A contemporary Kazakhstani artist and curator. He works with new media, video installations, performances, and video essays. Key methods in Musrepov’s practice include deconstruction, symbolism, irony, absurdity, and surrealism. Key themes are Qazaq Futurism, cyberspace, and cultural identity.
His first art project was presented at the exhibition "We Are Rivers" ("Artbat Fest," Almaty, 2015): a mockumentary installation that included video, an object, and a series of photographs was mentioned in a publication by art critic Anna Tolstova. After that, A. Musrepov graduated from the Rodchenko School of Photography and Multimedia (Department of Media and Technological Art, 2015–2018) and is currently studying at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (Art and Time | Media, 2019–2026).
Criticism of Orientalism and exoticisation is evident in A. Musrepov’s 3D video installation "Jigitovka" (exhibition "Internal Memory — Not Enough Space?," Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, 2017). The interactive video installation "Namaz Maker," which explores the auratic nature of digital interfaces, was shown as part of the programme "Datasets vs. Mindsets: Research on Digital Society in the Post-Soviet Space" ("Ars Electronica" — Moscow, 2020). The artist also explores the politicisation of myths in state narratives — "Bailanis" (2016), "Golden Woman" ("Racing the Galaxy," Astana, 2019) — and develops the language of post-internet art, particularly in the project "REAL DEAL" (Aspan Gallery, Almaty, 2019).
As a curator, A. Musrepov focuses on creating educational programmes and art residencies for young artists: "Ghost Expedition" (Mangystau, Almaty, Astana, 2018), "First Contact" (Astana, 2019), "Deep Currents" (Afissos, Greece, 2019), "Re-practice" (New Media Laboratory, Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, Almaty, 2023), and "Jeruiyq Art Residency" (Venice–Astana, 2025).
In 2023, A. Musrepov developed the concept for the first Korkut Sound Art Triennial (Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, Almaty) and co-curated the "Asar: Central Asian Art Conference," dedicated to self-organisation practices in Central Asian art (Hong Kong, MILL6/CHAT). In 2024, he co-curated the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale and edited the first and second issues of the online anthology on contemporary art "Horizon" (Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, 2021; 2023).
A. Musrepov’s artworks have been exhibited at Kazakhstani and international venues and festivals: "Amateurinnen" (Filmmuseum Wien, Vienna, 2021), "European Media Art Festival" (Osnabrück, 2022), "Performance Festival PPL" (Galeria Labirynt, Lublin, 2017), "Limited Liability Pavilion" (57th Venice Biennale, 2017), "Eurasian Utopia: Postscript" (Suwon I’Park Museum of Art, Suwon, 2018), and the 60th Venice Biennale (Venice, 2024).
Photograph provided by Anvar Musrepov