Osh Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after Turgunbay Sadykov

The Osh Regional Museum of Fine Arts named after Turgunbay Sadykov is the youngest and one of the most unique museums in the region. Established in 2004 at the initiative of local artists, this museum offers an intimate glimpse into the art and culture of the region, featuring several rooms filled with paintings, drawings, and sculptures.

The museum’s collection originated from a collective farm museum in the Karasu district. During the Soviet era, the chairman of this millionaire collective farm had a passion for painting, and over time, he amassed a significant art collection. The Bishkek Art Museum also contributed by donating several paintings. Among the exhibits, you’ll find a wide array of remarkable graphic works, some of which are unfortunately in need of restoration due to insufficient heating during winter. The museum also houses a small but impressive collection of sculptures.

The most captivating pieces date back to the 1960s and 1970s, created by artists who held the esteemed title of «People’s Artists» of the USSR. These works offer a fascinating window into Kyrgyzstan’s earlier eras, showcasing the skill and vision of the period, even if they might not be exceptionally avant-garde. Later works in the collection are somewhat less engaging, with some bearing a more amateurish touch.

Unlike historical museums, the Osh Museum of Fine Arts appeals mainly to art enthusiasts. As most tourists visit Osh during the summer, the museum tries to organize exhibitions that cater to foreign guests during that season. These visitors are often drawn to Soviet-era art, particularly Soviet Realism, rather than contemporary Kyrgyz art. The museum’s classic hall showcases a portion of these Soviet-era works, though the finest examples created in Kyrgyzstan are housed in Bishkek. Nevertheless, Osh is striving to build a collection of its own.

«Some of our most valuable pieces, such as works by Gapara Aytieva, Olga Manuilova, and other Soviet artists, were acquired from the museum collection of the Tashirov collective farm,» explains the museum’s director, Baktygul Midinova. «During the Soviet era, under the leadership of Khaytakun Tashirov, a twice Hero of Socialist Labor, the collective farm in Kara-Suu showed exceptional productivity in cotton harvesting and received substantial funding. They invested in the aesthetic education of their workers, requiring every farm laborer to attend cultural events, museum exhibitions, and concerts after a day’s work. They purchased works from the Union of Artists, and the Tashirov farm’s collection contributed 37 pieces to our museum, which are today considered the most valuable assets we possess.»

Midinova further emphasizes that in Soviet times, the state allocated funds to purchase works from artists, but unfortunately, the museum no longer has a budget for such expenses. As a result, all the pieces added to the museum’s collection today are generous donations from artists themselves.

The museum’s collection is composed of paintings, sculptures, applied arts, and graphic works. Most of the exhibits are donations from Osh artists, each of whom contributed at least two of their original works. Today, the museum houses works not only by contemporary Kyrgyz artists but also by international artists. A total of 680 exhibits—paintings, graphics, sculptures, and decorative-applied art—provide a comprehensive panorama of the fine arts in the southern region since the 1960s.

On the first floor, visitors will find primarily applied arts (felt and patchwork) and graphic works. Among the notable artists displayed here are those who have made significant contributions not only to the southern school of fine arts but also to the broader development of Kyrgyz culture. This includes Baatyr Jaliev, Myrza Omurkulov, and Leontiy Gorbunov—all recognized as national artists of the country. Particularly noteworthy are the works of Urumbai Akhunov, who captured the essence of old Osh. During the 1950s and 1960s, many historical buildings and monuments were demolished, but Urumbai Akhunov managed to immortalize these structures before they disappeared. The museum proudly preserves five of his paintings.

Another pride of the museum is Aman Asrankulov, a remarkably skilled artist who founded the southern branch of the Union of Artists in Osh. The Osh Regional Museum of Fine Arts stands today as a vibrant testimony to the artistic heritage of the region, celebrating the creative spirit of Kyrgyzstan’s past and present.