“Bishkek Lab”

PAPA-Lab Bishkek Kyrgystan took place from 3rd till 17 th of April 2011. The hosting organisation is ArtEast. PAPA-Lab Bishkek worked with a group of their art students. Participating artists are Nellya Dzhamanbaeva, Angelina Mokh,Sapargul Turdubekova, Elena Chigibaeva, Nargiz Chynalieva,Raisat Musaeva, Tatyana Zelenskaja, Samat Mambetshaev, Anastasia Slastnikova, Tatyana Mihnevich, Meka Muratova. This project has been made possible with the kind support of Artscollaboratory. 

Bishkek -  The symbols still exist but the meaning is disappeared. The Russian revolution in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarism autocracy and lead to the creation of the Soviet Union.…
Anastasia Slastnikova – Bishkek Lab

Bishkek -  Every morning Budulay (it’s his nickname) reads newspapers and knows latest news in the world. At this moment he is sharing with me about event in Libya. He is old…
Raisat Musaeva – Bishkek Lab

This is a usual working day, day time. Man sit on the branches, smell cigaretts and just have a rest.…
Nellya Dzhamanbaeva – Bishkek Lab

There are four satellite TV antennas. And it is interesting that one of the department flat owner has two antennas. But which one and why?…
Elena Chigibaeva – Bishkek Lab

In the university area there are all kind of small kiosks like this bakery. As everywhere in the world, the young girls wear skinny jeans. …
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

The Sun was shining yesterday in Bishkek. The birds were singing and the trees were going to bloom. The beauty of spring was almost revealing itself. But today is snowfall……
Elena Chigibaeva – Bishkek Lab

On almost every street corner you can see taxi drivers playing chess or backgammon. Sometimes on improvised furniture, like here. Sometimes just squatting in a circle on the side of…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

In a livingroom of one of the Soviet flatbuildings I found this internetshop. The owner doesn\’t speak English. This boy does so he is arranging a computer and helping me…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

This is a ‘lustre’ in the entrance to my apartment block. In Soviet times the lamp was enclosed by a lattice so people could not steal the bulb. It is…
Raisat Musaeva – Bishkek Lab

This pensioner is trying to earn some extra money. The main street is packed with beauty salons. There must be some women who want to know how much they weigh…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

Winter has just disappeared and the grass has started to grow. On his way to the supermarket (to buy booze?) this man takes a nap on the side of…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

Being a janitor is low-paid and not prestigious work... and very often in this work come a very poor or elderly people, as on welfare do not live in Kyrgyzstan…
Elena Chigibaeva – Bishkek Lab

Manhole is the door to the sewerage. The sewerage in Kyrgyzstan was constructed only during the Soviet times. There is no another sewerage in here and there is…
Samat Mambetshaev – Bishkek Lab

Creativity is in action. Sometimes children’ socks find second application by decorating the window and cheering up the passerby.…
Tatyana Mihnevich – Bishkek Lab

More and more rich people around town. If you cannot afford a mercedes, you can steal the mark as a trophy.…
Tatyana Zelenskaja – Bishkek Lab

Up to the day of today signs and signals of the Soviet times can be read everywhere in public space. On a flatbuilding it shows in big iron letters ‘Do…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

Just to have another view on the city I stroll around the centre of the city on my own. This is near the White House where one year ago the…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

I: Who is this? Are you squirrel? Squirrel: Not simple squirrel, I’m squirrel – Super Model! I: O-o-o! And what is your name? Squirrel: Hidy! I:…
Raisat Musaeva – Bishkek Lab

The soundscape of Bishkek is very rural despite the fact that it is a real city that does have traffic jams at rush hours. What I hear in the night…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

Safety is the main thing that people care about. If you walk around you'll see a lot of different types of protection of the private property, for example this blackberry…
Samat Mambetshaev – Bishkek Lab

It is general workshop of shoes repair. People in Kyrgystan use such services very often, especially in the bad weather. Today it is emptyof customers because of good…
Elena Chigibaeva – Bishkek Lab

In our country both young, middle-aged and old people like to Squatting.…
Tatyana Zelenskaja – Bishkek Lab

In the side streets of Mira Prospect, the big road the taxi drivers gather and wait for clients to come. Meanwhile they play games in improvised sitting rooms.…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab

The Loft is an industrial building that is recently opened as an art gallery. It also hosts creative industries. Together with Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Jumaliev (ArtEast) we visit some…
Lino Hellings – Bishkek Lab