ABOUT THE WORK
The Green Bazaar sits at the heart of Almaty, its formation stems from the place where traders met the caravans of the Silk Road. Today the Green Bazaar continues to represent a junction between people, cultures and goods.
Dias Murzabekov and Experimentarium believe that the bazaar is the face of the city. Dias’ prints depict the rich variety and ethnic diversity epitomised by the bazaar. Experimentarium, a design concept store, is the modern evolution of the bazaar. Focusing on traditional but readily available materials - felt, leather and wood – they reimagine nomadic roots through young Kazakh designers. Here, a transformable bag that doubles up as a table-cloth (dastarkhan) embodies a new type of versatility and adaptability to suit the need s of the modern nomad.
dias and Experimentarium
Dias Murzabekov was born in 1986 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. From 2003 to 2005, Dias studied at the Zhurgenev Kazakh National Academy of Arts specialising in easel painting. In 2006 he entered Central Saint Martins, London, to study graphic design. From 2010 to 2014 he worked for Central Asia Production as a graphic designer.
Dias’ projects include Abai 45, an audio version of works of Abai Kunanbayev, a Kazakh poet; Beatles Go Baroque, a concert by Camerata Kazakhstan, a classical music ensemble; and Bazar Zhoq, a modern graphics exhibition in Almaty. Dias also conceived the design of ArtbatFest-2013, an international modern arts festival. He is a founder and director of the Almaty Print Club and of the Almaty Design School.
Experimentarium is a platform for creative experiments and a retailing space used by about 85 designers in Kazakhstan.
Open since December 2014 in Almaty and since December 2016 in Astana, Experimentarium supports and promotes local design, presents new products to local customers and organises educational activities for designers.
… ideas and beliefs of generations left ages ago continue to play an important role in contemporary arts: shapans and chekmens by Assel Nusipkozhanova and Bazaar by Dias Murzabekov illustrate a historical element of the culture that gave nomads the feeling of belonging to urban or collective life
PROF. AIGUL ZABIROVA, Doctor of Social Science, Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
