Yesken Amanzholovich Sergebayev (born 19 May 1940 in Almaty, KazSSR)- is a prominent Soviet and Kazakh sculptor, former Dean of Paintings and Sculptor Faculty, currently he is the Professor and Head of Sculptor Department of .
In 1982 Yesken Sergebayev got The State Prize for the monument of Mukhtar Auezov.
In 1983 Yesken Sergebayev got The Honored Art Worker State Prize.
In 2008 Yesken Sergebayev got The Order of Nobility as a notable figure in the arts field of Kazakhstan.
Born on 19 May 1940, in Almaty I. When he was born, his father was 55 and his mother was 45. And Yessken Sergebayev was the only child in family. Following statement is an extract from the interview with Yesken Sergebayev: âÂÂMy father was a shepherd, the very first year when the WWII started weâÂÂve moved to the outskirts of Almaty, in a small village called Ali. Devastating poverty during and after the WWII years affected my creativity for constructing my own toys out of mud and clay, which I was extracting from the neighboring lake called Karasu (Karasu means âÂÂblack waterâ due to special mud at the bottom of the lake). Then IâÂÂd ask my mother to help with the drying process of my toys IâÂÂve created out of mud and clayâ Yesken Sergebayev continues, âÂÂthey were just the figures of cows, horses and people. After they were dried up, I proceeded with painting the toys with their eyes, etc. with the crayons called âÂÂSpartakâÂÂâÂÂ.
After finishing the 7th grade of the elementary school, he wanted to continue studying in aviation institute in Aktobe, his dream was to become a pilot, which is the most common dream of the young boys at that age. His uncle Kadyrbek Zhunisbayev was the first person to recognize little YeskenâÂÂs sculpture and painter talents, so he advised his parents to submit the application into the local Arts School. âÂÂUncle Kadyrbek affected further course of my life significantlyâ Yesken Sergebayev says, âÂÂhe was a head of the museum of Dzhambul Dzhabayev in Uzynagash village and this was actually the place where I first saw the workshop of well- known Kazakh sculpture Khakimzhan Nauryzbayev, IâÂÂve been looking at his works from the outside and I was mesmerized. Up till that exact moment I didnâÂÂt even know what sculpture is, I knew nothing about such profession at allâÂÂ. Studied sculpture in Almaty Arts School between 1955 and 1960. Showing an outstanding results during his studies in Arts School, he got the official direction to continue studies in He got enrolled to the Sculpture Department of the Academy of Arts in Leningrad in 1962, where he studied for the consecutive 7 years. Among famous artists working in the Academy back in the days, Yesken Sergebayev attended sculpture classes of the Professor .
While studying in the Academy of Arts in Leningrad, Yesken Sergebayev worked on restorations of following historical, cultural and architectural objects located in different parts of modern Saint- Petersburg:
and so on.
HeâÂÂs a current member of Arts Academy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, academician of the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T.Zhurgenov (2000). He was a professor of Alma-Aty Theatre and Arts school (1978âÂÂ1993). Author of the methodical textbooks for students and the professors âÂÂSome features of teaching monument and sculpture specializationâÂÂ, âÂÂAcademic painting course in arts universitiesâÂÂ.
Since 1960 he was a sculptor of the KazSSRsâ arts fund. In the year of 1969, after graduating from Leningrad Academy of Arts, Yesken Sergebayev returned to Almaty and started sculpture classes in Almaty Arts School. 1974- Senior sculptor of arts complex âÂÂOnerâÂÂ. Since 1978- Professor, PhD of the Theatre and Arts school. Since 2010 till now he is a professor, PhD of the Kazakh National Academy named after T.Jurgenov.
Since 2009 co- founder of Almaty Union of Artists.
Spouse: Akilova Asiya Yusupbayevna, PhD of didactics science, professor of the Almaty Technological University.
Children: Sergebayev Arman Yeskenovich, Sergebayeva Ayana Yeskenovna, Cimmerman Leila Yeskenovna.
