L’industria creativa del Kazakhstan accelera. Spunta una nuova fondazione che sostiene la scena artistica
A new private foundation called TOVA Foundation, based in Geneva, has been established to promote contemporary art from Central Asia, specifically focusing on Kazakhstan's art scene. The foundation debuted at the Venice Biennale with an exhibition titled "Trading Treasures" featuring Kazakh artists Saule Suleimenova and Sayan Baigaliyev at Casa dei Tre Oci. The initiative is backed by Togzhan Wertheimer, a Kazakh-born entrepreneur and philanthropist connected to the fashion industry through her husband David Wertheimer, and includes a board with figures like Tatiana de Pahlen and art consultant Jean-Olivier Despres. The foundation's curator is Vladislav Sludskiy, who previously worked at Ethan Cohen Gallery and co-founded the ARTBAT FEST and Eurasian Cultural Alliance.
This matters because Kazakhstan and Central Asia remain historically underrepresented in the global art world, and the TOVA Foundation represents a strategic effort to increase visibility and career opportunities for artists and curators from the region. The foundation's programming—focused on production, education, and communication—signals a growing institutional interest in decolonizing the art world and supporting emerging creative industries in post-Soviet states. The involvement of high-profile figures from the art market and luxury fashion also suggests potential for significant international networking and fundraising, which could accelerate the integration of Central Asian art into major biennials, galleries, and collections.