Artist from Asht revives fairytales by painting on stones
Amir Kholmatov doesn’t paint in a studio or exhibition hall. His canvases are stones, his audience is made up of random passersby, and the themes for his artwork stem from fairytales, memories, and conversations with local residents. The artist intentionally steps away from the traditional art format and seeks to create a dialogue with those who rarely visit galleries.
We traveled to the Asht district, Amir’s hometown, to see how art emerges on this unconventional canvas.
Why stones?
Amir’s decision to paint on stones came to him only recently. After returning to Tajikistan following a long period abroad, he found himself undergoing an internal reevaluation. Not only had his living situation changed, but his understanding of himself, his identity, and how and what he wanted to express as an artist also evolved.
Drawing had accompanied Amir since childhood. It began with simple sheets of paper, then moved to canvases. Although there were no artists in his family, art was long considered a frivolous pursuit. Therefore, Amir received his degree, with honors, in a completely different field—he became a physical education teacher.
After university, he tried various career paths but never stopped drawing. He began attending art exhibitions, quickly noticing a recurring pattern: the same people—those already involved in the art world—kept showing up.
«If we create art for someone but those people don’t come, then something’s not working. For example, exhibitions about violence—the very people these projects are intended for rarely attend. This raises the question: How can we engage with the audience?» Amir reflects.
The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple—he would go directly to the people. Thus, the idea to paint on stones was born. This choice was not accidental, as painting on stones is one of the oldest forms of art, dating back to petroglyphs.
We traveled to the Asht district, Amir’s hometown, to see how art emerges on this unconventional canvas.
Why stones?
Amir’s decision to paint on stones came to him only recently. After returning to Tajikistan following a long period abroad, he found himself undergoing an internal reevaluation. Not only had his living situation changed, but his understanding of himself, his identity, and how and what he wanted to express as an artist also evolved.
Drawing had accompanied Amir since childhood. It began with simple sheets of paper, then moved to canvases. Although there were no artists in his family, art was long considered a frivolous pursuit. Therefore, Amir received his degree, with honors, in a completely different field—he became a physical education teacher.
After university, he tried various career paths but never stopped drawing. He began attending art exhibitions, quickly noticing a recurring pattern: the same people—those already involved in the art world—kept showing up.
«If we create art for someone but those people don’t come, then something’s not working. For example, exhibitions about violence—the very people these projects are intended for rarely attend. This raises the question: How can we engage with the audience?» Amir reflects.
The answer turned out to be surprisingly simple—he would go directly to the people. Thus, the idea to paint on stones was born. This choice was not accidental, as painting on stones is one of the oldest forms of art, dating back to petroglyphs.
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