became obvious that only presenting contemporary art to the public was
not enough. It was more important to provide education to the new generation of artists on a new international level. We should mention that official art education in Kyrgyzstan is very conservative and based on soviet
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curricula. Students at the art academy and universities receive very poor art educations, both in terms of skills
and art history knowledge. There are a few enthusiastic students who try to breakthrough and self educate, but in most cases, the situation is hopeless.
In 2009 we started ArtEast School of Contemporary Art, a three year pilot project. The main idea was to create, in a very short period of time, a sustainable contemporary art community for young artists, art managers
and curators. The school provided them knowledge about the art context from the 20th century up until the
present, helped participants understand new media, and made it possible for them to realize their ideas. This process was very exciting because everything was informal and there was an atmosphere of unity, creativity and openness during our discussions and collaboration with the younger generation. Of course it usually
takes much longer before a young artist sustains and produces something worthy, but nevertheless we have achieved big results. Now, most of our students are either involved in different art projects or have launched their own projects. We still try to help them, and have recommended many of our prominent students for different international art events and for opportunities that will further their art education abroad.
Q: What art projects are you currently working on? What direction has your artwork taken recently? Just recently we started an art and activist project in a remote village on the beautiful shore of Issyk Kul Lake.
The new capitalistic economy brought new relationships among the people, and this village, which has always
been a resort area, has seen a lot more visitors from the city in the last two decades, thus emphasizing the social distance between poor, desperate, drug addicted locals and wealthy foreigners. Lack of good education and
knowledge, as well as cultural amnesia, have made this distance greater every year. We plan to offer a certain dialogue with local inhabitants, to teach local school children new visual technologies so they can adapt to the new reality, to provide adults with knowledge about accessible technologies, such as traditional eco-
architecture, and sustainable uses of energy and water, and to develop a cultural sphere promoting different
types of collaboration. The project is already supported by the Christensen Fund, but we still need volunteers
and enthusiasts to help. In the future we are going to build an artists residency in this village, which will rely on new sustainable policies and promote good relationships with local inhabitants.
This project could be called situational, as it produces new relationships. Another part of our activity is making video, which is a more representational art form because it reflects our reality through its transformation into metaphor.
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古那拉 · 卡斯馬里法 ＋ 慕拉特貝克 · 朱馬里佛 古那拉 · 卡斯馬里法（1960-）和慕拉特貝克 · 朱馬里佛（1965-）生活於吉爾吉斯坦首都比什凱克（Bishkek）。 1991 年蘇聯解體前，他們分別於莫斯科和聖彼得堡接受藝術教育，如今，他們的出生地已成為中亞的共和國之 一。曾生活於共產社會，經歷蘇聯解體，他們的創作專注於呈現這些政治、經濟的改變與動盪如何改變了吉爾 吉斯坦人的生活、在地經濟和謀生方式。 他們在居住地主辦並策劃過極獲好評的國際性雙年展——「比什凱克當代藝術展」。這兩位藝術家於 2007 年 時曾在芝加哥藝術學院舉辦一場個展，作品亦曾於威尼斯雙年展、新加坡雙年展、上海証大現代美術館、蒙特 婁雙年展、台北當代藝術館、鳳甲美術館國際錄像藝術展，以及許多國際美術館及雙年展中展出。其作品相關
評論曾出現在《藝術評論》（Artforum ）、《今日藝術》（Flash Art ）、《弗瑞茲》（Frieze ）與《美國藝術》 （Art in America ）等刊物。最近幾年間，他們曾獲頒克勞斯親王獎（Prince Claus Award），並入圍過世界藝 術獎（Artes Mundi Prize）。
Gulnara Kasmalieva & Muratbek Djumaliev Artists Gulnara Kasmalieva (b. 1960) and Muratbek Djumaliev (b. 1965) currently live in Bishkek, the capital of
Kyrgyzstan, which is an independent republic in Central Asia once part of the Soviet Union. They received their art educations in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, respectively, prior to 1991 when Kyrgyzstan was still under Soviet rule.
The artists organize and curate the celebrated Bishkek International Exhibition of Contemporary Art. Their
work has been presented in a solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as at the Venice Biennale, Singapore Biennale, the Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art, the Montreal Biennial, the Museum of
Contemporary Art in Taipei, the Hong-gah Museum's Taiwan International Video Art Exhibition in Taipei and
many other international museums and biennials. Their work has been reviewed in well-known art publications, including Artforum , Flash Art , Frieze and Art in America . They were recipients of the Prince Claus Award and shortlisted for the Artes Mundi Prize.
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