A showcase of an exhibition took place in Bishkek, created with the participation of women with disabilities in collaboration with artists and designers. This project, known as "Корунуктуу Үн" (Visible Voice), aims to allow women and girls with disabilities to share their stories and personal experiences, emphasizing that their experiences play an important role in the cultural life of Kyrgyzstan.
The initiative is supported by the Department of Cultural Heritage and Humanities of the University of Central Asia's Graduate School of Development and the civic organization "Civics," in partnership with the Tashkentbek Akmatov Memorial Museum located in the Issyk-Kul region.
Art Based on Personal Experience
The curator of the exhibition, Victoria Biryukova, noted in an interview with VB.KG that the project brought together women with disabilities, designers, and artists who collaboratively created 12 works reflecting their life stories and experiences.
"The exhibition is called 'Корунуктуу Үн.' It is a collaborative work of women with disabilities, where each of the 12 pieces arose from personal feelings and memories," Victoria shared.
She added that the project is supported by the University of Central Asia, which has a museum program, and that the exhibition will be displayed at the Tashkentbek Akmatov Memorial Museum in Issyk-Kul.
"I am not a museum specialist, but I understand well what it means to be a woman with a disability. This topic is close to me and many other talented and strong girls."
"We Are Like the Invisible"
At the presentation, Victoria Biryukova invited participants to start an open dialogue.
"Raise your hands if you often visit museums? Now, who has ever seen exhibitions dedicated to disability? And now - to women's disability? Almost no one.
People with disabilities make up almost 20% of the world's population, and half of them are women. However, in the cultural space, we seem to be absent. I have been silent for a long time, but now that I have a voice, I do not intend to be silent anymore."
These words became the main motif of the entire project.
When Art Becomes a Voice
The exhibition "Корунуктуу Үн" is not just an art display but an opportunity to speak openly. Women with disabilities share their inner world, feelings, difficulties, and joys through visual images and symbolism.
"We discussed topics that are rarely talked about - feelings of loss, isolation, misunderstanding, and the importance of openness."
One of the artists depicted Victoria as a strong and determined woman, which, according to her, reflects not only her personal experience but also the experiences of many others who have not given up and continue to move forward.
Sincere Conversation Without Formalities
Biryukova emphasized that the goal of the event was to create a warm and informal atmosphere so that participants could communicate freely.
"We did not want it to look like an official reception. We aimed for lively, human communication."
The main goal of the project is to make the voices of women with disabilities more visible so that each one can realize the importance of her experience.
"I hope that somewhere in a distant village, a girl with a disability will see this exhibition and understand that she is not alone. She is important and has her place in this world."
Designer and art activist Aigerim Sherimbekova, who is involved in the museum initiative "Корунуктуу Үн," shared the process of working on the project and the themes that became the foundation of the exhibition.
According to her, it all started with a series of meetings and training sessions for girls with disabilities, where participants shared their stories and concerns, and then, together with artists, sought visual forms to express these experiences.
"We did not just draw. We first listened, discussed, and reflected. Each piece arose from candid conversations and personal experiences," Aigerim said.
She noted that the exhibition includes 12 works created in various techniques, from digital art and collage to traditional painting. In some projects, the authors experimented with artificial intelligence to convey mood and metaphor.
"We aimed for each work to resonate in its own way - honestly, emotionally, and vividly. Some used modern technologies, while others employed simple materials, but everywhere there was deep meaning and personal story."
Aigerim also reported that among the exhibited works are projects addressing themes of isolation, losing oneself in caring for others, and the invisibility of people with disabilities.
"One of the pieces illustrates how a person with a disability can be cut off from the world not by their own choice, but due to barriers created by society. This concerns not only infrastructure but also attitudes. Sometimes it is enough for a person to be heard to feel part of life," she added.
Rahat Orozova: "Art Helps Understand Society's Attitude Towards People with Disabilities"
Inclusive education and social work specialist Rahat Orozova discussed during the presentation how art has reflected perceptions of disability throughout the centuries and influenced society's attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Art as a Mirror of Stereotypes
Rahat noted that throughout the history of world art, there are often works where disability is depicted as a tragedy or punishment. She characterized this approach as "critique of the negative image."
"On the one hand, many paintings and sculptures indeed reproduce stereotypes that disability is something heavy and frightening. On the other hand, these works provide an understanding of how this phenomenon was viewed in different eras. Art allows us to see the mistakes of the past and strive to correct them," she said.
Disability and Society: A Historical Perspective
According to the specialist, art has often shown how society perceived people with disabilities as "objects of pity" or as part of a closed circle of poverty.
"Artists of the 18th-19th centuries often depicted beggars with amputated limbs, indicating that disability was perceived as synonymous with poverty - a person was forced to beg because they were not given opportunities for work. This closed circle is an important topic for reflection even today," she emphasized.
Art as a Witness of History
Orozova noted that revisiting history through the lens of art is becoming an important direction in contemporary art studies. Using examples of engravings, sculptures, and photographs, she demonstrated how artists from different eras revealed the social and political contexts of disability.
For instance, one of the Chinese engravings from the 19th century depicts blind women being led to the market, raising the issue of exploitation and violence, where disability becomes a tool of double discrimination.
In another example, an ancient Egyptian statue of a well-off person with physical features was shown. Orozova pointed out that this image demonstrates that disability was not always synonymous with weakness; on the contrary, such individuals could possess status, family, and respect.
When Art Becomes the Voice of Society
The lecture also provided examples of contemporary artists raising ecological and social issues related to disability. For instance, American photojournalist William Eugene Smith drew attention to industrial pollution that caused illnesses among the population in Japan through his works. After the publication of his pieces, authorities were forced to close a dangerous factory.
"Art allows us to see not only suffering but also strength. It is a way to speak about social problems when other means are not available," concluded Rahat Orozova.
A New Perception - Norm Instead of Exception
In conclusion of her speech, she noted that contemporary art helps integrate disability into everyday visual culture.
"Previously, prosthetics evoked fear and curiosity, but now they have become part of aesthetics, fashion, and even art. We see athletes, models, artists, and stop perceiving disability as something unusual. This is the progressive change in perception," she said.
According to Rahat Orozova, it is through art that society learns to accept the diversity of human experience and see it not as a tragedy but as strength.
The works of the museum initiative "Корунуктуу Үн" can be viewed at the following link.
