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Fatih Küçük came to Kyrgyzstan to marry and teach children drawing

Artist from Turkey Fatih Küçük came to Kyrgyzstan to teach children drawing. In addition to pedagogics, he and his future wife decided to celebrate their wedding in Bishkek. They spent most of the trip to Kyrgyzstan in the mountains.

— What brought you to Kyrgyzstan?

— I came from Turkey. I studied at the Faculty of Art and Cinema there. As a volunteer, I made murals in 79 cities of Turkey and eight other countries. I visited Japan, Taiwan, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus and South Korea. I arrived in Kyrgyzstan in the summer of 2018 in the framework of Beautiful World of Art project. I came here to continue my art project and discover your country.

-Where did you live all this time?

— At least eight out of ten days that I stayed in Kyrgyzstan I lived in a mountainous area. Three days — on a jailoo in Dzheti-Oguz, visited kindergartens in yurts, which were organized there by the former president Roza Otunbayeva. I taught children drawing, and my future wife helped me to find contact with the kids.

— What surprises you in Kyrgyzstan?

— The most surprising moment for me was when I saw a kinder school in a plateau and did animation workshop with children there. There were children waiting for me enthusiastically in front of the tent. We worked together. They understood how to create animation and did a short one for themselves.

— Why did you decide to celebrate your wedding in Bishkek?

— During my stay in Bishkek, we met with a representative of the Turkish Embassy. When he asked if our marriage was officially registered, we answered that carried out a ritual in Turkey according to national customs. We always wanted to register our marriage abroad. We did not manage to do this in Turkey for some reasons. It turned out that under the new Turkish legislation, an ambassador can register a marriage abroad. Having submitted all the necessary documents, we made a wedding with the bridesmen in Kyrgyzstan.

— What national dishes do you like? And what are you afraid to even try?

— I really liked local samsa and plov. But I was afraid of trying kymyz. Since I eat meat rarely, I had to give up shashlyk. For the most part, I prefer vegetables and fruit in Kyrgyzstan.

— What in Kyrgyzstan reminds you of your hometown?

— I live in the city of Antalya, in Kaş resort district. Kyrgyz culture and hospitality of the people are similar to the Turkish ones. The local people greeted us warmly. Many people there became interested in my business. I am fascinated by the yurts, a lot of horses and dishes.

I am very impressed with the nomadic way of life of the Kyrgyz people. By tradition, local residents put the Kyrgyz ak kalpak on me at parting.

Fatih Küçük

— What would you change in Bishkek?

— I would like to see more buildings having architectural or historical value in Bishkek. I would also like to see more beautiful and modern buildings not only for the townspeople, but also for the tourists.

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