Irina Bugaeva

Curator's
Note

This is why the festival took the form of a saiylyk. Not in a literal sense, but as a metaphor—one that embraces the idea of a "gathering," of coming together.

The Saiylyk is set within a digital alaas — a landscape specific to the central regions of the Republic of Sakha — accessible to everyone in the world. Through its online format, the festival transcends geographical boundaries and becomes a true space for connection.

The festival centers on the idea of “productive nostalgia.” Here, nostalgia is not longing for the past; it is constructive. It is not sorrow for what is gone, but a warm backward glance that offers support and helps us move forward. Across all forms — visual art, cinema, music —this theme unfolds differently, inviting you into a personal dialogue with the space.

We understand that each of us carries a different life, experience, and heritage, but we all have roots. Invisible threads link generations and cultures, forming a strong foundation for both present and future. We invite you on a journey in which, through one local culture, you may discover your own “productive nostalgia.”

Globalization has opened the world for us. We travel a lot, discover new boundaries, migrate from city to city and continent to continent. It is an era of movement and extraordinary possibilities. And yet we often feel lost: Who am I, and where do I come from? We search not only for new places, but for meanings. We move toward our roots — to ground ourselves and feel ourselves and feel the sense of home, to preserve our uniqueness. Today, a new journey begins not only toward the world around us, but toward the world within.

We created a space where you can pause and take a breath. Among the Sakha people, there is a special type of summer settlement known as a saiylyk. This concept reflects more than a traditional agrarian way of life; it has shaped habits and a cultural narrative that continue to influence the Sakha today.

Every summer, wherever we are, we return to our homeland and spend time with friends, family, and loved ones. This is our season of serenity and calm, a time to reconnect with the land and with nature, a time to return to ourselves.

Today, many of us live far from our families and childhood homes. Yet summer is still the time when we long to return, to feel that warmth again. And this feeling is not unique to the Sakha people; in many cultures, summer is a season of gathering, reunion, and renewal.