Zhasmin Zhalgasova, a student of Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts, as well as her teammate Daniyar Babashov, studied at Gzhel University for a semester in the program of student academic exchange. In Almaty, students of the faculty of arts and crafts and design of GSU Alexandra Mosulova and Anna Kalugina went on an exchange.

Jasmine takes part in the program of student academic exchange is not the first time. What attracts her to studying at Gzhel University?

The second time I came to study at GSU for the semester, and again I’m sorry to leave! In this semester we studied new subjects for me, such as graphic stylization, pedagogy. She took part in international festivals "Artistic Ceramics" and "The Blue Bird of Gzhel", which are held annually at the University. The ceramics festival inspired me to new ideas, it was so beautiful, I can not even say what I liked most from creative works, because they all made a great impression, like the master classes that were organized at the festival.

Here, at Gzhel University, I learned to paint with cobalt, which for me seemed complicated. I like classes at O.A. Pervozvanskaya, I enjoyed going to decorating ceramics and pedagogy with pleasure. The history of ceramics, which was conducted by the Dean of the Faculty of Decorative and Applied Arts, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation G. P. Moskovskaya, was particularly interesting, the lectures were illustrated with slides and films on the topic of the lesson. Most of all I like theoretical subjects. Maybe in the future I will also tell the children interesting moments in the history of the development of ceramics production, teach them drawing.

We took part in the conference of the Association "National Art Crafts of Russia", which took place in the congress center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. At the conference, the problems of the development of art and industrial education were discussed, G.P. Moskovskaya made a presentation on this subject, spoke about the University of Gzhel.

After the meeting went to walk to Red Square. It was not the first acquaintance with the main square of the country. During the whole semester in our free time we visited museums, got acquainted with the sights of Moscow. We visited the magnificent Regional Theater, watched a very interesting play called «The Adventures of Fandorin». I was particularly interested in the costumes of actors, in my opinion, it was a very successful work.

A great impression was made by the celebration of the Victory Day in the settlement. Together with students and teachers of the University, I took part in the march of the Immortal Regiment. When we came to the central square, to the rally, I was amazed to see how many people were there with photos of relatives fighting at the front. In the evening there was a concert dedicated to the holiday, and the procession "Candle of Memory". It was an amazing moment when everyone lit the candles and went with them to the monument to those who died in the war.

Here I met wonderful students from Belarus. We lived in a hostel together, like one family. I learned how to celebrate the Orthodox Easter. We celebrated in a hostel, with Easter cakes and painted eggs, I tried okroshka, and she seemed to me like our Kazakh drink Nauryz kozhe. With my neighbors in the hostel who also came from Kazakhstan, we cooked a Turk dish beshparmak and told our Russian and Belarusian friends how the ancient Nauryz is celebrating the new year according to the solar calendar.

On the occasion of my return home, the whole group went to a picnic in the forest, the boys were taught to fry the bread at the stake. How we became friends during this time and how many good people I met here! Many thanks to the head of the department of international relations N. V. Barkalova, who always worried, took care of us, all the teachers and workers of the hostel!

I hope that cooperation between our universities will develop and many more students of the Kazakh Academy of Arts will be able to learn to exchange at the University of Gzhel in order to apply the experience and knowledge for the development of ceramics production in Kazakhstan!

Zhasmin Zhalgasova,

student of Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts