Sculptural Monuments. Togolok Moldo

Sculptural Monuments.

Togolok Moldo
In the monumental sculpture of Kyrgyzstan, which began to be created en masse in the 1960s, the form of the portrait monument develops in its early stages, commemorating the memory of outstanding figures of national history and culture.
In 1965, in Frunze, the oldest sculptor of Kyrgyzstan, O. Manuilova, created a bust monument to the national poet, one of the founders of Kyrgyz Soviet literature, Togolok Moldo, which was installed in one of the central squares of the capital on Moscow Street.

The sculptor worked on this image for many years. Back in 1940, having met Togolok Moldo during the celebration of Toktogul's anniversary, she sculpted a portrait of this extraordinary representative of Kyrgyz culture. This portrait entered the history of Kyrgyz art as one of the first and most truthful monumental embodiments of the national image.

The personality of the akyn, his rich biography, and his unique creative nature captured Manuilova's attention for a long time. She repeatedly embodied this image in various materials, deepening its substantial and plastic interpretation. The result of many years of reflection and creative search was the created monument—a work that reveals the significance and charm of a talented representative of the people—a person of a new era.

The monument is carved from red coarse-grained granite. Its design convincingly conveys the authenticity of the appearance and character of a real person, expressing the sculptor's emotional attitude towards him. The bust, almost a half-figure of the akyn, organically transitions into a pedestal of the same material, executed in a concise and calm manner. The movement of the slightly bowed head towards the chest, the clarity and nobility of the face framed by the dynamic texture of the fur hat and collar, are successfully captured.

The plastic integrity of the sculpture and its national color are enhanced by the inseparability of the bust and pedestal, the block-like nature of the monument, which resonates with the image of Kyrgyz mountain nature. This impression is intensified by the expressiveness of the surface of the granite block, partly polished and partly retaining its unprocessed roughness. The monument is unified in silhouette and possesses clear figurative content. Located away from the city highway, it is well visible from various viewpoints, organizing the park area and enriching it aesthetically.