We spoke with Darion Shabbash, a Kazakhstani street artist from Almaty and one of the creators of the art project “What Will We Pay for Air With?”

In November last year, artist Darion Shabbash and her colleague, street artist Galymzhan Balsary, installed four canvases featuring pencil drawings and a special adhesive applied in advance. The canvases were placed in different locations across Almaty: near Alatau metro station, at the intersection of Navoi Street and Al-Farabi Avenue, and at the intersection of Sain and Zhandosov streets. After a month, the white canvases became covered with dirt and smog from the air, revealing the following image.

Darion, could you tell us how you came up with the idea for this project?
– One day, I was sitting in a café. It was mid-November. I was watching the road and noticed thick smoke coming from the exhaust pipes of cars. Then I thought, “You can already physically feel it.” At that moment, it struck me: “Oh, this could become a project! If it is physically visible, then it will also be visible on canvases.” I called my colleague Galym Balsary and invited him to take part. That is how we started brainstorming and working through all the details of the project. We found locations for the canvases, invited our videographer friends, and brought the project to life.

(Photo: Canvas at Abay–Zharokov intersection. Photo: Darion Shabbash)

What did you see after a month of the experiment? Were the results unexpected? Some works appear darker, while others are lighter.
– What we saw after a month surprised us a little because, honestly, we did not really expect anything to come of it. For us, it was an experiment, and we did not expect the image to appear so clearly. About a month later, we returned to the rooftop to check the canvases and were a little shocked by what we saw. The darkest works were found at the intersection of Sain and Zhandosov streets, opposite the combined heat and power plant. At the intersection of Abai and Zharokov streets, the smog also “stuck” quite heavily. This is definitely due to the impact of traffic jams, cars, and the heavy traffic in those areas.

You lived in Germany for three years. Why did you decide to return to Kazakhstan?
– The thing is, I am a third-generation Almaty native. This is my favourite city. Even when I move somewhere else, I know it is only temporary because I constantly miss Almaty. Germany has an incredibly clean environment, and people there are very environmentally conscious: they hardly ever drive, using bicycles and public transport instead. It is all so natural to them that, when I returned to Almaty, this contrast inspired me to create something and express it through my artistic approach.

Many people leave Almaty because they are dissatisfied with the environmental conditions, but you returned and decided to highlight this contrast in air quality?
– I decided to explore this topic specifically as an artist. Moreover, I have other ideas related to smog. I am waiting for winter, autumn, and the heating season to bring them to life because, for me, this is one of the most pressing problems, and I do not want it to be left without a voice. I want that voice to continue being heard.

Are you ready to tell us about your new project yet?
– For now, I do not want to discuss it on camera. It is not the right time yet, as we have not brought it to life.

Why did you choose a swallow? Tell us about your works.
– On the left, I have a swallow. It is a kind of memorial to the swallows that, unfortunately, we have lost in Almaty. As a child, I lived at the intersection of Gogol and 8 March streets, and I clearly remember swallows always building nests beneath our windows. That image became deeply imprinted in my childhood memories. There was something romantic about looking at Kok-Tobe from the balcony and seeing the swallows. This memory has stayed with me like a picture from childhood, so I decided to depict it. The second work reflects my return to Almaty after living in Berlin for several years. I realised that everything here had changed and continued to progress every day. Just like in Berlin, a techno culture has emerged here: I noticed many new techno scenes and met some great musicians. I decided to combine the oyu—a traditional Kazakh ornament—with movement, making it dance, dynamic, and alive. In this way, I incorporate the contemporary experiences unfolding around me into my work. I express what I feel in my surroundings, and this is something I really enjoy. I also see it as a way of communicating with the world around me.

Quite some time has passed since you completed these works. Who has approached you, and where have the works been exhibited?
– First and foremost, it was a purely independent initiative. Galym and I came together and did it entirely out of enthusiasm. We had virtually no budget, did not communicate with any organisations, and did not really publicise the project. We made the film ourselves, assembled the canvases ourselves, and handled all the logistics and production on our own. The adhesive that collected particles from the air is not available in Kazakhstan, so we had to order it from abroad and wait some time for it to arrive. The project is now a year old, and the works have not been exhibited anywhere. I should also mention that we are open to exhibiting them. I believe the video is the foundation of the project because its documentary nature is where its true value lies; the paintings are a secondary product. Most importantly, we wanted to use our film to draw attention to the problem. 

The film “What Will We Pay for Air With?”
– I often use recycled materials in my artistic practice. I recycle plastic and use upcycling in my mosaics, repurposing broken tiles or old ceramic tiles. Recycling and environmental themes are very close to me because I believe that, by setting an example, it is possible to reach people. When they enter a museum or gallery, they do not expect that waste or by-products of human activity can be turned into real objects that are aesthetically appealing and carry a message. Recently, Daniyar Bakimov from Rocker Plastic and I completed a large-scale project: we created a sculpture from recycled plastic.

What do you think are the main causes of air pollution in Almaty?
– I was here during the lockdown and saw how clean the air became when movement around the city was restricted. At the time, I lived on the 13th floor and observed it from my window. I also see it when travelling down from Shymbulak by cable car: in winter, a grey cloud simply hangs over Almaty. Of course, I believe that many of the vehicles people use are already outdated. This is a major problem for Almaty. Another issue is that, during the heating season, people in residential areas burn tyres and coal to heat their homes, which is extremely harmful. Of course, I would like their living conditions to improve so that they could heat their homes without resorting to such methods. It is a complex issue that is very difficult to describe in a single word. I think it is a combination of many factors. Still, I hope that Almaty will be able to transition to more environmentally friendly solutions.

What measures do you take in your daily life to protect your health from the effects of poor air quality?
– In winter, I try to go to the mountains and stay there for as long as possible. But, of course, I have work and other things to do in the city. When you spend a long time under a blanket of smog, you develop allergies and a runny nose—the body’s protective reactions, its defence against toxins. It is noticeable because, in winter, you cannot breathe deeply: the air is icy, yet it constantly feels as though you are eating sand. That is exactly how I feel in Almaty during winter when I walk for a long time. And I really love walking…

If you had the opportunity to make a brief appeal to the public and the city administration to address this problem, what would you say? What message would you like to convey?
– I would like to make a small appeal to city residents: make the space around you better and take care of it. Almaty has incredibly rich natural surroundings. I ask our citizens to protect them and try to improve and clean up their environment. First and foremost, this depends on each person’s habits. Everyone can make either a positive or a negative contribution.
As for the city administration, I would gladly participate in any initiatives if they are launched. I sincerely hope that measures will be taken to gradually eliminate the smog. It is incredibly painful for me to see people suffering from respiratory diseases and allergies. I believe environmental monitoring stations need to be installed because the smog is already reaching the mountains—this has gone too far. All of this will affect the next generation.