in 1978 contest for the installation of Mukhtar Auezov, a famous Kazakh writer, monument has been announced. Yesken Sergebayev took participation and won the contest in the year of 1979. The overall number of projects submitted to the contest was around 50. The contest went through several elimination stages. At each stage the jury of the contest had been eliminating up to ten works. âÂÂI myself have submitted 14 projects, out of which only the last one, the 14th one got approved by the juryâ Yesken Sergebayev is saying. The contest jury, numbering twenty people, included well- known Soviet artists, writers, poets such as Olzhas Suleimenov, for example, architects and sculptors as well as Ministry of Culture representatives. The monument had to be installed by the year of 1980, timelines were tight and pressure on meeting the deadlines was very high. But the author had to resist the high pressure and he took the required amount of time to go to Semey in order to visit Abai Kunanbayev places. Abai Kunanbayev is the well- known Kazakh poet and philosopher, he had become the central subject of two novels and an opera written by Mukhtar Auezov. Yesken Sergebayev became acquainted with the family members of Mukhtar Auezov, they had been providing all of the rare photographs and materials available, which Yesken Sergebayev utilized while working on the monument. âÂÂBy the year of 1980 the monument was ready to be cast with bronzeâ Yesken Sergebayev continues, âÂÂbut due to theàOlympic games that started in 1980, Moscow and Leningrad went to lockdown ,which was because of pre-Olympic preparation works. Hence Moscow and Leningrad foundries were not reachable, so it was decided to proceed with the bronze casting in the foundry that was based in Baku, Azerbaidzhan, where the whole process took almost three months.â The bronze casting process and its timelines were controlled by Dinmukhamed Kunayev, Geidar Aliyev, the First Secretary of the Communistic Party of Azerbaidzhan and Tahir Salakhov, famous painter from Azerbaidzhan, who was the First Secretary of the Union of Artists of the USSR. âÂÂMukhtar Auezov monument, cast out of bronze, was shipped by the Caspian sea from Azerbaidzhan to Kazakhstan and the opening was planned on the 5th of October, 1980â Yesken Sergebayev continues, âÂÂa day, prior to the official opening, I am getting a phone call from Kunayev administration, informing me that Kunayev canâÂÂt be present on the official opening, so we are now required to organize the technical opening at 10 AM, which was the only available timing when Kunayev can be present at the monument opening. Official opening was planned later on that day. I remember that after seeing the monument, Kunayev proclaimed âÂÂwhat an outstanding work but who is the author?â ,then he shook my hand and told me that he appreciates the work that was doneâÂÂ. That is how Yesken Sergebayev was introduced to Dinmukhamed Kunayev, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Full Member of Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU.
On creation of Abu- Nasr Al- Farabi monument, Yesken Sergebayev is saying: 'Why not to make Abu Nasr Al- Farabi or Abylai Khan as our own national symbol? As an example, Uzbeks are proud of the fact that Al- Biruni and Avicenna were born on the territory of modern Uzbekistan. Then why not to install the monument of Al- Farabi, which was born on the territory of Turkistan city (previously called Otyrar, south of Kazakhstan)? There was a Soviet Union- wise big contest 43 years ago for Abu- Nasr Al- Farabi monument installation on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. IâÂÂve prepared the project of Al- Farabi monument for the contest.â But that contest had to be postponed due to China- Soviet Union border conflict on Damansky Island. USSR went into the pre-war preparation phase and there was an order to utilize all the bronze material in military purposes only and as a result Al- Farabi contest had to be postponed for 5-6 years. And then during Gorbachev times, with beginning of perestroika, Al- Farabi monument contest was forgotten. âÂÂMy initial plan is to place the monument on the intersection of Al- Farabi and Dostyk prospectsâ Yesken Sergebayev continues, âÂÂright in the heart of the city, couple of blocks away from Abay Kunanbayev statue, which I find very symbolical. According to the plan, behind the statue will be the 16 meters high arch, panels of the arch will depict greatest philosophers from Pythagoras and Al- Farabi up till Mukhtar Auezov. Height of the monument is proposed to be 8 meters. The monument of Abu Nasr Al- Farabi, the one that has been placed in front of the Kazakh National University named after Al- Farabi, is not a monument that has been requested by the governmental institutions, it was a private requisition to me from the University administration back in the days and which was sponsored by private funds.'
Monument of Kazakh famous conductor and composer was placed in Dzhambul village, nearby the Museum of Dzhambul Dzhabayev.
Monument of Sultanmakhmut Toraigyrov, Pavlodar:
Monument of Abulkhair- Khan in Aktobe:
Sculptural composition dedicated to Dos Mukasan music band in Pavlodar:
Monument of Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher Abay Qunanbayuli (UstâÂÂ-Kamenogorsk):
Monument of in Aktobe:
monument in front of
and many other monumental works and sculptures.
Sergebayev Yesken Amanjolovich 'Who is Who in Kazakhstan' encyclopedia
He came back to his hometown... 'NP'
TV program on 'Kazakhstan' channel, Sergebayev Yesken