An ancient horse game is the subject of an upcoming exhibition in Dubai

Find out more about an unusual and ancient nomadic ritual from Kazakhstan in a Dubai exhibition next month. Kokpar is a Kazakh game played on horseback in which two teams compete to carry a headless goat carcass over the goal line. The carcass must weigh exactly 66lbs. In an exhibition titled 66Lbs, artist Said Atabekov reintroduces the tradition of battle scenes on horseback to the contemporary field in a series of photographs, videos and a site specific installation.

The origins of the game Kokpar are thought to date back to the time of Alexander the Great, when the nomadic horsemen fought against Alexander’s army. The game is also sometimes associated with Genghis Khan.

The powerful imagery of the photographic series portrays an ancient power game where both tribal and individual actions are elevated to a larger significance for understanding dramatic games of power in the vastly changed local, regional, national, and global contexts since the end of the Soviet Empire.

Prepare to be fascinated. 66Lbs opens on March 6. www.andakulova.com