Biography

Bakhargul Tolegen

Date of birth: 1969

Place of birth: Shaushek, People’s Republic of China.

Place of residence: Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Bakhargul Tolegen is a famous collector- ethnographist, the owner of unique private museum of gold and silver handicrafts of Turkic people in Kazakhstan.

Bakhargul Tolegen spent her childhood in PRC. She made her dream come true, when in 1994 she repatriated. Since then, Bakhargul devoted her life to propaganda of national culture and saving invaluable historical relics.

Her activities have been dictated by patriotic spirit and willing to reveal the mystery of ancient Kazakh antics. Bakhargul participated in exhibition not only in Kazakhstan but also abroad, bringing the message of propagation of Kazakh culture and ethnography. She visited the exhibition of Kazakh masters of applied art and contemporary art «Yelim-ai», devoted to 15 anniversary of World Kazakh association, «Taraz» exhibition; II Worldwide Kazakh Kurultay (Turkestan, 2002), Minor Kazakh Kurultay (Sweden, Vasteras, 2003), «Nauryz» exhibition  (Almaty. 2003), II Worldwide Kazakh Kurultay (Astana 2005), Minor Kazakh Kurultay (Germany, Munich, 2007), International exhibition of souvenirs «Aru-2007» (Almaty),  «Beautiful world»  (Astana, Duman, 2007), International exhibition of souvenirs «Aru-2008», «Aru-2009», «Aru-2009», «Aru-2010». Every time Bakhargul is awarded with gratitude letters and diplomas for invaluable contribution into Kazakh culture development.

In 2009 Bakhargul Tolegen organized unique exhibitions of antics «Motherland in my heart» at Kasteyev’s museum and at the museum of gold and precious metals in Astana. Not only jewellery has been exposed but home appliances, gears, knitting handicrafts, swords and shields of nomads. In 2010 she organized this exhibition in State Central museum in Almaty.

She spent her childhood in Shaushek, in district, where majority of population were Kazakhs. Her interest to applied national Kazakh art aroused due to he mother, who was keen on embroidery and «koshma» making. After high school graduation she went to capital of PCR and entered Beijing state University, Biology department. During her study, she got interested in history and ethnography, visited museums, where amazingly beautiful Chinese antics are saved.

Her interest led her to collecting bronze Chinese sculptures.

The news about Kazakhstan Independence gladdened Bakhargul, stirred up her wish to come back to her historical motherland. In 1994 holding the diploma, Bakhargul made her first visit to Kazakhstan and started her research in her major. At the same time she studied applied art and collection of antics.

Since then, she got carried away with her passion – Kazakh applied art, made acquaintances with local collectors. Her «treasures» from China helped her to find the common language with this closed “cast” of people. Bakhargul supplied the demand for these rare things taking purchase orders. Collectors revealed her the world of national silver jewellery. Gradually, the collection of articles of applied art and silver jewellery was formed. That time it had not more than 10 articles of antiques

In 2000 she established the «Ademi – Ai» company and in 2002 opened the art salon «Ademi – Ai», where she introduced articles, which she had been collecting for three years. The exposition, gradually, grows because many visitors of the salon bring antiques and ancient relics.

Observing the visitors, interested in museum exhibition, Bakhargul had  thought that somehow Kazakhstan does not produce souvenirs. To make up this gap, she decided to start producing them. Different nations and cultures have many things, which are supposed to bring luck or protect against misfortune, like Chinese scorpion or frog. Kazakh culture also has similar symbols. The vivid example is «asyk», which meaning is eloquently expressed by saying «let asyk bring luck to you». Why can't this idea come to reality?

