Salima Shirgalieva

My name is Salima Shirgalieva. I was born on February 26, 1974, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I am of Uyghur descent and currently live and work in Almaty, Kazakhstan. I am married and have one child.

While still a student, I began working in 1990 at a workshop producing souvenir lacquer boxes painted in the style of Eastern miniature. I spent more than 10 years studying the technology, materials, and features of miniature painting and fulfilled both studio and private commissions in this genre.

Having received a classical academic education, I primarily paint in the realist tradition. However, I enjoy experimenting and exploring other styles. The influence of miniature painting and the art of Central Asia has left a lasting mark on my work. I prefer working in oil and acrylic, and I also enjoy watercolor and pastel. I often combine techniques, blending realism with decorative elements.

I find inspiration in everything—from nature and everyday objects to light, shadow, and even digital imagery. The world around us, its beauty and details, constantly fuel my creativity.

Art has been a part of my life since childhood. From 1981 to 1988, I studied at Art School No. 2 in Tashkent, a seven-year program that combined general education with intensive art training. There, I studied drawing, painting, composition, art history, and sculpture. I graduated with honors, completing my diploma project titled "Children of War and Peace" (5 sheets, A2 format).

Between 1989 and 1994, I attended the Republican Art College named after P.P. Benkov, majoring in easel painting under the guidance of my mentor, T.I. Mordovintseva. I completed my studies with a red diploma (with distinction). I later pursued higher education at the National Institute of Fine Arts named after K. Behzod (now the Academy of Arts), graduating in 2000.

Though I rarely participate in exhibitions, I took part in student shows during my studies and exhibited in the international exhibition “Neither Silk Nor Road” in 2018. In February 2024, I held a solo exhibition in Almaty. My artworks are part of private collections in the USA, Israel, and across the CIS and former Soviet countries.