I am an artist from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, now living in The Hague, Netherlands. I never formally studied art, but have been painting for as long as I can remember.

While I call my style “ethnosymbolic naivism,” I have no particular ethnicity or nation in mind. Nor do the symbols represent a particular religion. I seek to convey an international ethnicity and to incorporate symbols that reflect broader principles of movement, energy, and the universe. The subjects of my paintings are quite simple and understandable. My work is interior art—to be precise, interior painting—because it is light, cozy, and homey, and because in life there is always room for joy and love.

I invite you to enter my fairy-tale world–strange, but not scary; silly, but not stupid; bright, but not garish. In addition to the commissions and exhibitions listed below, I have more than 100 paintings in private collections in the USA, UK, Europe, Central Asia, Russia, and South Korea.

 

ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS

Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) March Wellness Center, Portland, Oregon, 2010
Kempinski Hotel Zografski, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2008
Tea House, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2008
Hilton Hotel, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2008
Sredets Gallery, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2007
U.S. Embassy, Kyrgyzstan, 2005
U.S. Agency for International Development, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2005
Dordoi Plaza shopping center, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 2004

GROUP EXHIBITIONS AND JURIED SHOWS

Bronovo Hospital, The Hague, Netherlands, 2011-2012
Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, Pagosa Springs, Colorado, 2011
Columbia Art Gallery, Hood River, Oregon, 2011
Cannon Beach Gallery, Cannon Beach, Oregon, 2010
Audubon Society of Portland Wild Arts Festival, Portland, Oregon, 2009
Oasis Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington, 2009
Liquid Assets Wine Bar and Gallery, Ashland, Oregon, 2009
Kingstad Gallery,  Beaverton, Oregon, 2009
Modurne Fine Furnishings & Functional Interiors, Portland, Oregon, 2009-2010
Opus Six Gallery, Eugene, Oregon, 2008-2009
Minerva Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2007
Greencat Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2007
Elite Gallery, Hamburg, Germany, 2000

COLLECTIONS

Peugeot Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria
Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria
Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan
KazCommerzbank, Kyrgyzstan
Galaxy Entertainment Center, Kyrgyzstan

COMMISSIONS

Emblem for Bishkek Directorate of Internal Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, 2003
Icons for St. Vladimir Orthodox Church, Kyrgyzstan, 1991

PUBLICATIONS

“Andrei: Artist, Archeologist and Sufist.” One Week in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 1, 2008.
“Andrei Engelman’s Fairy-Tale World.” Politika newspaper, Bulgaria, April 18, 2008.
“40 Canvases of a Kyrgyzstani Artist.” Duma newspaper, Bulgaria, July 2, 2007.

RELATED EXPERIENCE

Full-length play produced at National Russian Drama Theatre of Kyrgyzstan, 2008
Studied archeology at University of Cairo, Egypt, 2006
Creative Director for private TV stations in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 1996-2002
Lead interior designer for four restaurants in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 1991-1995