Olim Kamalov

OLIM KAMALOV AZAMOVICH

By learning the specific of miniature painting and restoring copies of miniatures of Middle Age Persian-Tajik artist K. Behzod, O. Kamalov works on the series of his own works of modern miniature. He elaborated his own technology of wood processing and paints miniatures on canvases, plates and plane-tables. The artist has his author’s elaboration of painted in national style, chiseled wooden chess-backgammon. By the instrumentality of Soros Foundation, OSI in 2009 Olim Kamalov found Tajik school of miniature painting.

Painter- miniaturist, honored artist of the Republic of Tajikistan

Education:

1975-1979 Art College named by M.Olimov

Work experience:

1979-1985 – chief artist in the fabric “Armugon”

1980-1982 – military service in Soviet Army

1985-1993– chief artist and founder of the cooperative “Tuhfa”

1993-2000 – teacher of drawing and sketching in the school #7

2000 – to this day – part-time artist in the publishing-house “Adib”

2010 – director of the gallery and educational center of miniature painting “Mino”

Professional memberships:

С 2003 - member of Union of artists in Tajikistan

с 2005 - member of People’s Democratic Part of Tajikistan

Personal art exhibitions:

2004г , 2009 – personal exhibitions in Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan

2005 – supported by Soros Foundation, Gallery of Union of artists in Tajikistan

2006 –Turkish embassy, Tajikistan

2008 – exhibition of his pupils art-works in his studio-gallery

2009 – Indian embassy, Tajikistan

International Group Art exhibitions:

Day of National Reconcilation in Tajikistan ( Dushanbe, Gallery of Union of artists in Tajikistan, 2002, 2007)

Day of culture of Tajikistan in Russian Federation (Moscow , Dushanbe , 2005)

Day of culture of Tajikistan in France( Paris, 2005)

Day of culture of Tajikistan in Belarus (Minsk, 2008)

Day of culture of Tajikistan in India (Delhi, 2008)

Awards:

2009- medal of honored artist in the Republic of Tajikistan

Links:

Positive news (Ru)

http://newsoffice.ru/archives/570

TV "Mir" (Ru)

http://mirtv.ru/content/view/19598

Art gallery Naison" (Ru)

http://www.naison.tj/IZOBR_ISSK/ARTGAL/artgal.shtml

Magazine "Ogonyek" (Ru)

http://www.ogoniok.com/archive/2001/4680-3/81-90-91/

Rai Gallery (Eng)

http://www.rai-gallery.tj/index.php?lng=en&id=68&PHPSESSID=0b188faa4f2d4301e3674e2b51aab741

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Spiritual experience of the past, inherited by Tajik people in religions, philosophy, in art is eternally alive for artist Olim Kamalov. He is one of the few painter-miniaturists in Tajikistan who has his own specific сcomprehension of classical art. For him nothing dies, nothing does not disappear without leaving trace in the past. Tradition arises in his art works and gives unexpected sprouts. In his point there is loss of some stereotype perceptions of art but not heritage in our time and the searching for the new forms change old comprehension of art.

The art of miniature which has traversed a long and difficult path in its development holds special place in the history of Tajik and world art. The origin of Central Asian miniature art was based on ancient tradition (just recall the richly illustrated Manichean books which have survived to our time).The earliest known miniatures date back to the beginning of the 11th century. Miniature painting and book design reached their peak of the development in the 15thcentury in Herat, Bukhara, Samarqand and other cities of Central Asia. The medieval artists created a big number of illustrations to the immortal works of Tajik classics: Firdausi, Nizami, Saadi, Khusraw Dehlevi, Jami and others.

Since 1979 Kamalov began to study pictorial heritage of the great artist of the East Kamaladdin Bihzad. It helped him to transform his own style which reflected his academic training that had previous played an important role in his life. His creative method changed and became typical in artistic standards to miniature with its meticulous manner of painting.

Kamalov’s early works demonstrate his own knowledge of tradition of miniature painting as seen in his use of heightened color effects and brushwork. Little by little the inimitable beauty of the miniature painting came from the refined lines of the drawing, the brilliance and gentleness of the colors, their complex and harmonies arrangement of details.

The painter believed that his detailed compositions were better suited to explore traditional stories of Tajik poetry. He prepared wonderful cycle of Bihzad’s works for Nizami Ganjavi poems “ Khamsa”. Later he combined the serene perfection of old miniature and order of modern art with growing interest in contemporary plots, resulting in beautiful compositions in which figures and objects are dematerialized.

During his career Kamalov contributed in the production of different kinds of art(design of canvas and paper surface, wooden dishes, vases, chess, small figures , boxes for eyes color -surmadon and others) .Although his many art-works cover a wide range of traditional themes , his own ideas are nevertheless going out medieval creative method. Kamalov’s miniatures are original embodiment of national tradition and contemporary aesthetic ideals of artist.

Larisa Dodkhudoeva Doctor of History, Doctor of Arts Mentor of Arts Secretary of Tajik Artsts’s Union

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