Memorial Monuments to the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War in Kyrgyzstan

Monumental Form of Commemorating the Fallen Heroes.

An important place in the monumental sculpture of Kyrgyzstan in the 70s and 80s is occupied by memorial monuments that develop the theme of remembering the fallen and the heroism of the people's feat during the Great Patriotic War, the theme of the victory of the Soviet people over fascism. During these years, in the republic, as in all Soviet art, the monumental form of commemorating the fallen heroes is established — sculptural-architectural spatial monuments and ensembles.

The first significant structure of this kind was the monument to the fallen soldiers in the K. Marx state farm in the Ton district, created by artists Z. Khabibulin, A. Voronin, S. Bakashev, A. Kamensky, and architect T. Kutateladze (1972). The monument is a monolithic concrete cube, rising on a cubic pedestal against the backdrop of the foothills with rows of poplars. On the four sides of the structure, a narrative relief belt unfolds sequentially. It begins with the eastern facade, where soldiers kneeling before the flag are depicted, swearing an oath to the Motherland before going to the front.

Next, building up the dramatic tension of the narrative, images of the attack, farewells to the fallen heroes, and the concluding scene of this plastic requiem, depicting the grief of the mothers and fathers of those who did not return, follow. The symbolic content of the monument is more specifically expressed in the reliefs. Created in a conventionally generalized style, but conveying nationally characteristic silhouettes, gestures, and the plasticity of figures and faces, they embody a solemnly mournful image, expressing the great national sorrow.

A multi-figure memorial complex was created in the city of Tokmak by sculptor V. Shestopal and architect D. Yryskulov (1975). Here, following the established tradition in Soviet memorial sculpture of the post-war period, the theme of the tragedy of war is combined with the pathos of heroic feats and the idea of life affirmation. The complex is designed as a closed sculptural-architectural composition, set apart from the urban environment and intended for perception over time.

The monument occupies an artificially elevated platform in a city park that opens onto the central street.
Its composition is two-tiered. At the top, in the corner of the platform on a podium made of gray granite, is the main composition. Each figure depicts a tense action and emotional state, embodying the stages of the struggle of the Soviet people against the Nazi invaders. The dynamic form of the flame in the center of the composition and the stable statuary of the frontally oriented bas-relief figures create a clear and easily readable image. In the generalization of the figures, the sculptor aimed for a poster-like call to action, symbolic expressiveness, and logical perception of all elements of the narrative over time.

In the lower tier of the platform, two steles with the names of the fallen are united by a horizontal wall. The complex is completed by a wall with the inscription "No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten." Occupying a distinct place in the green environment, the monument is open for viewing from all sides and has a wide sphere of impact.

The monument to the fallen soldiers in the Lenin collective farm in the Ton district, created by S. Bakashev (1975), is unique. Its free composition consists of four concrete pylons, treated with graphite, featuring relief images of figures. The plastic image is quite expressive and pathetically charged. However, the integrity of the artistic impression is diminished by chaotic construction and disorganization of the spatial environment.

In contrast, the monument to the fallen soldiers in the village of Chon-Uryukty on the shores of Issyk-Kul, executed by V. Dimov (1980), is resolved in strict realistic traditions of monumental plasticity. The location chosen for its installation is successful. The statue of a mother with a child, cast in aluminum, expressing grief and protest against war, is well visible among the trees and against the backdrop of the mountains, adding an emotional note to the rhythm of rural life.

Monumentality and precise orientation to the character of the terrain distinguish the monument to the fallen in the village of Bystrovka, created by T. Sadykov (architect V. Lyzenko, 1982). The epic interpretation of the two-figure composition fits freely into the architectural-planning situation.