Kyrgyz Republic 2026

Title: Belek
Commissioner: Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic
Curator: Geraldine Leardi
Exhibitor: Alexey Morosov

The exhibition showcases a large-scale, immersive installation titled “Belek”, exploring the country’s nomadic heritage and modern-day hydro-engineering landscape, as well as the cultural significance of water. Born in 1974 in Bishkek, Morosov works across sculpture, architecture, media art, and painting, often creating projects that engage with the history, memory, and cultural identity of a specific place. Following his nomadic roots, he began to travel around the world when he was 17 years old, and now lives and works in Italy.

Morosov has been a member of the Russian Academy of Arts Presidium since 2014. The title of his Venice project derives from the Kyrgyz word for “gift,” framing water as a sacred offering from nature that sustains life in the landlocked, mountainous region. Incorporating video, sculpture, painting, and sound, “Belek” blends imagery of the nation’s glaciers and rivers with snapshots of Brutalist hydro-infrastructure from the Soviet era, which drastically altered Kyrgyzstan’s terrain in the late 20th century. A leitmotif in the work is Kok-Börü, an ancient equestrian game that involves two teams on horseback maneuvering an ulak (goat carcass) into the opponent’s goal. In “Belek”, Morosov highlights this traditional sport as a significant cultural practice that embodies the collective spirit of the Kyrgyz people and the symbiotic relationship between humans, animals, and the environment.