Central Asia enters the radar of the contemporary art world

A new space

Tselinny, Kazakhstan's workshop giving voice to contemporary culture

Born out of the transformation of a former Soviet cinema in Almaty, the centre led by Kairat Boranbayev aims to unite generations, valorise local talent and dialogue with the world without renouncing the country's identity

23 August 2025

5' min read

The name Tselinny refers to the Russian word 'tselina', meaning undeveloped but fertile land, and alludes to Kazakhstan's evolving artistic practices and Soviet appropriation of nomadic land. The role of the Tselinny Centre of Contemporary Culture is therefore to unite generations, promote local talent and dialogue with the world without renouncing the country's identity. On 5 September, the new Tselinny Center opens in Almaty, in the former Soviet Tselinny cinema transformed by architectAsif Khan. The opening includes exhibitions, installations and the Barsakelmes programme, inspired by an island in the Aral Sea that is a symbol of colonial memory but has now dried up. The central performance reworks a Central Asian legend as a reflection on contemporary crises. Among the commissioned works: an installation by Gulnur Mukazhanova (Kazakhstan, 1984) focused on the concept of the door and a video-work with watercolours by the young Dariya Temirkhan (Kazakhstan, 2000) dedicated to dragons and water spirits. To learn more about the vision and ambitions that drove the transformation of the Tselinny Centre, we spoke with its founder, Kairat Boranbayev.

How did the idea of the Tselinny Centre of Contemporary Culture come about?
When I started working in the field of culture, I had already realised several entrepreneurial projects. I realised that Kazakhstan, despite the presence of talented artists and scholars and an interested public, lacked a solid contemporary institutional infrastructure. There were no stable platforms where we could work continuously, develop programmes, invite international professionals and dialogue as equals. Everything was fragmented. I wanted to bring everything together in one place. In the beginning we moved small, with sporadic art projects, often in collaboration with companies or within large cultural initiatives hosted elsewhere. When we saw that it worked - and that there was vision, audience and partners - we came up with the idea of creating a stable institution, with a permanent home and a long-term strategy. This is how Tselinny was born: not as 'a museum', but as a concrete response to a specific need, that of creating a contemporary and functional cultural space that was completely lacking, and an environment in which the region's talents could fully express themselves.

What motivated you to open a centre for contemporary culture in Kazakhstan?
For most of my life, I was only dedicated to business. Like many people in the 1990s, we had to rebuild the country, support families and grow the economy. Culture, in those years, was a secondary thought. Only when a certain stability arrived did I start to ask myself: what will be left after us? What will we leave to the new generations? Tselinny is neither a business nor an investment. It is my attempt to rebuild a cultural link between generations and eras. Soviet Kazakhstan left us a legacy, but it also hid a lot. We had a highly censored culture, not a free one. I wanted a place where today's Kazakhstan - the authentic, not manufactured Kazakhstan - could express itself with its own voice. Over time, I realised that without culture, the economy is blind: it is reduced to consumption. Instead, I was looking for meaning, a place where I could understand what people care about and how to deal with it.

What is the mission of the centre and who is it aimed at?
The mission of Tselinny is to be a platform where everyone can make their voice heard: young people, artists, researchers and anyone who wants to learn about the world through culture. We do not want to impose what is right or wrong, but to create a place for dialogue. A place where you can visit an exhibition or listen to a lecture. It is not about instructions from experts, but a living interaction with the public on an equal footing.

Does it have an educational, artistic promotion or urban development function?
All these things together, and this is our strength. We do not limit ourselves to exhibitions: we do educational activities, participate in biennials, work with archives and urban projects. During the renovation of our premises, for example, we proposed to the municipality to turn the adjacent park into an open-air art space. We are also in the process of digitising our heritage, preserving what remains of the Soviet era, because even with all its ambiguities, it is important to maintain its connection and reinterpret it. I believe that as an institution we offer the city projects that generate not only art, but also economy, tourism, small businesses and, above all, thought.

Does the Centre have an endowment fund?
Yes. In 2021 we launched our endowment fund, inspired by the experiences of institutions such as the Louvre, Metropolitan Museum, Guggenheim and Hermitage. This is still a rarity in Kazakhstan, but it is crucial if we want an independent and lasting culture.

How is Tselinny financed?
It is a private initiative, supported by personal investment and stable partnerships. From 2021 we will also cooperate with patrons. We do not want to be dependent on the state: the freedom to dare is essential.

Do you collect art?
I do not consider myself a traditional collector: I do not have a strategy or a curator. I buy works that excite me, whether paintings, sculptures or traditional jewellery, following instinct rather than a plan.

Does your personal collection influence the Centre's programming?
No. Tselinny is the work of a team of managers, curators, researchers and artists. We do not want to reflect personal tastes, least of all my own. The institution is based on context, research and dialogue, not on individual preferences.

And between your personal taste and your curatorial direction is there a link?
Not a direct one. I never say 'do it this way because I like it'. From the very beginning Tselinny started as an independent institution with its own programme. I mainly take care of the architectural and operational aspects, while the programme is developed by the team in dialogue with artists and experts. If the topics coincide with my interests, it is because they are important for everyone, not because of my own directives. I believe that the task of a cultural institution is to give voice and space, not to control them.

How do you see the contemporary art scene in Kazakhstan and Central Asia today?
It is maturing. There are spaces, artists, professionals. Kazakhstan has an international presence - from the Venice Biennale to the collections of the Stedelijk in Amsterdam, the Centre Pompidou, M HKA and M+ in Hong Kong. We are proud that Tselinny is already an integral part of this landscape. But for us the priority is to increase internal demand: to go to an exhibition not because it is fashionable, but because you want to. We live in a complex moment, caught between our history and global trends. Culture is about understanding our place in the world. If we don't do it, others will fill this space with their own meanings - and then it will no longer be about us.

What role can Tselinny play in this context?
It can become the place where a new Kazakh identity takes shape: neither ethnographic nor western, but authentically ours, with light and shade. It is not just about walls and exhibitions: Tselinny is an opportunity to think, listen, be imperfect and change. We want people here to feel free to be themselves, talk about everything, meet affinities and discover new perspectives on the country and its people, through quality cultural projects.