Nurlan Smagulov. Photo: © Viktor Magdeyev

The unveiling ceremony of Jaume Plensa's monumental sculpture "Nades" took place in Almaty on Thursday, July 3. The world-renowned Spanish artist created the sculpture specifically for the Almaty Museum of Arts.

At the sculpture unveiling. Photo: © Andrey Lunin

"It was our dream to see an artwork installed near the museum that would turn into a significant landmark for our city. "Nades" is an embodiment of female strength, dignity, and beauty. It invites the city's residents and visitors to explore the museum. I believe the sculpture will become one of Almaty's symbols," said museum founder Nurlan Smagulov.

"Nades" is a 39-foot-tall sculpture depicting a woman's head with closed eyes and two braids, evoking the traditional image of a Kazakh girl.

"Nades," a 39-foot-tall sculpture by Jaume Plensa. Photo: © Viktor Magdeyev

"I work with real people – I scan their faces and transform the image until the individual's identity disappears. I want every viewer to recognize themselves in them. These faces become mirrors," says Jaume Plensa.

This is not the first sculptural portrait created by the artist. He calls such works "portraits of the soul" – they seem to muffle the city noise, prompting the viewer to stop, look within, listen to themselves, and ask important questions.

At the unveiling of the "Nades" sculpture. Photo: © Andrey Lunin

Jaume Plensa was born in 1955 in Barcelona, where he continues to work today. His works are displayed in prominent public locations around the globe, spanning from Chicago to Tokyo. Among his most renowned projects are: Water’s Soul (2020) in Jersey City, New Jersey; Julia (2018) at Plaza de Colón in Madrid; Roots (2014) in Tokyo; Soul (2011) in Singapore; Alchemist (2010) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston. "Nades," created for Almaty, is one of the artist's largest works in recent years.

The Almaty Museum of Arts, the first private museum of contemporary art in Kazakhstan, will open to the general public in September 2025. The museum will present the distinctive collection assembled by its founder, businessman, collector, and patron Nurlan Smagulov. The collection comprises over 700 works of contemporary art from Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and other countries.

The structure, spanning 10,060 square meters, was designed by the British architecture firm Chapman Taylor. The museum planning consultant was the global company Lord Cultural Resources, with a portfolio featuring the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, Doha's Museum of Islamic Art, Paris's Centre Pompidou, and the Louvre. Engineering design was provided by the global company Buro Happold, known for its work on the Louvre Abu Dhabi, London's British Museum, and Los Angeles' LACMA.