On 16 October 2026 at 4 p.m., the National Central Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan will open a solo exhibition by artist Gulmira Tursunovna Sadykova, entitled «The Needle Draws – The Doll Comes to Life».
Gulmira Sadykova is an artist, researcher, and innovator who develops her own artistic language through decorative and applied art. In her work, the needle becomes a brush, and each stitch becomes an expressive gesture conveying the artist’s impressions, emotions, and intent. Her practice can be described as a form of «painting with threads», bringing traditional decorative and applied art together with contemporary artistic thinking. In place of the conventional brush and canvas, she uses a needle and colored threads, transforming stitches into line, color and texture. This exhibition celebrates beauty that cannot be created in haste: the delicate work of human hands and the time, patience and love that transform ordinary fabric, thread and a needle into works of art. It also introduces dolls, each of which seems to hold a small world of its own – a story, a personality, a mood and a memory of the culture that inspired it.
The exhibition’s title was chosen with care. «The Needle Draws» reflects the needle’s role as Gulmira Sadykova’s principal artistic tool. As an artist working in the applied arts, she uses fabric, thread and stitches to create lines, subtle shades and expressive images imbued with the warmth of hand craftsmanship. In her hands, the needle becomes a kind of brush, while free-form satin stitch allows her to use each stitch like a brushstroke, creating delicate color transitions, texture and volume. By layering threads of different shades, she achieves a distinctive depth of color and a sense of form, allowing the textile work to be appreciated as a painting in its own right. Through this process, a traditional embroidery technique takes on a new artistic expression. «The Doll Comes to Life» reflects her longstanding passion for collecting decorative dolls. For her, these are more than collectors’ items: they are figures with their own stories, personalities and distinctive aesthetic qualities. Within the exhibition, they seem to take on a new life, entering into dialogue with her embroidered works. Two worlds met: the world created by the needle and the world of dolls that complement her work – united by the warmth of human hands and the unmistakable touch of the artist.
Gulmira Sadykova has devoted many years to satin-stitch embroidery, one of the most delicate and painstaking forms of decorative and applied art. In her hands, embroidery becomes more than a craft. Thread is laid upon fabric like brushstrokes, while countless fine stitches come together to form a complete artistic image. Creating such works requires considerable time, patience and a deep engagement with the material: time seems to slow down, giving way to color, form and the finest nuances of each stitch. Every shade, line and detail requires attention and precision. Despite the diversity of her subjects – from Eastern and fairy-tale imagery to animals and floral motifs – Sadykova’s work maintains a deep connection with Kazakh cultural heritage. Embroidery and textile traditions have held an important place in Kazakh nomadic culture for centuries. Drawing on this heritage, she reinterprets traditional women’s needlework, extending it beyond its practical purpose to become an artistic statement in its own right. In her works, fabric, threads, beads, and other decorative elements become ways of exploring color, texture, and volume, giving traditional techniques a contemporary artistic expression. In this respect, her practice resonates with fiber art, a contemporary art form in which textiles serve as an independent artistic medium.
Collecting decorative dolls holds a special place in Gulmira Sadykova’s creative life. In this exhibition, the dolls become more than individual exhibits: they continue the conversation begun by the embroidery. Each doll seems to step out of its own small world to meet the viewer, while the embroidered works appear to acquire depth and character.
Gulmira Sadykova’s craftsmanship has earned recognition among admirers of decorative and applied art. She has participated in major cultural events and exhibitions, including presentations of her work at the A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2022, she brought her work to an international audience at EXPO 2020 Dubai. Her artistic career has been recognized with letters of appreciation and certificates of honor from museums and exhibition venues. At the heart of this journey lies her enduring dedication to an art that demands exceptional precision, patience, and love.
«The Needle Draws – The Doll Comes to Life» brings together more than 80 exhibits, including original embroidered works and pieces from the artist’s collection of decorative dolls. The exhibition invites visitors to appreciate their beauty and to discover the qualities behind them: the artist’s patience, love of art, respect for tradition, and commitment to preserving beauty for future generations.
Venue: The National Central Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Samal-1/44, Almaty.
The exhibition runs until 2 November 2026.