Drawing
Graphite, ink, and charcoal works on paper — studies of form, line, the figure, and space.
Kamilla Kurmanbekova
Scenic Designer · Educator · Creative Director
Kamilla Kurmanbekova is a scenic designer, educator, and creative director with 15+ years of international experience in theatre, film, and arts education. MFA-trained at Boston University, she has designed sets, scenic painting, costumes, and props for 40+ productions across the USA, Europe, and Central Asia — from the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Dartmouth College to the National Opera and Ballet Theater in Astana. Her fine art practice spans drawing, painting, sculpture, and large-scale scenic painting, with work shown at the Venice Biennale and the Prague Quadrennial.
Teaching-artist, set designer, and production leader with a practice centered on hands-on making, structured workflow systems, and mentoring emerging artists in real production settings.
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Fine Art
Works on paper, canvas, and in three dimensions — alongside large-scale scenic painting for stage and installation.
Painting
Oil and acrylic paintings investigating colour, texture, and the language of surface.
Scenic Painting
Large-scale hand-painted environments, backdrops, and surfaces for stage productions and installations.
Drawing
Painting
Scenic Painting
Theatre
Set design, costume, scenic painting, and direction across 40+ productions in the USA, Europe, and Central Asia, 2005–present.
Film
Art direction, production design, and costume for feature films and short films, 2006–2015.
MY BLUE
A short film exploring the artist's struggle — the solitary search for answers that every creative must undertake.
Calvin Adams — Nothing Touching
Art direction and production design for this music video by Calvin Adams.
Shyryn Bazarkulova — Janym
Art direction and production design for Kazakh artist Shyryn Bazarkulova's music video Janym.
Wounded Angel
Costume design for the internationally acclaimed feature film by director Emir Baigazin. Selected for major international film festivals.
Crush Test Aglaé
Costume design for a French-language production directed by E. Gravel. Character-led costume work developed through close collaboration with the director.
Exhibitions
Selected exhibitions and international presentations, 2010–2013.
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2013
Venice Biennale — Central Asian Pavilion
Venice, Italy
Selected artist in the Central Asian Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale, one of the world's foremost international art exhibitions.
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2011
Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space
Prague, Czech Republic
Presented scenographic work at the Prague Quadrennial, the world's largest exhibition of performance design and theatre architecture.
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2010–2012
Incite Festival
New York, USA
Recurring participation in the Incite Festival, New York — an interdisciplinary arts platform presenting performance, installation, and visual art.
Contact
For inquiries about productions, commissions, teaching, or collaborations, please get in touch.