Tauel[di]siz: you are [in]dependent

On August 17, independent artists traveled to Semipalatinsk to give their first concert. What did these individuals do that captured the audience's attention and left a lasting impression? Was it a poetry evening or a concert?

Ruslan Zhubanysh, the author and main producer of the project, describes his work simply as "a contemporary art evening." So, let's explore this unique format that stands apart from other concerts—not by lifting the audience’s spirits, but by making them think.

 What is Tauel[di]siz?

The idea for this large-scale project came to the author when he was still a teenager. While in school, Ruslan participated in poetry evenings and developed an interest in writing poetry. However, he didn’t just learn to recite poetry; he pondered how to make this powerful art form resonate with the masses. "In our modern age, it's no longer enough to stand on stage and recite poetry with passion, sometimes even with tears in your eyes. I realized that this format also needed a revolution," says Ruslan. This realization drove him to attend numerous poetry evenings and theater performances to develop his ideas.

Later, while studying at the Faculty of Journalism, Ruslan conceived the idea of spreading intellectual poetry to the public, not just through traditional poetry readings but by exploring themes like "Homeland, Village, Love" in innovative ways.

In his fourth year of study, he shared this vision with like-minded peers who were passionate about poetry and concerned about societal issues, eventually forming a team. "At that time, political tensions in the country were high. The first president had stepped down, and the capital was renamed in his honor. Political activists were being arrested one after another. We were deeply troubled by this situation. As our teacher, Ikylas Ozhay, said at the time, 'There is no stronger opposition than art,' so we began seeking out poetry that addressed the issues that concerned us. In addition, another of our goals was to contribute to the expansion of the art space in our native language," he explains.

Initially, the team consisted of seven members. As they delved deeper into Kazakh poetry and began to focus on the works of contemporary young poets, they were pleasantly surprised to discover that intellectual poets in Kazakhstan were also engaging with social issues. Thus, under Ruslan's leadership, this group organized the first concert of the project, which they aptly named "a contemporary art evening".

About the First Concert

Although the young people were full of inspiration and a burning passion for art, they faced many obstacles as they embarked on their project. Finding suitable poems, determining how they would be presented on stage, writing a script, recruiting talented artists to recite the poems, finding dancers and singers, securing a concert venue, and attracting an audience—none of this could be accomplished overnight. There were times when the 21-year-old students, with no experience in organizing a large concert and no formal education in the arts, felt like giving up. "But in the end, enthusiasm and love for art won out," says Ruslan.

The team recalls the difficulty of finding a venue for the concert. "The cost of renting large, high-tech halls that would allow us to realize our vision was too high. At that time, we didn’t have any financial support," explains the project's producer. However, a solution eventually presented itself: the management of the Astana Youth Theater agreed to let the "Tauelsiz" team use their theater hall for one evening—on the condition that they could sell 300 tickets to other performances by the Youth Theater.

"So, the seven members of our team divided the tickets among ourselves and started selling them to our friends. We even offered tickets to journalists, poets, and strangers who seemed interested in helping us," Ruslan recounts. Through their efforts, the team managed to sell all 300 tickets, securing a free venue for their first concert.

From the very first concert, one of the team's primary goals has been to give a platform to talented individuals who are unknown to the public and might not otherwise have an opportunity to perform. However, not everyone will have the chance to take the stage at the "Independent" party. All potential performers must first go through an audition process.

"Since the project is primarily focused on poetry, we are looking for individuals who can not only understand and recite poetry but also possess acting skills," explains Ruslan. "Of course, we also need dancers, singers, and musicians for additional scenes."

The performers chosen to participate may come from various walks of life—they could be acting students, mothers of multiple children, or even middle-aged men working as accountants. The main requirements from the organizers are talent, a deep love for art, and the willingness to dedicate time to preparing for the concert.

"This year, we held our eighth concert. Over the years, about 100 artists have participated in our concerts. We've been able to provide them with a platform to express their art or protest through their art. We even have a participant who has been with us since our very first concert," says Ruslan.

What is Special About "Tauelsiz"?

According to Ruslan, our society has long held the belief that "literature is the property of a minority." However, young people have shattered this stereotype, transforming it into a unique, modern show format. Whether it's reciting poetry accompanied by various musical instruments, performing a poem with dance moves, or even using artificial intelligence as a party host—this is a new and innovative experience that we haven't seen before. It addresses pressing societal issues with a blend of aesthetics, sometimes overtly, sometimes subtly.

