Flying fig. Experience from interview with painter Abdullo Negmati

I do not consider myself an artist, I just paint pictures. A.Negmati

Ubaydulloev Abdullojon Negmatulloevich (Abdullo Negmati) was born on August 9, 1987 in Sughd region of the Republic of Tajikistan. From 1994 to 2003 studied at secondary school №31 of B. Gafurov district, attended an art school (1998-2003) in Khujand. In 2007, he graduated from the Art college in Khujand and in 2011 from the Tajik State Institute of Arts named after M. Tursunzade in Dushanbe. In 2011, he completed an internship in New York under the cultural exchange program. In 2010 he held his first solo exhibition with the support of Swiss Cooperation Office, in 2017, at the French Embassy in Dushanbe. Participated in exhibitions of young artists in various regions of Tajikistan, Central Asia, Russia, Armenia, Bangladesh, USA.

A. Negmati. The flight.

     We are sitting with Abdullo in his workshop at the Art Fund of Tajikistan. He has just returned from Bangladesh, where he presented his work at the Asian Art Biennale-Bangladesh-2018, which was attended by over 60 artists from around the world. The artist is full of new ideas and plans. He readily shares his impressions and answers all questions.

- What makes you different from others?

- If you look deeper, everyone differs from each other. Probably my works are different with an individual approach of compositions’ structure, plasticity issues, and choice of symbolism.

- What are you doing today?

- После своей персональной выставки в Нью-Йорке в 2014 году, посещения музеев и галерей в США, я долгое время не мог ничего писать, но в это время рождались в моей душе идеи тех картин, которые я написал позже. Потом каким-то чудным образом появились первые эскизы, а за ними и сами картины.

- Which of your achievements makes you feel proudness?

- First of all, with participation in the Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh – 2018. Imagine, about 500 artists from 68 countries took part in it, and every day 10,000 viewers visited the exposition. The event of such a scale just amazed me! I have met many talented artists and famous art critics. There are many opportunities became available to participate in other international exhibitions.

- You can be definitely called a successful artist. What is the secret of your success?

- Success is when you manage to create what you have in mind or you succeed to do better than you intended. It is necessary to work, observe and constantly learn something new, be sincere in life and in your work – all these will lead to success.

- What difficulties did you face?

- Difficulty is when you can’t create, when you don’t have means to buy art materials. But all these are not scary; the most important thing is that you have power to overcome difficulties and to achieve your goals.

- Tell us about how do you see your future?

- It seems to me like I am sitting in my country workshop, breathing the aroma of just made coffee and watching birds play through the window, listening to their singing in my favorite garden where fig tree is growing, and there is program broadcasting on radio about the achievements of Tajik people in 21st century.

- For what are you grateful to this country? For what opportunities?

- I am grateful for the opportunity to create freely!

- Tell us about your like-minded people – what do your friends dream about, how do they inspire you?

- Many of my artist friends dream of new art spaces in our country.

- Why is it important to invest in youth, their education and development?

- Investing in youth is like looking after a tree. We water it, aren’t we? Fertilize it, trim it, and as a result we get fruits.

- What did you dream about in your childhood and what came true?

- When I was a child, I dreamed of painting pictures that would become symbols of happiness. Does something come true or not, you need to find out from the audience.

- Why do you love life?

- I love it for everything I have.

- What are your dreams?

- I wish more peace and love in the life of each of us. My dream is to open a national art gallery and auction house in our country. I want to organize international art festivals, symposiums and biennials.

- The motto of your life?

- It’s more of a symbol. Flying yellow flat fig that grows in Sughd. I consider it as a sacral object that contains amazing vitality and divine beauty.

- The mission of your life?

- It defined by itself. It’s like a child that starts to crawl and walk in order to go forward, play, live ...

- What is the most important lesson in your life?

- When I was studying at the art school, I drew a lot during the holidays. I showed my works to my teacher, she was complimentary about them and arranged my first exhibition. Then I realized that if we do something sincerely and with love, we will receive recognition and reward.

A. Negmati. Green tea.

            Talking with Abdullo and looking at his paintings, you understand that he is attracted by the bright decorativeness inherent in the East. The desire to convey the illusion of the visible is alien to him, he seeks to fantasize with familiar everyday objects. Therefore, his fig is like a balloon flying in the sky, and the camel moves according to the wheel of time. The symbols of oriental hospitality, a teapot and a bowl on the shoulders of a young man and a girl can mean the duty of a spouse, to care for each other.

            In a word, the paintings of the young, extraordinary artist Abdullo Negmati – attract, provoke and carry you away with their colorfulness and underlying meaning.