The Jeonbuk Museum of Art (JMA) with Eurasian Cultural Alliance is proud to present its latest exhibition, "The Tales of Middle-earth: Kazakhstan All the Time", running from December the 8th, 2023 - March the 10th, 2024.

Central to the exhibition is a profound exploration of the 'social role of art,' emphasizing marginalized voices and social practices aimed at overcoming binary distinctions. Departing from the Western linear view of time, the exhibition adopts Emmanuel Levinas's 'Time of the Other.' This concept delves into the depth of time beyond a linear extension, producing time through random connections with others.

The exhibition is divided into three sections – The Past, The Present, and The Future.

"The Past: Echoes of Eternity"

Reconstructs the past as a fixed memory mutated through myths and legends. Artists focus on the process of creation and temporal singularities, not fully complete notions of things never turning to objects. Artworks in the section include those inspired by the oral tradition strong to Kazakhstani identity as well as modern challenges related to it. This part of the exhibitions includes the artworks of Kokonja, Kuanysh Bazargaliyev, Aida Adilbek, Bakhyt Bubikanova and Kyzyl Tractor.

* Kuanysh Bazargaliyev's "Kazakh Bai" was provided by the Satpayevs' Private Collection specifically for this exhibition.

"The Present: Mirrors of the Now"

Challenges the modern view of time, showing the present as a fluid state connected to both past and future. Artworks address political and social domination, unrest, and complex transitionalities encapsulated to the social tapestry of the country. The hall showcases the artworks of Nurbol Nurakhmet, Roman Zakharov, Askhat Akhmedyarov, Saule Dyussenbina and Saule Suleimenova.

* Askhat Akhmedyarov's 'Legend - 2', 'The Architecture of Change - 2', 'Object Q' displayed in the exhibition were made with the generous support of Tselinny Center of Contemporary Art.

"The Future: Visions and the Virtual"

Explores artists' responses to a rapidly changing society due to technological advancements. Artworks combine traditional elements with contemporary technology and capture anti-utopian futures. The works include Marat Dilman's photography, hyperrealistic series by Lyazzat Khanim, as well as Yelena and Viktor Vorobyevs. The installation 'Room of Fear. The Rollercoaster' of the latter creates a space to cut away from time, providing an anti-white box immersive experience.

The exhibition challenges conventional views of time, identity, and societal structures. It invites viewers to engage with the past, reflect on the present, and contemplate the possibilities of the future through the lens of Kazakhstan's socially engaged art.