28 March – 10 April, THP
The 15th reporting exhibition of the Creative Photography School Studio presented more than 130 works of its graduates, namely Benazir Abdullahojaeva, Timur Abdurazzakov, Shohruh Berdiyorov, Victoria Borisovich, Ksenia Velikanova, Furqat Kamilov, Regina Sadyrova, Yana Tomaidu, and Albina Shiryaeva, who studied with the leading photography artists of Uzbekistan, such as Iskander Sadykov, Rustam Sharipov, Mikhail Levkovich, and Hassan Faiziev. The School students tested their skill in different genres: street photography, art portrait, conceptual portrait, social photography, landscape, still-life, and reportage.
1-14 April, THP
The traditional First-of-April exhibition “Laughing Together” that has run for ten consecutive years now, displayed about 100 works: caricatures, cartoons and aphorisms by renowned cartoonists, such as Radik Azizov, Mahmud Eshonkulov, Nikolai Popov, Husan Sadykov, Aleksei Gvardin, Salidjan Mamatkulov, Shavkat Turanov, Jakhongir Mirzo, Mirsaid Gaziev, Farrukh Teshaev, Nikolai Sviridenko, Furqat Usmanov, Bahrom Tojiev, Navoi Usmanov, Najot Juraboev, and others.
The cartoon art is mobile, allowing a prompt response to the situation; it can help visualize a problem and look at ourselves with a detached eye. The cartoon language is universal and can be understood without words. Humour promotes good will, peace and friendship of people. A sense of humour, a capacity to be ironic about oneself, and friendly spirit defined the high standard of the exhibited works.
11 April, the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture of the AAUz
At the solo exhibition of installation and crafts, “A Serene Breeze of a Fragrance”, by the renowned ceramic artist Nazira Kuzieva modernity intertwined with ancient legends in the designer’s works. Important for the master is not only form, but also its fusion with space and different colour ranges. Kuzieva ornaments ceramic shapes of abstract style with pictorial and graphic compositions. Her original ceramic chirakdon lanterns with tapered tops have long acquired the status of new classics. A series of white background vases performed in avant-garde style carries the echo of Middle Eastern traditions. Although Kuzieva’s amazing vases are unquestionably futuristic, in some inexplicable aura they harbour the ancient spirit of Japanese masters.
16 April, the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture of the AAUz
The exhibition “Musical Instruments of Uzbekistan” organized by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, the AAUz Public Foundation, and the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture presented a rich and varied collection of traditional musical instruments of Uzbekistan. The most ancient of them are percussion instruments that have reached our days almost unchanged. The exhibits include doira, rubab, nai, sato (tanbur), surnai, and dutar.
21-26 April, the Behzad Memorial Park Museum of the AAUz
The Japanese Culture Days exhibition organized by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, the Embassy of Japan, the Uzbekistan-Japan Human Resource Development Centre, and the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture (ICC), which ran as part of the Fine Arts Festival, marked the anniversary establishment of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Japan. On display were photographs from the “Splendid Tohoku” series that introduced the audiences to the beauty of one of the most scenic parts of Japan; as well as 40 Japanese kimono from the ICC collection.
21-25 April, CEH
The traditional Fine Arts Festival marking the Healthy Child Year (organized by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, the Art Exhibitions Directorate, the Artists Union of the AAUz, and the Central Exhibition Hall) engaged exhibition venues and showrooms in Tashkent and other places in Uzbekistan. Along with the works by the Tashkent artists, the opening day in Tashkent presented over a hundred works by artists from Kokand, Ferghana, Namangan, Nukus, Khorezm, Andijan, Rishtan, Qarshi, Samarqand and Bukhara.
22 April – 5 May, THP
As part of the Fine Arts Festival dedicated to the Healthy Child Year ran an exhibition of works created by members of easel painting, graphic arts, set design, and applied arts and crafts section. Great mastery was demonstrated by photography artists, miniature painters, and calligraphers presenting their work at the exhibition.
23 April – 23 May, the Fine Arts Gallery of Uzbekistan (FAGU)
Muhtarkhan Isanov, an artist with unique signature style, presented his works at an exhibition called “Under the Zodiac”. His works are known for planar decorative style in bright colouristic range, founded in colour contrast. The essence of his art and the artist’s inner world are revealed in the work titles: “The Bride from the Valley”, “The Queen”, “Fairy’s Morn”, “Pomegranate Paradise”, “Angel and Predators”, “Oriental Mysteries”, “Under the Angel’s Wing”, “Jolly Teahouse”… Isanov creates a dimension of a myth, a legend, or an oriental tale where the characters live their lives. The artist’s paintings are complemented by his graphic pieces.
