Leyla Bolatkyzy Mahat, born on May 1, 1970, in Balkhash, Kazakhstan, is a distinguished Kazakh artist, curator, gallery director, and academic. She holds a PhD in Philosophy of Fine Arts and works as an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture at the Kazakh National University of Arts in Astana. She also serves as Chairperson of the Curatorial Board at the Contemporary Art Center “Kulanshi” and is President of the Eurasian Academy of Arts.
Her artistic career includes numerous international exhibitions across Kazakhstan, Russia, the United States, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Japan, China, Bangladesh, India, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Moldova, Turkey, Slovenia, Latvia, and Romania. Her works are part of major public collections, including the State Museum of Arts named after A. Kasteyev in Almaty, the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana, the Museum of the First President of Kazakhstan, the Museum of Fine Arts in Ankara, the Historical Municipal Museum in Uldingen, the State Museum of Fine Arts in Chisinau, Art 21 Gallery in Munich, Saray Gallery in Berlin, Five+Art Gallery in Vienna, Tokyo University of Arts, and the Contemporary Center in Guangzhou.
Leyla Mahat has received numerous honors, including the State Award “20 Years of Independence” from Kazakhstan, the Franz Kafka Medal from the Czech Republic, a diploma from the Asia-Pacific Association of Artists in Japan, and awards such as the Golden Europea and European Platter from the European Art Union in Prague. She has also been recognized by the International Parliamentary Assembly and the Academy of Art in Prague.
