Kazakhstan's Bold New Exhibition Turns Trash Into Haunting Art

A striking new exhibition has opened in Nur-Sultan, turning household rubbish into thought-provoking art. Titled Beyond Sight, the show by sculptor Kanat Abdin transforms discarded materials into strange, hybrid forms. The works aim to challenge how people view waste and its impact on the environment. The exhibition is hosted at the ÖzgeEpic creative hub and features on the city’s official akimat portal. Every piece is made entirely from everyday trash—cardboard, plastic bags, containers, and dry branches. These materials take on new life as eerie, female-inspired figures, chosen for their grace and mystery.

At the heart of the show is *Mycelium*, a sculpture depicting fungi spreading through a human body. The piece symbolises the dangers of pollution and unchecked resource use. Abdin’s goal is to jolt visitors into thinking about consumption and its long-term effects. The event is part of *Clean Kazakhstan* (*Taza Qazaqstan*), a national campaign promoting environmental responsibility. Togzhan Kurmanzhanova, founder of *ÖzgeEpic*, noted that recycled art remains rare in Kazakhstan. She believes such projects can reshape public attitudes towards ecology and sustainability.

The Beyond Sight exhibition runs as part of a broader push for ecological awareness. By repurposing waste into art, Abdin and ÖzgeEpic hope to spark conversations about consumption and conservation. The show also marks a bold step for Kazakhstan’s evolving art scene.