Curating Queer Exhibitions in Bishkek. Love, Joy and Resistance, by Aizhamal Biigazieva and Lucia Direnberger – 15 June 2026

From MAJIC – Memories, Arts and Social Justice in Central Asia

In 2024, Kyrgyzstan adopted amendments to its “child protection law,” restricting the dissemination of information about diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. This measure mirrors Russia’s 2014 anti-LGBTQ+ laws. In this repressive context, Aizhamal Biigazieva, a member of the feminist and queer collective Qun Jelesi (Rainbow in Kyrgyz), curated two significant exhibitions: Квирбиз – Эркинбиз (“We Are Queer, We Are Free“) in 2023 and Аста, Аста (“Slowly, Slowly“) in 2025. These projects highlight the struggle for visibility and queer joy in a hostile environment. This text, based on an interview with Aizhamal by Lucia Direnberger in 2025, explores the challenges, strategies, and successes of these exhibitions, where art becomes a tool of resistance and celebration for the queer community in Kyrgyzstan.

Квирбиз – Эркинбиз. React and normalize

In 2024, Kyrgyzstan adopted a law against “queer propaganda,” with implementation beginning as early as August 2023.

In response to this legislation, I decided to curate a queer exhibition titled Квирбиз – Эркинбиз, which means “We Are Queer, We Are Free” in kyrgyz. The exhibition centered on the theme of queer love, aiming to highlight the humanity of queer individuals in the face of discriminatory laws and hate speech.

The concept of the exhibition was to showcase that queer people often have to create their own worlds due to societal exclusion. Yet, these worlds are not so different from anyone else’s. We, too, have people we love, favorite foods, cherished activities, and moments of joy and sorrow. We experience grief, love, sadness, and happiness just like everyone else.

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