Abstract
This study examines the portrayal of family in Kazakhstan's visual culture, tracing its evolution from traditional to contemporary depictions against a backdrop of socio-political changes. The study establishes why the image of family was marginalized in the Soviet period and has had such an explosive development in contemporary art. The focus of the research is placed on the nuclear family and the interpretation of the theme of family in photography, painting and contemporary art in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of the study is to investigate the transformation of the portrayal of family in the transitional period of socio-political changes. To achieve this goal, the comparative-historical method is employed to analyze artworks from the funds of the A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts and the works of contemporary Kazakh artists over the past 5 years. Findings indicate a re-engagement with pre-Soviet cultural roots juxtaposed against the backdrop of modernity and globalization. The conclusion posits that these changing representations not only reflect the ongoing connection between past and present in Kazakh society but also contribute to a broader understanding of cultural identity and familial concepts, suggesting a dynamic interplay between adherence to tradition and adaptation to contemporary realities.