M HKA Ensembles

Photography, 138x128 cm.

Collection: Şağylys collection, developed by Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture and M HKA.

Askhat Akhmedyarov’s oeuvre can be regarded as a poetic yet poignant reflection on the transition of Kazakh society from a nomadic to urban one as a process of modernisation. The photographic series Self-Listing was initially conceived as an in-situ installation for a small hostel in the suburbs of Astana. Placed in the window openings, the photographs provided an insight into the inner life of the building to be demolished. The monumental portraits not only represented the residents in interiors but also featured such information as the names of the residents and their living conditions.  Having planned to build a thermal power plant in replacement of the building, the government offered meagre compensation to the evictees. Thanks to the public attention gained by the project, the residents of the hostel were finally offered decent housing in the city. The documentation of the action as well as the photo work Nomad (2012) which was exhibited alongside, have become part of the M HKA collection.