Born in 1969, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Lives and works in Berlin, Germany.
Video artist and photographer Almagul Menlibayeva holds an MFA from the Art and Theatre University of Almaty. She works primarily in multi-channel video, photography and mixed media installation and her work addresses such critical issues of post- Soviet modernity as social, economic, and political transformations in Central Asia, de- colonial re-imaginings of gender, environmental degradation like Aral Sea and Soviet Nuclear Test Field in the North of Kazakhstan, and Eurasian nomadic and indigenous cosmologies and mythologies. Menlibayeva has gained international recognition by participating in international art exhibitions like Venice Biennale, Sharjah Biennial, Sydney Biennale, the Moscow Biennale, Mediterranean Biennale, Lahore Biennale and others. In conjunction with her solo exhibition Transformation at the Grand Palais in Paris (2016/17), she was awarded the prestigious Chevalier Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture in 2017.
EDUCATION
1987-92 Master of Fine Arts, Academy of Art and Theatre, Almaty, KZ
1986-87 Student of Painting Studio run by Sergei Maslov at Pioneer`s Palace, Almaty, KZ
1986-87 Painting Studio run by Sergei Borovikov at Pioneer`s Palace, Almaty, KZ
1985-86 Student of Kazakh painter Gani Bayanov, Almaty, KZ
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
Transoxiana Dreams, De. Groen Fine Art Collection, Arnhem, NL
GENIUS LOCI of Central Asia, Solo Show, Andakulova Gallery, Dubai, UAE
2018
#98 Almagul Menlibayeva, Videoart at Midnight, Cinema Babylon, Berlin, DE
Green, Yellow, Red, and Green again, TSE Art Destination, Astana, KZ
2016
Transformation, Grand Palais, Paris, FR
2015
Transoxiana Dreams, Videozone, Ludwig Forum, Aachen, DE
2013
Empire of the Memory, Ethnographic Museum, Warsaw, PL
An Ode to the Wastelands and Gulags, Kunstraum Innsbruck, AT
2012
Daughters of Turan, Casal Solleric, La Palma De Mallorca, SP
2011
Exodus, Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, DE
Les reves perdus d'Aral, Galerie Albert Benamou, Paris, FR
Transoxiana Dreams, Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, New York, USA
My Silk Road to you, Tengri-Umai Gallery, Almaty, KZ
2010
Lonely at the Top, Europe at large #6 (Refrains from the Wasteland), M HKA, Antwerp, BE
Daughters of Turan, Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, New York, USA
2009
Exodus, Tengri-Umai Gallery, Almaty, KZ
Kurban, Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, New York, USA
2008
Kissing Totems, Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, New York, USA
2007
On the Road, Galerie Davide Gallo, Berlin, DE
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020
Interlocutors APT10 (The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art), Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, AU
Once upon a time and Now!, School of Arts, University of Kent, UK
The Sovereign Asian Art Prize Shortlist, Hong Kong, HK
Museum für Gegnenwartskunst, Zurich, Switzerland and Yarat Art Foundation, Baku, AZ
Lahore Biennial 02, between sun and moon, curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, PK
2019
Channels Festival, International Biennial of Video Art, Melbourne, AU
Water (Proof), Berlin Food Art Week 2019, Momentum World Wide, Kunstquatier Bethanien, Berlin, DE
Art Residency at RMIT University, Melbourne, AU
Border Agency Luquid Landscapes: what if the ground under your feet can't be trusted? Kunstfort, Vijfhuizen, NL
This Land is Your Land, curated by Maren Richter, Valletta Contemporary, Valletta, MT
Uly Dala Hikayalary, group show, exhibition complex Аtameken, Taldykorgan, KZ
Eyes East Bound, Cairo Biennial, Cairo, EG
SACRÉES FEMMES, the group show at Galerie BELEM/ Benamou-Lagié-Maxé, Paris, FR
2018
10 Year 100 Artist 100 Films, Videoart at Midnight Festival, cinema Babylon, Berlin, DE
Inverted World, Neues Museum, Nurnberg, DE
CI, Curated by Nigora Ahkmedova Contemporary Istanbul, Natalia Andakulova Gallery (Dubai), Istanbul, TR
V.I.E (Video Image Evolution), Albert Benamou Gallery in collaboration with Galerie W, Paris, FR
2017
The Time in Astana After Future, Astana State Museum, KZ
Archipelago KAGLAG, in conjunction with Nurlan Dulatbekov, Museum Modern Art, Karaganda, KZ
When The Sea LOOKS BACK, A Serpent’s Tale/ TheMany Headed Hyndra# 2, Berlin, DE
When the Sea Looks Back, A Serpent`s Tale/ the Many headed Hyndra#2, Nida Art Colony, LV
The Collection, Permanent Collection Exhibition of the International and Belgium artists at MHKA, Antwerpen, BE
2016
Urgent Conversation: Athens-Antwerp, EMST/M HKA, Athens, GR/Antwerpen, BE
A New Language, Root 1066 Contemporary Arts Festival, Observer Building Gallery, Hastings, UK
Daegu Photo Biennale 2016, Daegu Metropolitan City, KR
Do you know Kazakhstan, Wild Project Gallery, IADA (International Art Development), LU
2015
Elective Affinities, National Centre for Contemporary Art (NCCA), Moscow, RU
Union of the Fire and Water, 56th Venice Biennale, Venice, IT
Fairy Tales, Utopian Days, Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, TW
2014
Life as a Legend, a group show of Contemporary Art Kazakhstan, Museum of Contemporary Art Strasbourg, FR
Prologue Exhibition of Honolulu Biennial, Hawaii, USA
Threads, Museum of Contemporary Art Arnhem, NL
2013
A Sense of Place, Wellin Museum, Hamilton, New York, USA
Screening of "Transoxiana Dreams” at MoMA PS1 as part of EXPO 1: New York, USA
KINO DER KUNST, International film festival, Munich, DE
AWARDS AND GRANTS
2020 IFA Institute für Auslandsbeziehungen, DE
2020 PCAI, LAHORE BIENNALE 2020, ALMAGUL MENLIBAYEVA SUPPORTER
2019 Trust Mutual Understanding, USA
2017 Awarded by French Minister of Culture The Chevalier Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, FR
2013 Main Award in KINO DER KUNST in the International Film Competition, Munich, DE
2011 KfW Audience Award, Videonale 13, Kunstmuseum Bonn, Bonn, DE
2011 Open Society Institute Budapest, Art and Culture Network Program Grant
2010 Prize de la Nuit for the film Exodus, 8th International Festival Signes de Nuit, Paris, FR
2009 1st Prize at the Golden Drum International Video Festival, Hanti-Mansiisk, RU
2003 Sacred Places of Kazakhstan, 3rd Prize, Center of Contemporary Art, Soros Foundation, KZ
2002 First Video Festival, 2nd Prize, Center of Contemporary Art, Soros Foundation, KZ
2002 TARLAN, Клуб меценатов Казахстана, an independent prize of Kazakhstan
1995 ASIA ART Grand Prix, Second Biennial of Central Asia, Tashkent, UZ
1995 DARIN, the state Grand Prix for artists, KZ