The Life of a Master

BIOGRAPHY

Issatay Issabayev (1936–2018)

Issatay Issabayev was a legendary Kazakh graphic artist and painter. An Honored Art Worker of the Kazakh SSR and Kazakhstan, he left an indelible mark on the national art of the 20th century.

Key Milestones

  • 1936
    Born on February 18 in the village of Dzhansugurov, Almaty region.
  • 1963
    Diploma for decorative design of the book "Kazakh Folk Humor".
  • 1964
    Certificates of honor for "The Bird of Happiness" and "Munlyk-Zarlyk".
  • 1965
    Certificate of honor for B. Mailin's "Communist Raushan".
  • 1966
    Graduated from the State Institute of Printing Arts, Moscow. Joined the USSR Union of Artists.
  • 1966-1973
    Taught at the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute, faculty of town planning.
  • 1967
    Diploma for "My Kind Mum" and "Anthology of Kazakh Soviet Poetry".
  • 1969
    Prize at the 4th All-Union exhibition of printmaking, Vilnius.
  • 1971
    First solo exhibition "Through the Language of Chisel and Brush", Almaty.
  • 1972
    Trip to Palanga, Lithuanian SSR for International exhibitions preparation.
  • 1974
    Solo exhibition at the Union of Artists, Warsaw, Poland.
  • 1976
    Solo exhibition at the Central House of Artists, Moscow. Trip to the USA.
  • 1977
    Diploma at the 4th Tallinn triennial exhibition of graphic art.
  • 1980
    Group exhibition of Kazakh graphic artists, Moscow.
  • 1982
    Trip to Hungary from the Union of Artists of the USSR.
  • 1986
    Solo jubilee exhibition, Almaty.
  • 1987
    Trip to Austria within "The Days of the USSR".
  • 1988
    Awarded the title "Honored Art Figure of the Kazakh SSR".
  • 1988-1998
    Chief artist at the Ministry of Press and Mass Information of the RK.
  • 1991
    Diploma "The Best Graphic Artist of Kazakhstan and Central Asia".
  • 1992
    Diploma "BEKHZAT" for the best book graphics of the year.
  • 2004
    "My Epos" solo retrospective exhibition, Almaty.
  • 2005
    Laureate of the Tarlan independent premium.
  • 2006
    Solo jubilee exhibition "My Country - My Song", Astana.
  • 2007
    Solo posthumous exhibition "Zhan Alemi", Kasteyev State Museum of Art.
Issatay Issabayev Portrait

The artist in his studio, 1980