The survival and continuation of beliefs, culture, customs, traditions and traditions from the past has an important place in the existence of societies. Transferring this value to future generations is one of the most important elements of the awareness of being a society. As long as sportive and cultural activities reflecting the identity of the society remain original and national, nations live. As in other societies, Kyrgyz also have culture and entertainments that reflect their unique identity. These are mostly games played on horseback. Some of these games are At Çabış (Horse Race), Kız Kuumay (Chasing a Girl), Oodarış (Wrestling on Horseback), Ulak Tartış and Kökbörü. Along with these games, the horse is of great importance in steppe life and Kyrgyz culture. As a society that is born on horseback and dies on horseback, a life without horses is unthinkable for the Kyrgyz. The horse, which they see as an important part of their lives, is also reflected in art. Many Kyrgyz painters have taken the games played on horses such as kökbörü game, chasing girls, etc. as a subject and horses have been drawn as the most dominant figure of the composition. Especially, with the influence of the free art environment that emerged after the independence in 1991, Kyrgyz artists aimed to keep their cultural identity alive by reflecting their national games and sports, which are reflections of cultural identity, in their works of art. In this article, the ways in which contemporary Kyrgyz artists deal with the subject are interpreted through the plastic language they use.
Keyword: Kyrgyz, Culture, Kökbörü, Painting Art