This summer, we had the pleasure of returning to Kyrgyzstan to review the progress of our three-year long artisan project in Cholpon Ata and to plan how to further expand our activity in the region.
Arriving in Cholpon Ata, it was exciting to see everyone again and to hear about the outcome of our intervention. The artisans had taken to heart our previous discussions about the importance of sharing traditional knowledge and craftsmanship with the younger generation, and many of them had created schools or classes either in their own homes or in the local public facilities. This has encouraged many people to acquire the necessary skills to make traditional items out of wool, horse hair, leather, silk or other materials. In addition, the artisans are successfully promoting their products on both the internal and international markets.
The yurts that we have purchased for the group have been used for various events and festivals, allowing the local population, as well as tourists, to encounter the traditional arts and crafts. Thankfully, negotiations with the local government concerning the permanent allocation of a free space for these yurts have been successful. Hopefully, this will ensure that Kyrgi crafts will survive and thrive in this region.
The old art museum in the centre of town, for which MEDyARTE provided display cabinets, has now closed down and a new one is being built in its place over the next two years. In the meantime, the exhibition has been moved to a building on sight of a large outdoor museum in Cholpon Ata. The exhibition, with all its artefacts presented in beautiful, modern showcases, is without a doubt the crown jewel of this outdoor museum. We were proud and deeply touched by seeing it.
Finally, we had the chance to discuss developing a new art project in a remote area of Chatkal. This region is hard to reach and, as a result, mostly cut off from the rest of the country; nevertheless, it has a history of unique and traditional techniques for making various fabrics, in particular a combination of silk and wool. Yet again, the group of artisans in Chatkal hasn’t the space, funds, or premises to produce art products from raw materials, nor do they have the skills to develop a viable business model. After discussing various options, we agreed to purchase several yurts, which can be used for day-to-day manufacturing processes as well as for ecotourism. Interested travellers will be able to learn more about the culture, food, clothing, and traditional arts through a series of masterclasses and homestays in the yurts. We look forward to this exciting development.
