NEW YORK, NY.- Altynai Osmo (Kyrgyzstan, b. 1988) and Aya Shalkar (Kazakhstan, b. 1996) explore themes of identity, feminine power, and gender roles, drawing on real and mythological narratives deeply rooted in their Central Asian cultures and heritage. Their works, across diverse media and artistic techniques, honor tradition and legacy while capturing the multifaceted and complex roles women play in Central Asian societies—from their positions within tribes to their divine manifestations. Osmo and Shalkar place the female experience at the intersection of history, mythology, tradition, and spirituality, illuminating narratives that have long been overshadowed.
This exhibition, entitled, Beneath the Earth and Above the Clouds, showcases new bodies of art from both artists. Through three- and two-dimensional works, Osmo and Shalkar offer an anthropological perspective on Central Asian female identity across earthly, divine, and spiritual realms. While women of this region were shaped by culture and tradition— and are often seemingly bound by these roots— the artists also reveal how women have challenged and transcended conventional roles. Their works juxtapose tradition and transformation, where myth, history, and spirituality converge with the ongoing struggles and triumphs of women in Central Asia.
Osmo explores these themes through multiple series in the exhibition. In her Kyrk Kyz series, she presents four, two-dimensional spiritual masks that represent the legendary Kyrk Kyz (“Forty Girls” or “Forty Maidens”), a group of warrior women who fiercely protected their ancestral lands near Samarkand (in modern-day Uzbekistan) from invaders. The series highlights their formidable place within Kyrgyz culture, blending lore and history to symbolize feminine strength, courage, and independence. Interestingly, some theorize that the very name “Kyrgyz” may have originated from “Kyr Kyz”, directly linking the nation’s identity to the legendary sisterhood of warrior women. This etymological connection is particularly compelling within the context of a traditionally patriarchal society—suggesting that at the heart of Kyrgyz heritage lies a foundation of female strength, leadership, and resilience. Through her work, Osmo demonstrates that, despite the dominance of male-centric narratives in history, the enduring legacy of the Kyrk Kyz challenges conventional notions of power, embedding the spirit of these formidable women within the cultural fabric of Kyrgyzstan itself.
The masks are meticulously crafted from felt, a material deeply rooted in Kyrgyz nomadic culture. The heroines’ features are drawn and adorned with cupro-nickel, which has been burned and fused into the felt, along with zircon accents. Additionally, chekit or checkich stamps—traditionally used to imprint decorative patterns on bread—are heated and pressed into the felt, creating intricate textures. The masks are further enriched with traditional shyryk embroidery, which is a key element in Kyrgyz textile art, particularly in the creation of shyrdak felt carpets. This intricate technique involves cutting and stitching traditional patterns from colored felt. The tops of the masks feature four distinct patterns derived from flora and fauna, which reflect traditional symbols used in decorating these carpets. Shyrdak carpets are typically given as wedding gifts are passed down as family heirlooms. This reference can be seen as a nod to Osmo’s exploration of intergenerational connections, and how lineage and family ties shape women’s identities and experiences.
Osmo’s engagement with female identity extends beyond the earthly realm into the spiritual in her Umai Ene diptych. It honors Umai, the goddess of fertility and motherhood, who is invoked for the well-being and growth of families, as well as the protection of children. Umay embodies the nurturing forces of nature and is closely tied to the cycles of life, ensuring the continuation of life on earth. She is also associated with the earth’s natural fertility, symbolizing the sustaining and regenerative aspects of life. Umai is a key figure in Tengrism, an ancient belief system that originated in Central Asia, particularly among the Turkic and Mongolic peoples. It is a pre-Islamic and animistic belief focused on the worship of natural forces, ancestors, and deities tied to nature. Tengri is the supreme deity in Tengrism, associated with the sky, the heavens, and the cosmos. As the ruler of the universe, Tengri embodies creation, power, and balance in nature.
Together, Tengri and Umay represent complementary forces within Tengrism: Tengri governs the cosmic order, while Umay ensures the nurturing and continuation of life on earth. Their interconnected roles symbolize the balance between vast celestial forces and intimate earthly bonds, reflecting a worldview where the spiritual and natural realms are inextricably linked.
