Aziz Sulaymanov is one of Kyrgyzstan’s leading contemporary painters, known for warm, palette-knife paintings of the Kyrgyz landscape and bright floral still lifes. Trained in Bishkek and St. Petersburg, he paints the mountains, lakes and daily life of his homeland for collectors around the world.
A palette-knife view of Lake Issyk-Kul, one of Sulaymanov’s recurring subjects. Thick, confident palette-knife strokes build up the Kyrgyz mountains in this landscape. A painting inspired by Sulaiman-Too, the sacred mountain near his hometown of Osh. A village scene rendered with the warm, textured color Sulaymanov is known for. Layered color and heavy texture give this landscape its sense of depth. A bright floral still life, built up with the same palette-knife technique Sulaymanov uses in his landscapes. Flowers arranged in a vase, painted in thick, confident strokes of color. Heavy impasto gives this floral painting a strong sense of texture. Wildflowers rendered in warm, saturated color. A study of roses, painted with bold palette-knife work. Bright color dominates this floral still life. A floral painting built from layered ridges of thick paint. A full bouquet, painted with Sulaymanov’s confident, textured brushwork. Garden flowers captured in warm, glowing color. A floral still life with the warm palette Sulaymanov favors. A study of poppies, their petals built from thick strokes of red and orange. Layered petals catch the light in this still life. A floral painting where the palette-knife texture is especially pronounced. A simple flower arrangement, painted with rich, saturated color. Sunflowers rendered in warm yellows and thick, textured paint. The foothills around Bishkek, painted with Sulaymanov’s signature palette-knife technique. A quiet Kyrgyz valley, built from thick ridges of mixed color. Warm evening light over a lakeshore, likely Issyk-Kul. Rolling hills painted with bold, confident brushwork. Autumn color across the Kyrgyz countryside, captured in heavy impasto. Snow-capped peaks rise behind a quiet foreground scene. A rural road winding through open country. A still mountain lake reflecting the sky above. Open pastureland, a familiar subject in Sulaymanov’s landscapes. A dramatic sky dominates this palette-knife landscape. A riverside scene built from thick, textured color. A mountain pass painted with the bold technique Sulaymanov developed over years of practice. A quiet countryside path, painted with warm, earthy tones. Birch trees catch the light in this Kyrgyz landscape. The shoreline of Issyk-Kul, rendered in rich, layered color.
Aziz Sulaymanov at a glance
- Born: 1986, Osh, Kyrgyzstan
- Nationality: Kyrgyz (Kyrgyzstan)
- Known for: Palette-knife paintings of Kyrgyz landscapes and bright floral still lifes
- Training: National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic (2005-2010); later studied in St. Petersburg under Nikolay Evdokimov and Tuman Jumanaev
- Awards: Academy of Arts Grand Prix (2007); 1st place, UNDP competition (2015)
- Solo shows: Bishkek (2014), Osh (2015), St. Petersburg (2016)
- Collections: Osh Museum of Fine Arts and private collections worldwide
- Official website: AzizSulaymanov.com
Sulaymanov was born in 1986 in Osh, in southern Kyrgyzstan, and studied art from childhood, attending a specialist art boarding school and art school before entering the National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2005. After graduating in 2010, he went on to study in St. Petersburg, Russia, under painters Nikolay Evdokimov and Tuman Jumanaev, and became a member of the Professional Union of Independent Artists in Moscow. He has taken part in exhibitions at home and abroad since 2005, winning the Academy of Arts Grand Prix in 2007 for his paintings “Zhiyde” and “Issyk-Kul,” and first place in a 2015 UNDP competition on the peoples living at the foot of Sulaiman-Too.
He has held solo exhibitions at the G. Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts in Bishkek and the Museum of Modern Art in Cyprus (both 2014), the T. Sadykov Osh Museum of Fine Arts (2015), and the Kuznetsov Gallery in St. Petersburg (2016).
Sulaymanov now lives and works in Bishkek. His paintings are held in the Osh Museum of Fine Arts, as well as in private collections and galleries across America, Europe, China, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.
What is Aziz Sulaymanov known for?
He is known for palette-knife paintings of the Kyrgyz landscape, especially Lake Issyk-Kul and the Sulaiman-Too mountain, along with bright floral still lifes.
Where did he train as an artist?
He studied at the National Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic in Bishkek, then went on to study under painters Nikolay Evdokimov and Tuman Jumanaev in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Where can you see his work?
His paintings are held in the Osh Museum of Fine Arts and in private collections around the world, and are also available through his official site, AzizSulaymanov.com.