"There is no project in the Kazakh language quite like the Täuelsız art project. While it’s performed on stage and might seem closest to theater, it differs significantly. The theater has an established troupe and focuses on staging specific works, whereas our project is more fluid and experimental," says the project’s creator.

"BETPERDE" and " HÏKAYA"

After their first concert in 2019, the audience expressed their appreciation for the new format. "Of course, as it was our first experience and the artists were students like us, we can't say that we created the scenario exactly as we had envisioned. There were also technical errors. However, despite this, we were determined to promote this project at all costs," says Ruslan.

The young organizers initially planned to hold a large concert annually but had to take a break the following year due to the pandemic. It wasn't until 2021 that the team regrouped and resumed their concert work. By then, all the organizers had become working professionals, and the creative team still lacked financial sponsors. To cover costs, they decided to sell tickets, managing to sell 200 tickets at 1,000 tenge each to pay for the hall rental.

Given that this was a post-pandemic period when masks were still commonly worn, the concert was aptly named "BETPERDE" (which means "Mask"). The title also symbolized the idea that people often wear metaphorical masks. The second concert was held at the "Congress Hall" in the capital. That evening featured poems by poets such as Makpal Zhumabay, Ikylas Ojay, Tilek Irysbek, Zhuldyz Moldagali, Altynbek Mersadyk, Zhandos Zhusipbek, and Baurzhan Maitai, addressing pressing issues like ecology, the Kazakh language, and gender equality.

At the end of 2021, the team presented their project for the state grant "Generation of Independence" and emerged as winners. "We were criticized for receiving a grant from the president. Some people believe that if you accept state funding, it becomes difficult to stay true to your cause. I understand this perspective. But it's important to remember that this isn’t Tokayev’s money or the ministry’s money—it’s our tax money, our money. We should all strive to receive this grant; that's perfectly normal. I realized that if I had fully disclosed our concept in the application, we wouldn’t have won, so I described it as an evening of poetry. They didn’t interfere in our work," Ruslan explained. With the support of this grant, they embarked on their first tour to Almaty in 2022 with the concert "Betperde." This marked the expansion of their contemporary art event beyond Astana, where they were warmly received by the public in the southern capital.

In July 2022, the first HÏKAYA concert took place, this time the project sponsored by the Internews organization. The evening explored the relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence, the political situation, environmental and religious issues, and the devastating war that captured global attention—all from the perspective of media literacy. The performance also addressed critical thinking, propaganda, manipulation, bots, and fact-checking in a new and innovative format. Participants recited poems on social issues by modern Kazakh poets, including Asel Karibay, Tursynbek Bashar, Zhuldyz Moldagali, Faizolla Toltay, Makpal Zhumabay, Islam Kabyl, Asem Kulmanova, and Bauyrzhan Maitai.

The Last Concert 

This year, the concert titled "Man, Bow to the Earth!" ("Zherge tabyn, Adam, endi") was held first in Astana, then in Almaty, and finally in Semey. The organizers chose this theme as a response to the slogan "Earth Bow to Man!" ("Adamga tabyn, Zher, endi"). They believe that humanity should now focus on caring for the Earth and improving its condition, or risk causing further ecological destruction. The concert openly condemned and sharply criticized the consequences of colonialism that devastated the Kazakh people, including events such as the "Famine of 1931-32," "Development of Virgin and Fallow Lands," and "The Consequences of the Test Site." The evening featured poems by modern Kazakh poets such as Tileubek Batys, Zhambyl Bakyaliuly, Saltanat Madiyarkvina, Akberen Elgezek, Erlan Zhunis, and Serik Aksunkaruly.

Madina, who joined the project initially as a poetry reader and has since become one of its organizers, said: "The project began by traveling to various regions from Astana and Almaty. This time, we came to Semey to present our concert with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. We believe that the residents of Semey understand the theme of this year's concert better than anyone else."

The organizers strive to enhance the project and bring a unique touch to each concert.

"The difference between our last concert and the previous ones is that, for the first time, we incorporated prose into the performance. While we previously described our project as a fusion of contemporary art and poetry, we can now say that it unites art and literature," says Ruslan.

