29 Facts About Durdy Bayramov

Durdy Bayramov was a Turkmen academician and artist who was awarded the highest honorary title in his country: "People's Artist of Turkmen SSR".

Durdy Bayramov lost both parents at a young age and lived as a homeless child before being placed in an orphanage in Serdar, where he was raised.

Brusentsov's portrait of a young Durdy Bayramov, titled Young Soccer Player, is in the collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

Durdy Bayramov's celebrated painting Peaceful Land is considered a classic example of Turkmen landscape painting.

Durdy Bayramov devoted to her an entire series of works on paper titled Gozel, which includes 53 portraits of Gozel and four flower drawings dedicated to her.

Durdy Bayramov's painting Frontline Assistance captured the deep patriotism of ordinary Turkmen women willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions to help soldiers.

From 1971 until 1973, eager to assist up-and-coming artists, Durdy Bayramov returned to his position as art instructor at the Shota Rustaveli Turkmen State College of Arts in Ashgabat.

In 1980, Durdy Bayramov was named an Honoured Art Worker of the Turkmen SSR, and in 1984 he was awarded second prize and a Laureate Diploma for the contest commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Turkmen SSR and Communist Party of the TSSR.

Durdy Bayramov persevered and worked tirelessly, trying to lose himself in his art.

Durdy Bayramov continued to expand his artistic repertoire through an increased focus on portraits and still lifes, especially flowers.

In 1998, Durdy Bayramov was appointed an Academician of the National Academy of Arts of Kyrgyzstan, along with fellow artists Suhrob Kurbanov, Tahir Salahov, Turgunbai Sadykov, and Erbolat Tolepbai.

In conjunction with the presentation of this award, Durdy Bayramov contributed works to the International Exhibition of the Academicians of Kyrgyzstan at the Academy of Arts in Bishkek.

In 2008, Durdy Bayramov celebrated his 70th birthday and his 50-year milestone as an artist with two retrospective exhibitions of his work in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Durdy Bayramov continued his prolific artistic output into the 2010s, creating more than ninety oil paintings between 2010 and 2014.

In 2012, Durdy Bayramov spent six months in Canada where he created a well-known series of landscape paintings titled Canadian Autumn.

In 2014, Durdy Bayramov's paintings were displayed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, marking the first exhibition of his work in North America.

An inaugural exhibition of Durdy Bayramov's photographs took place in Toronto in 2015.

In 2015, a solo exhibition of Durdy Bayramov's works was held at the World Bank Art Program in Washington, DC, with the support of the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the US.

Durdy Bayramov created more than 5,000 artworks during his prolific career, including oil paintings and works on paper.

Durdy Bayramov was a passionate photographer, though he considered this activity a part of his artistic process and never attempted to exhibit his photographs.

Durdy Bayramov worked extensively across four genres: portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and thematic compositions, though he has long been best known for his portraits.

Durdy Bayramov found inspiration in people from all walks of life, regardless of their social, economic, or ethnic background.

Durdy Bayramov's subjects include a wide variety of individuals, from villagers to scientists, strangers to family members, children to seniors.

Durdy Bayramov was particularly passionate about painting the rich colours and textures of the red poppies that carpet the foothills of Turkmenistan every spring.

Durdy Bayramov Art Foundation is a non-profit organization located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, dedicated to celebrating the life and legacy of the Turkmen artist Durdy Bayramov.

The headquarters of the Foundation is located within the building that Durdy Bayramov lived in during his six-month of residency in Canada in 2012, giving this location special significance.

In February 2014, Durdy Bayramov was diagnosed with liver cancer.

Durdy Bayramov is survived by his spouse, Gozel Bayramova, four daughters, and seven grandchildren.

Durdy Bayramov is widely recognized as one of Central Asia's most important painters.