Kyrgyz Artist Chingiz Aidarov Dies at 41, Known for 'Nabeg' Performance Practice

Chingiz Aidarov, a multidisciplinary artist from Kyrgyzstan, died on December 15 at age 41 following complications from a stroke suffered in late 2022. Born in 1984 in Bishkek, Aidarov developed a distinctive performance method called 'nabeg,' which involved occupying public spaces. His work critically examined post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan's sociopolitical landscape and the experiences of migrant laborers, themes informed by his own time working in Russia. A notable 2021 performance, 'Snail (Spiral),' featured the artist laboriously unrolling a pile of stitched mattresses in a forest, a metaphor for the repetitive drudgery of manual labor he knew firsthand. After his stroke caused paralysis and speech impairment, fellow artists from the collective 705 supported him, helping establish a new home that doubled as a shop and incubator for the Zamanbap art group. Aidarov's practice was influenced by experimental theater director Jerzy Grotowski and poet Ramis Ryskulov. His international exhibition history included shows at Moscow's Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing, and Berlin's Haus der Kulturen der Welt. He was an alumnus of ArtEast and a member of collectives 705, Zhonele emes, and Zamanbap art.