My Kazakhstan photo exhibition

Clay mazars (shrines), 19th centuries AD. Ulytau district, Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan.

Igor Vovnyanko (R) author of the works and an actor Asanali Ashimov (C) with his wife.

Mausoleum, 19th century AD. Ulytau district, Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan.

Star of David. Karlag. Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan. Star of David is a monument to Jews who perished in Iosif Stalin camps (Gulags). Karlag (Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp) was one of the largest Gulag camps, which existed throughout the Soviet Union. Gulag is the acronym for Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps and Labor Settlements, which was the major instrument of political repression in Soviet Union during 1930-1960.

Karlag, Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan.

Clay mazar (shrine), 19th century AD. Ulytau district. Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan.

The President of Medeo Photo Club in Almaty attends the exhibition.

The Jochi khan mausoleum, 13th century AD. Ulytau district. Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan. This mausoleum is one of the most prominent monuments of Kazakh architecture, located in 50 km to north-east from the town of Zhezkazgan. It was built in 1227 on the grave of Jochi khan, the eldest son of Chingiz khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire one of the largest empires in history.

Lake Balkhash. Karaganda Oblast, in central Kazakhstan. Lake Balkhash is one of the largest lake in Asia and 13th largest continental lake in the world. Uniqueness of lake Balkhash is that it has different mineralization on its western and eastern parts divided by a narrow strait. Western basin is almost fresh, eastern part of lake is salty.

The Aisha-Bibi mausoleum. 11-12th centuries AD. Taraz, Zhambyl Oblast.Legend says Aisha-Bibi was the daughter of well-known 11th century poet Khakim Suleiman Bakyrgani. After her father died, Aisha was brought up by Sheikh Aikhodzha. Aisha loved a young ruler of Taraz Karakhan Muhammed. Once Karakhan Muhammed asked for marriage to Aisha but her guardian did not give a permission. Aisha decided to leave home and go to her beloved one, but she never reched him. She died of snakebite at Assa River.

Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. It is a part of the Northern Tian Shan mountain system in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Almaty, the largest city of Kazakhstan and its former capital until 1997, is located at the foot of the range.

Karakhan Mausoleum. 11-12th centuries AD. Taraz. Zhambyl Oblast, southern Kazakhstan. According to Kazakh legend, Karakhan was in love with young Aisha-Bibi. He was the one who erected the mausoleum on the place of death of Aisha-Bibi.

Visitors in the exhibition hall.

Big Almaty Lake. Ile-Alatau National Park. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. Lake is located 28.5 km south of Almaty city. The lake attract tourists by its spectacular views.

Sunset. Lake Alakol. Almaty Oblast, southern Kazakhstan.

Kurgans guardians. 5-6th centuries. Altyn-Emel National Park. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. Kurgan is the Turkic term for mounds of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves.

Budda. 5-6th BC. Tamgaly Tract. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. 170 km northwest of Almaty. The tract has preserved many petroglyphs (rock paintings), images of mysterious deities and late Buddhist inscriptions.

Actor Vladimir Tolokonnikov (L) and Igor Vovnyanko (R).

Petroglyphs. 5-6 centuries BC. Tamgaly Tract. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. .

Ancient well, reconstruction. Altyn-Emel National Park. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Lake. Valley of the Ili River. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Scars of time. Aktau mountains. Altyn-Emel National Park. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Aktau mountains. Altyn-Emel National Park. Almaty Oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Author of the works Igor Vovnyanko shares art secrets.

Sand attack. Wood lake. Charyn National Park. Almaty oblast, in southern Kazakhstan. Charyn National Park is located about 215 km east of Almaty city. It was created to preserve the natural landscapes, which have special ecological and historical value. Park attracts tourists due to its beautiful views and nature.

The Valley of Castles. Charyn National Park. Almaty oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Eternal peace. Aral sea. Kyzylorda oblast, in southern Kazakhstan.

Double-minaret mosque, beginning of the 20th century. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Actor Gennadiy Balayev talks to one of the visitors of the exhibition.

Gold fall. Lake Zaisan. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan. Lake Zaisan is a freshwater lake, located 60 km from the Chinese border between Altai and Tarbagatai Mountains.

Katon-Karagay National Park. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan. Katon-Karagay National Park is Kazakhstan's largest protected territory of 643 hectares.

Funny photo atrract visitors.

Urunkhai River. Katon-Karagay National Park. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Mazar Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan Sulu, 10-11th centuries. Ayagoz district. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Abay monument, end of the 20th century. Semey, East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan. Abay was a great Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher.

The giants of spirit. Chokan Valikhanov and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Dostoyevsky Memorial Literature Museum. Semey, East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan. Fyodor Dostoevsky is a famous Russian novelist, essayist and philosopher. His most famous works are Crime and Punishment (1866), The Idiot (1869), and The Brothers Karamazov (1880). Chokan Valikhanov is a Kazakh scholar, ethnographer, and historian. He is regarded as the father of the modern Kazakh historiography and ethnography.

Abay museum, mosque, end of 20th century. Reconstruction. Semey, East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Actress Olga Landina at the exhibition.

Mist. Katon-Karagay National Park. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Lake of love and sorrow. East Kazakhstan, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Katon-Karagay National Park. East Kazakhstan Oblast, in eastern Kazakhstan.

Poet and filmmaker Hakim Bulibekov at the exhibition.

Abay Opera House. Almaty city, southern Kazakhstan.

The ancient city of Turkestan. Defensive Wall. Reconstruction. Turkestan National Park. South Kazakhstan Oblast. Turkestan is one of Kazakh few historic cities that date back to the 4th century AD.

The ancient city of Turkestan. Reconstruction. Turkestan National Park. South Kazakhstan Oblast.

Part of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum. Reconstruction. Turkestan National Park. South Kazakhstan Oblast.

Visitors in the exhibition hall.