Aziya Ikhtymbayeva's Airbrush Paintings Explore the Disconnect Between Self and Reflection

Aziya Ikhtymbayeva, born in Almaty, Kazakhstan and now based in Prague, Czech Republic, creates figurative paintings exclusively with airbrush on linen. Her work features women placed in landscapes, interiors, or symbolic still lifes, characterized by a smooth, controlled surface that removes visible brushstrokes. A central theme is the mismatch between self-perception and external reflection, exemplified in works like 'Always Foreign' (acrylic on linen, 180 × 120 cm), where a blue-toned face reflects upside-down with a warmer, rose-tinted hue. Other notable paintings include 'Water Remembers' (2026, acrylic on linen, 140 × 140 cm), showing a purple figure reaching toward a teal reflection, and 'Projection' (2026, acrylic and oil on linen, 50 × 50 cm). Her practice also includes smaller-format works like 'What Watches from Within' (2025, acrylic and oil on linen, 50 × 50 cm), depicting an open locket with one closed and one open eye. Ikhtymbayeva's technical approach, using airbrush to achieve a removed, seamless quality, formally supports her conceptual exploration of interiority and displacement. Her background includes life experiences crossing Asia, Europe, and the United States, and she holds Czech citizenship. While her work references orientalism and surrealism, she maintains critical distance from these traditions. The artist's Instagram handle is @aziya.