Vision of Asif Khan: Revamping Tselinny Cinema into Almaty's Cultural Icon
In the heart of Almaty, a transformation is taking place as British architect Asif Khan reimagines a vintage Soviet-era cinema into the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture. Scheduled to open in April, the Tselinny Center marks Kazakhstan's first independent cultural institution, serving as a platform for art exhibitions, performances, film screenings, and research initiatives. This bold undertaking signifies a commitment to cultivating a vibrant and self-sustaining creative scene in Central Asia.
With construction commencing in 2019, the $18 million USD renovation delicately preserves the original elements of the 1964-built Tselinny Cinema while adapting it for contemporary use. British architect Asif Khan presents the latest in a series of avant-garde projects, and Kazakh entrepreneur Kairat Boranbayev funds the endeavor.
Notably, Khan's work graces the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, spanning from January 25 to May 25. One of the exhibition's highlights, the Glass Qur'an, features 604 intricately hand-gilded glass folios crafted by Arabic calligrapher Uthman Taha. The piece reflects on the Holy Qur'an as a relationship with light.
The Tselinny Cultural Center's artistic and intellectual strategy revolves around two core concepts: "Here" and "Now." While "Here" signifies the physical stage for projects, performances, and experimental formats, "Now" encompasses ongoing research into social, cultural, and humanitarian issues. Through its first five years, the center has identified three key research areas: Gender, Faith, and Ecology.
As a means to foster dialogue beyond Kazakhstan's borders, an international advisory board comprising leading practitioners in contemporary art and visual culture was formed in 2021. This collaborative approach aims to extend the center's impact broadly across the region and beyond.
The inaugural program, set for April, bears the name Barsakelmes, a Kazakh term meaning "you will go and not return." Drawing inspiration from a vanished island in the Aral Sea, the multidisciplinary event imbues the new space with a spiritual renewal while celebrating the region's artistic heritage. Featuring artists such as Gulnur Mukazhanova, Dariya Temirkhan, and Qazaq indie singer Samrattama, Barsakelmes takes a performative and nomadic approach to exploring Central Asia's cultural landscape. Accompanying these performances, the program will present architectural exhibitions and Central Asian art documentation projects.
- British architect Asif Khan, whose work is featured in the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale, is adapting a vintage Soviet-era cinema in Almaty into the Tselinny Center of Contemporary Culture, a $18 million USD project that will serve as Kazakhstan's first independent cultural institution.
- The Tselinny Cultural Center will engage in research on social, cultural, and humanitarian issues, with key research areas including Gender, Faith, and Ecology.
- To foster dialogues beyond Kazakhstan's borders, an international advisory board of leading practitioners in contemporary art and visual culture was formed in 2021.
- The inaugural program, Barsakelmes, draws inspiration from a vanished island in the Aral Sea and features performances, architectural exhibitions, and Central Asian art documentation projects.
- Reflecting on the Holy Qur'an as a relationship with light, one of the exhibition's highlights at the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale is the Glass Qur'an, with 604 intricately hand-gilded glass folios crafted by Arabic calligrapher Uthman Taha.