Earlier events focused exclusively on poetry, songs, and dances inspired by poets, but this time, both fiction and scientific literature played a significant role. Excerpts from Tozhan Khasenova's book Atom Ulagan Dala, related to atomic bomb tests, and data on the 1931-1933 famine from Sarah Cameron's Ashtyk Zayligan Dala were displayed on an LED screen. The artists read and dramatized the memories of those who suffered during the famine, based on the book The Reds’ Reprisal by Zakhardin Kystaubaev and Balzhan Khabdin.

"In this concert, I portrayed a nomadic Kazakh who suffered during the famine. During that time, people moved from one village to another in search of food. Many perished from hunger along the way, and those who survived often couldn't care for the others. Through my character, I performed Kapez Baygabyluly's song 'Ai-hai,' which is dedicated to that era. It was incredibly challenging, but we will be grateful if our performance makes people reflect on this art," said singer Farhad Zhakish, a participant in the show.

The main challenge of this concert was the complexity of the topic for both the organizers and the participants. It’s no easy task to convey the horror of a famine that claimed over a million lives, to write a script about it, and to portray it on stage. According to Ruslan, preparing the script required him to read all the personal accounts of those who lived through the famine in The Reds’ Reprisal. It was psychologically exhausting to review these harrowing stories at each rehearsal for three months. "In addition, coordinating with the team and holding rehearsals three times a week with 20-25 adults is not easy. Sometimes our artists leave for various reasons, and we have to find new ones and train them from scratch. We still don't have our own building, so we have to find a place for rehearsals. Most of the time, we arrange to use school facilities for this purpose," Ruslan adds. 

Faced with Censorship?

Holding such concerts, especially when addressing current political issues through art, is always risky.

"We faced significant obstacles while preparing for the 'Hikaya' concert," says the project's producer. "Just 2-3 hours before the concert, during our final rehearsal, some internal staff took photos and videos of our performances and sent them to their management, demanding that certain segments be permanently deleted. As a result, one of our videos was removed from the LED screen. They warned us that if we didn’t comply, they would turn off the microphone or the lights at any point during the concert. Although censorship is officially prohibited in our country, we encounter it because of people who are afraid of their own shadows."

The organizers had prepared a video about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, featuring people expressing their opinions about the war, with their faces obscured. After the staff watched the video, they sent it to the theater's management. "They were furious and immediately contacted us, demanding that we remove the video. They threatened to cancel the concert at any moment, insisting that they wouldn’t allow politics to be involved. Knowing there was a high probability of the concert being canceled, I agreed to remove the video but kept the poems. Later, they insisted on removing the poems as well. But we managed to keep them. My monologue also included references to Russia's war against Ukraine, and they asked me to remove it too," he recalls.

However, the organizers anticipated these obstacles in advance. As a result, they weren't surprised, didn't give up, and continue to pursue their projects. 

What is the Success of "Tauel[di]siz"? A Wave of Art and Artists

“It would not be an understatement to say that we are gradually achieving our goal. When we first launched the project, our inaugural concert was free. Over time, we’ve steadily increased both the quality and ticket prices of our events. Now, five years later, the entrance fee is 5,000 tenge, and people eagerly buy tickets to attend. I believe this success stems from our ability to transform Kazakh poetry into a captivating show. This is the success of our team,” says Ruslan.

In addition, the organizers take pride in providing a platform for voices that might otherwise go unheard. The project's chosen themes inspire the creation of new poems and songs. Not all poets write about pressing social issues, and not all musicians address such concerns in their music. Therefore, the organizers encourage poets to explore topics that are not yet represented in poetry.

For example, Asem Kulmanova, a former project organizer, authored the poem "Ayel," ("Woman") which addresses women's inequality and was featured at the "BETPERDE" concert, and the poem "Humanus," which critiques the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was read at "HIKAYA." Kulmanova recalls, “Finding a poem on women's issues was challenging. We reviewed numerous works and consulted with contemporary poets. This topic deeply resonates with me, so I took it upon myself to write about it. I completed the poem in one night, initially keeping it anonymous before revealing myself as the author. The positive reception from the audience confirmed my belief in my writing ability. Similarly, when we needed a piece on war and couldn’t find one in Kazakh, I wrote it myself. Though it was created for a specific event, it reflects a concern that genuinely troubles me.”

For this year's concert, two new poems and a song have been created to address environmental issues and the impacts of hunger.

We believe that the journey, challenges, and unwavering passion of these dedicated young people will inspire other creatives.