Since then, new period in life of active and enterprising Bakhargul has begun. She started large scaled souvenirs production. This process requires not only knowledge and broad mind, but the skills to run business and outstanding business grip. Collaborating with sculptors – authors of monuments of historic figures of Kazakhstan she acquired the necessary skills. Their creation was usually timed by anniversaries and historic dates. In 2003 Kazakhstan celebrated the anniversary of Makhambet and Isatay. Bakhargul agreed to produce souvenir copies of monuments  in collaboration with their authors. Later, the variety of souvenirs has been made up with other items («kobyz», «asyk», «Baiterek», «Independence Palace», «Pyramid», «Golden man», «National instruments») Salon «Ademi-Ai”»opened new exposition hall to sell national Kazakh souvenirs, grouped thematically and devoted to Independence, history and traditions. So, the company became a leader in souvenir market in Kazakhstan.

When «Ademi-Ai» was established, there were no similar companies or organisations, all of them appeared later.  Today, the advantages of company leading by Bakhargul are large – scaled production and quality of produced souvenir goods, manufactured by metal casting. Last fact allows guessing that Bakhargul’s souvenirs in 22 century will acquire the status of antiques because are made «bona fide» and not subjected to depreciation. At the same time the quantity of souvenirs is limited.

Due to hard work of the team of talented masters, sculptors, artists, anyone who is interested can be an owner of part of the ancient art, incarnated in modern style. So, as an entrepreneur Bakhargul makes the contribution in propaganda of history and art of Kazakhstan even abroad.

Nowadays, her collection displayed at «Ademi-Ai» museum has more than thousand items of home appliances, applied art and jewellery of Kazakhs and Central Asia nations. This is the result of 15 year work of searching and arrangement of antiques, silver jewellery and so on. Collection contains absolute rarities from 6-7 century after excavation works. The most precious for herself are silver jewellery, coins, and pitches of 18-19 century. The most interesting items are «topsaly bilezyk» and «kudygy zhuzyk» – the ring for matchmaker. (18 century, West Kazakhstan). Every item has its own passport where all important facts are registered (date, metal, description).

Bakhargul says that her collection is, first of all, is national heritage and its value is not money exchangeable. It is the reflection of original history and culture; these are things, bringing the ancient impression. They were touched by our ancestors and items from collection are the tribute to their memory.  Bakhargul knows the value of each item, which is defined by many factors. The cost for work of jeweller is added to the cost of metal and this sum is multiplied by 100, if it is hundred years old. So each year the price grows up.

In 2007 the edition of the first antiques’ and national souvenirs’ catalogue urged Bakhargul to release the ethnographic and cultural- informative magazine «Ademi-Ai», were everything devoted to ethnography, culture, traditions as well as the information about talented  Kazakhstani artist, sculptors and jewellers have been published. She involved professional journalist and editors to release the magazine.

She was awarded with the title of «Honored art worker of Kazakhstan» in 2007 for contribution into Kazakh culture development.

In the same year she won the project «Kazakhstan woman – 2010» among 30 outstanding women of Kazakhstan.

Willing to contribute in popularization of Kazakh history and culture not only among connoisseurs of art but among ordinary people, Bakhargul opened the unique private museum of gold and silver jewellery of Turkic  people. The whole collection from «Ademi-Ai» gallery and «Ademi-Ai» art museum is introduced there and everyone, who wants, can admire the exposition.

Bakhargul clients are real connoisseurs of antique art and jewellery, experts of history and art of Kazakhs and central Asia, keen on collecting as well as amateurs and tourists. Recently Bakhargul plans to collaborate with foreign collectors and auctions to familiarize world public to Kazakh culture and achievements of Kazakhs.

In 2011 «Ademi – Ai» company led by Bakhargul, was one of the sponsors of VII Winter Olympic Asian games, donating 15 million tenge and produced jointly with Turkey and China unique souvenirs for participants and guests of Winter Asiada. She involved many talented artists and architectors of our country to create these souvenirs.

Of course, the success of any active person is in solid and reliable rare. Her husband Murat, her advisor and partner is always alongside on her way to success. He helps her in everything, in research, in prospecting of relics. Now, the happy couple bring up their daughter named Ademi. She is a prospective girl; she participated in contest «Anshi bolgym keledy». Her dreams are to be a singer.

Bakhargul is devoted to her work. It is the time to go to the world market, to establish the contacts with new partners abroad and she plans collaboration with auctions.

Latest update 24.05.2011