Grigoriy Ivanovich Choros-Gurkin (His Life, Works and His Struggle for Independence of Altai Turks)

Choros-Gurkin, the first painter of Altay Turks and even all Siberian Turks, was born in Altay on 1870. Choros-Gurkin, who started his education life at missionary school in Altay, started to teach at Altay after his graduation. After the met with A.V. Anohin, he went to Petersburg to study art and began to paint professionally. The painter took Altay in all his works, Altay's beauties, mountains, rivers, nature, all the way reflected in his paintings. Gurkin drew pictures every aspect of the life, religion, folklore, customs, traditions, history and archeology of the Altay Turks. Apart from his painter activities he also worked politically and worked on the struggle for independence of the Altay Turks and even all the Turks of Siberia and aimed to collect them under a single state. However, he was executed by the Soviets because of his work