Artist Kasteev Biography

This is an artist who left a rich creative heritage and in whose honor the main art museum of the country is named. In his work, he combined the foundations of the steppe worldview and attitude, based, on the one hand, on the oral mythopoetic traditions of the people and decorative and applied art, and on the other, on the steppe philosophy and tengrianism. Kasteev and his wife Sakysh raised six sons, three daughters and 11 grandchildren.

The eldest son - Abiltai - became a movie operator. It was he who opened the faculty of the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after The second son - Nurtai - died at sixteen years old from heart disease. Sons Nurtas, Nurtleu, Nurbek, Nurhat chose specialties related to art: there are artists and designers among them. The eldest daughter - Camille - became a teacher. The youngest daughter-Gulnasia-graduated from the Stroganov school as an artist-contributor.

But Guldaria studied on a lawyer. We talked with the grandson of Dauren - the son of Nurkhat Kasteev - and the great -granddaughter of Aisan - the daughter of Askar Kasteev, who told us about the memoirs related to their grandfather, and what the descendants of the great Kasteev are doing today. In the family of Kazakh artist Abylkhan Kasteev, almost all the children and grandchildren of the painter are people of creative professions.

The grandchildren of Dauren and Sauran Kasteevas write paintings, create illustrations for books. Dauren illustrated more than a dozen children's books, as well as a series of graphic works to the poem by Eliyas Zhansugurov “Culager”. The picture of Dauren “Anyrakai Battle” was awarded with a diploma and entered the ten best working participants of the republican exhibition-competition “Kazakh folk epos” in the museum named after Abylkhan Kasteeva in the year.

In addition, he is a participant in different domestic and foreign exhibitions in London, Stockholm, Paris, Beijing and Cairo. Today, his works are in private collections in Kazakhstan and outside the country. Dauren's work style is similar to grandfather. This is especially noticeable in its early, watercolor paintings. In his student years, Dauren went to archaeological excavations: he dug up before lunch, and after lunch he wrote with watercolors and oil.

The airiness of the lines in the works was transmitted to him from his grandfather, so sometimes, looking at the paintings of Dauren, it seems that Abylkhan Kasteev wrote them. The work of Daurena Kasteeva says Dauren, in childhood they often went to the house where their grandmother Sakysh lived for a long time. On Sundays, when the children and grandchildren of Kasteev gathered together, they played football.

The samovar at the house was boiling all day. For a family in the courtyard, tents were sometimes installed, as there were too many guests and they simply did not fit inside the house. Dauren notes that sometimes with children a museum is visited by them. Kasteeva and always enters the hall dedicated to his grandfather. In memory of the artist, various events are often held.

For example, in Chizhin, in his homeland in the Almaty region, yurts are installed on Zhalyau, games, concerts on an open area, exhibitions dedicated to the painter, where his children and grandchildren come. He is engaged in graphic design. Another grandson - Zangar - works as a lawyer. The great -grandson of Elaman is studying culinary. The great -granddaughter of Aisan is a designer and costume designer.

It is not surprising that her talent is in genes: after all, another grandfather Aisan along the mother’s line is a laureate of the State Prize, Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, artist Mukhit Kalimov. Aisan says that he remembers how the father often talked about how important it is to maintain the honor and dignity of the famous surname.

The girl grew among the paintings, often spent time in the Kasteev Museum, where her grandmother worked. She often took Aisan and her cousin with her to a museum where they did not miss a single exhibition, studied foreign and domestic paintings, got acquainted with the culture of different countries. After going to the museum, the children competed in the art of drawing. Since childhood, Aisan participated in many competitions.

Once she sent her work to an international tulip competition in the Netherlands. For talent and effort, the organizers handed over paints, an umbrella and stationery. Later, at a more conscious age, she participated in the Aspara Fashion Week contest, which was held in Taraz. Aisan is considered the most significant contest in his career an ethnic fashionable marathon, held in the capital of Kazakhstan, where she represented her products and was awarded the Grand Prix.

The girl graduated from the Kazakh National University of Arts with a degree in the "Theater and Cinema costumes". The memories “Unfortunately, I personally did not find my great -grandfather.

According to my relatives, even as the first artist of Kazakhstan, he was a modest person, he never raised his voice, ”the great -grandson admits. Abylkhan Kasteev tried to once again not attract attention. In the year, he was awarded the title of “Honored Artist of the USSR”, and received his own house only in when he was responsible for cleanliness inside the house, and Kasteev himself took over the departure of the courtyard, loved to get up early: he watered flowers and put things in order.Once, when he swept the courtyard, a neighbor through a fence asked him to approach and said: “All the time they said that this house is being built for the famous artist, but I have never seen him.” Does he live here or not?

And Kasteev in response to her: - This is me. She was surprised and betrayed: - Excuse me, please, I thought you were a janitor. Like he does not have bright and juicy paintings, so I can say that I have no bright costumes and works, ”Aisan said.