In this series, Osmo celebrates Umai’s divinity and her symbiotic relationship with Tengri through two sculptural bodies of the goddess, each richly dyed in deep blue and accented with zircon, lapis lazuli and cupro nickel coins to evoke the star-studded cosmos. More than a depiction of celestial harmony, the series asserts Umai’s indispensable role—without her, the universe and Tengri himself cannot exist; she is the driving force of life. Through this concept, Osmo also reaffirms a woman’s inherent power, strength, and central role in the creation and sustenance of the world, underscoring her vital influence in both the spiritual and physical realms.
Shalkar also explores these themes of female identity, power, and resilience through The World of Peri, her conceptual feminist-fantasy universe. Inspired by the history of the nomadic Turkic tribes of the Eurasian steppes, it imagines an alternate past in which women held absolute power. The World of Peri is a powerful response to Kazakhstan’s deeply patriarchal society and its systemic oppression of women.
Shalkar invites audiences to explore The World of Peri through what she calls a “future archaeology” approach. In her work, Mergen, meaning “skilled archer” in Kazah, Shalkar reconstructs the burial site of Mergen, a female centaur warrior unearthed in Kazakhstan. Mergen tells the story and the mythology of the powerful Peri civilization through crafted, “discovered” artifacts.
At the heart of the site lies the centaur’s spine, intricately crafted in silver, symbolizing resilience, endurance, and the figurative backbone of both the world and civilization—an enduring representation of a woman’s pivotal role in society. One of the vertebrae, the L1, is cast in copper, representing an injury that ultimately led to her death. It is also a reference to Shalkar’s own spinal fracture, thus intertwining her identity with that of the female warrior, as well as a real and mythical lineages grounded in Central Asian history and culture.
Surrounding the remains are objects that once belonged to the female warrior – a hunting knife, a hair comb, a belt, a set of arrowheads, an archer’s ring, a preserved centaur’s braided tail, and a set of “horseshoes”, all of which reflect the dualities between beauty and ferocity; softness and strength; and individual and ancestral identity.
Through these artifacts, Shalkar also seamlessly intertwines Kazakh cultural identity with the narrative of the female warrior and the Peri as a whole. A striking example is the archer’s ring, or saqina in Kazakh. Created in collaboration with Yelai, a brand specializing in traditional Kazakh jewelry, this silver ring bears the word “Mergen” engraved in ancient Peri runes.
The archer’s ring serves as a powerful emblem of Central Asian heritage and military tradition. The region was renowned for its mastery of the composite bow and “hooked thumb” technique, which enabled great precision, particularly while on horseback. To protect the thumb from the immense tension of the bowstring and to ensure a smooth release, archers commonly wore thumb rings. Across Central and South Asia, archer’s rings crafted from precious materials symbolized elite status and were often exchanged as honorific gifts. Mergen’s ring, fashioned from silver, signifies both her high rank and her mastery of archery.
Accompanying the archer’s ring is a set of arrowheads, each varying in shape and size, reflecting the diverse functions of traditional arrowheads found across Asia. Historically, these specialized designs served distinct purposes, from delivering fatal wounds in warfare to stunning prey in hunting, ensuring minimal damage to fur or skin.
In Mergen, these arrowheads are described as being forged from celestial iron, imbuing them with protective and mystical properties. This concept draws from the long-standing tradition of warriors carrying weapons and armor imbued with talismanic power, often inscribed with prayers, forged from sacred materials, or blessed by spiritual leaders to provide divine protection and enhance their prowess in battle. Shalkar channels this tradition, weaving the idea of enchanted weaponry into the narrative, reinforcing the deep connection between martial skill, spirituality, and cultural heritage.
Mergen is an immersive experience in which visitors reconstruct not only the warrior’s essence and the world of the Peri but also the broader narrative of female identity in Central Asia. It revives a story of resilience, beautifully complementing Osmo’s Kyrk Kyz and Umai Ene series, and together, they place women’s strength, agency, and legacy at the heart of mythology, legend, and history.
Together, Osmo and Shalkar’s works position women as archetypal heroes, reclaiming their agency and power. In the current political climate of Central Asia, this reclamation is more crucial than ever. At a time when gender-based violence is escalating and traditional structures continue to suppress women's voices, their art stands as an act of defiance— one that not only revives forgotten histories but also challenges the present. By weaving mythology, history, legend, heritage, as well as traditional materials and techniques into their work, Osmo and Shalkar demonstrate a deep connection and respect for their Central Asian heritage while also engaging contemporary discourse and challenging societal norms. In doing so, they remind us that these stories of female resilience and are not relics of the past but blueprints for a more just and empowered future.
