National Museum of Fine Arts Gapar Aitiev

The Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts – a cultural institution where the finest examples of fine arts are collected. It also conducts scientific research and propaganda work on fine arts.

Description

In 1935 it opened in Frunze as the Kyrgyz State Picture Gallery, and works of Russian classics in 72 original copies were brought from the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and from the RSFSR museum fund. S. Chuikov’s contribution was great in organizing the museum. The museum received visitors for the first time in the reconstructed building in the Emen garden (now the park named after Ch. Aitmatov). Its current building was constructed in 1974 (architects D. Yryskulov, V. Nazarov and Sh. Zhekshenbaev, engineer A. Yusupov, Kyrgyz SSR Toktogul State Prize, 1976). The museum has departments for painting, graphics, sculpture, applied arts, a restoration workshop, a library, a photo laboratory, a cinema lecture hall, methodological offices, exhibition halls, and a sculpture arena. The basis of the museum collection is formed by works of Kyrgyz artists such as S. Chuikov, G. Aitiev, S. Akylbekov, V. Obraztsov, A. Ignatyev, O. Manuylova, L. Ilyina, A. Mikhailov, T. Sadykov, Zh. Umotov, S. Ishchenov and others. The exhibits are continuously supplemented with new discoveries. Directors: among them Ignatyev, K. Usubalieva, M. Yusupova, and since 1997 Y. Shigaev.

References

“Kyrgyzstan” National Encyclopedia: volume 4. Chief editor Asanov Ü. A. K 97. Bishkek: State Language and Encyclopedia Center, 2012. 832 pages, ill. ISBN 978 9967-14-104-9