2 May, the Ikuo Hirayama International Caravanserai of Culture of the AAUz
An exhibition of photographs and a documentary called “The Fort of Tavka” based on a script by writer Nodir Normatov and directed by Umid Artikov told a story of the unique VII century Tokharistan monument, the Tavka Fort, as well as of the customs transhipment stations and adjacent structures, and of the beautiful mountains in Sarikamysh area. Fifty colour murals depict everyday life of the fort. The mastery of painters of that time is evidenced by the choice of paints, the composition structure of the paintings, the portraits of aristocracy, hunting scenes, the Kofirkala architectural monuments, the Bekliq barrow, etc. Forty photographs on the display introduced the viewers to the present and the past of the Tavka Fort.
8-12 May, THP
An exhibition marking the Day of Memory and Honour presented paintings by war and labour veterans E. Gadetskiy, V. Lysov, M. Yuldashev, G. Serov, V. Ziyaev, A. Batykov, V. Kuznetsov, E. Masharipov and others. The works expose the characters of Homeland defenders, filled with optimism and faith in the power of beauty, peace and kindness. Among them a thematic series by A. Slugin “Burned by the War”, a tribute to the heroes and victims of the World War II; a drawing series by R. Azikhanov “War and Peace”; watercolours by T. Goncharova and A. Donets; as well as photographed works by A. Kamenskiy and E. Mashkov.
12-14 May, Showroom of the Karakalpak Branch of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, the City of Nukus
The Japanese Culture Days exhibition held in Nukus demonstrated 40 colour xylographs from the “100 Famous Views of Edo” series created by Hiroshige, the famous Japanese artist of the mid XIX century, as well as 40 Japanese kimono from the ICC collection.
21-31 May, THP
The exhibition “In Memory of the Repression Victims” organized by the Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Arts, and the Memorial Museum of the Repressed exhibited photographs and pictorial art works on the theme “The Tashkent of Abdullah Kadiri”, as well as paintings by Uzbek artists telling about the life and work of the famous writer, and illustrations to his literary works; these included a graphic series by Alisher Mirzaev. The exposition also presented the works of students of the Behzad National Institute of Arts and Design, inspired by the works of Kadiri.
28 May – 28 June, CEH
The 55th anniversary of the People’s Artist of Uzbekistan Academician Akmal Nur was marked by his retrospect exhibition showing more than 200 canvases, including works from the Art Exhibitions Directorate assets and private collections, representing the milestones in the artist’s career, starting from the 1980s to the present day. Akmal Nur, a man of generosity and sensitive soul, was exposed completely through the displayed works. Among them are “The Mother’s Portrait” (1987), “My Childhood Friends” (1987), “My World” (2005), “The Divine Ray” (2010), “The Bride from Shahrisabz” (2011), “Longer Than The Night, Thine Hair” (2013), “Eternity” (2014), etc. Paintings of the master were accompanied by the masterpieces of classical and contemporary Uzbek poetry, aphorisms of oriental thinkers.
29 May – 29 June, the Fine Arts Gallery of Uzbekistan (FAGU)
The concept of “Parable”, Jamol Usmanov’s solo exhibition, is based on a story written by the artist himself about two angels descending on earth, only to witness the absurdity happening around. “Parable” is the nature and the quintessence of our existence, which in times of global pluralism becomes a kind of quest for an allegory – an artist’s response to changes taking place in society. Attempting to go beyond two-dimensional image Usmanov develops a metaphorical thought in painting, sculpture, and video-art alike, creating an integral image array of subject and intonation solutions. The exposition amazes by not only its content, but also scale. The author offers the audience not just his individual works, but the entire rooms filled with art objects encouraging the viewer to engage in dialogue.
9 June – 17 August, the Royal Academy of Arts, London (UK)
12000 artists from all over the world applied to take part in the annual 2014 Summer Exhibition, “Discover The New”, and only 1200, following several qualifying rounds, will be invited to participate. Among them Inna Sandler, a member of the Artists Union of Uzbekistan, whose work titled “Hushtak Toy” was selected by the Royal Academy expert panel for the exhibition.
10 June – 10 July, the Fine Arts Gallery of Uzbekistan (FAGU)
The exhibition of the Karakalpakstan artists, “Instant and Eternity”, demonstrated more than 60 paintings and sculptures by renowned fine art masters of Karakalpakstan, celebrating the joy of being, life and peace in their works. Among them J. Izentaev (“Springtime”, “Springtime in Nukus”), U. Saparov (“Lament”, “For Water”), B. Serekeyev (“The Trouble of Aral”), J. Lepesov (“My Bull”, “Motherhood”, “The Jeihun Beauty”), S. Baibosinov (“Flight of Thoughts”), and others.
11 June, THP
A photo exhibition, “Uzbekistan, the Land of Happy Children”, displayed about 100 photographs by famous photographers such as K. Minaichenko, A. Jumaev, V. Schlossberg, R. Sharipov, F. Kurbanbaev, H. Paidoev, R. Shagaev, A. Kamenskiy, A. Abdullaev, J. Norkobilov, M. Amin, M. Habibullaev, et al. Their works show the result of successful efforts aimed at bringing up physically healthy and spiritually developed young generation in the country.