Like a goldsmith each time thoroughly creating unique masterpieces, the artist Vakhob Ziyaev scrupulously works at each detail of his future picture.
He was born in 1937 in Tashkent, in a family of the jeweler, and, probably, he inherited this eagerness to perfection, so typical of the jewelry masters. The artist transfers life situations and real events through a prism of his individual perception. As an artist he has developed and formed under influence of Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Tiziano, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Gogh and Sezanne; he paid much attention to the miniatures of the great oriental artists – Bihzad, Mir Said Ali and Makhmud Muzahhib. In the pictures of V.Ziyaev, influence of the great masters has found indirect reflection, but at the same time, he does not make a secret that he performed copies of their pictures to accumulate experience and to open secrets of skill hid in the works of the great masters.
Recently V. Ziyaev has not participated in exhibitions, but continued his creative work each moment, going to his personal exhibition that would expect in autumn of this year. V. Ziyaev graduated from the Art School of P. Benkov and the Institute of Theatre and Art named after A. Ostrovsky in the middle of 1960s. V. Ziyaev had learned much from his teachers – M. Nabiev, A. Lunyaev, R. Akhmedov, M. Saidov and A. Krivonos. The basic principles of his art way were determined by the meeting, happened in 1981, with the famous expert in the art of oriental miniature, the artist Chingiz Akhmarov and their following cooperation at the architectural faculty of the Tashkent Polytechnic Institute. During five years, V. Ziyaev was working at the studio of Ch. Akhmarov, permanent communications with whom helped to study better the art of the miniature of the Temurid Herat and Bukhara. 
Critics considered the lyrical picture “Silence” (Uzbek State Museum of Arts) he created in 1974 as a new word in the Uzbek painting. In the same period the author turned to the historical subjects and traditions of cultural heritage (“Ancient song”, 1974; “Peaceful summer”, 1978; “Chaikhona in Avval kishlak”, 1965; “Navoy is reading an ode to Sultan Khusein”, 1968). His works of 1970 – 2000 would expose influence of the French artists, Gauguin and Matisse.
Subjects of his works, as a rule, “are born” during his trips. The artist has visited many different places of our country – towns and kishlaks in Tashkent and Djizak regions and in Surkhandarya. In autumn and winter, Vakhob Ziyaev works at etudes which he did during trips. Many of them become a basis of future painting canvas. Selection of etudes, the artist said, is similar to a process of gold ore washing.
His first trip to Surkhandarya was in 1982 and immediately a palette of the artist became enriched with warm colours, in particular, the picture “Courtyard with yurt” (1984). His trip to Boysun in 1985 helped to feel new colours of the nature. The result of the following searches found reflection “Cradle”, “Cradle on a background of mountain kishlak” (1985), “Omon aka – passionate amateur of kekliks,” (1985), “Sunday cattle market in kishlak” (1985). In 1995, the artist visited Zaamin. That trip resulted in the picture “Zaamin mountains” (1996), the serials of landscapes and portraits. The pictures open relations between the nature and man, those changes in public consciousness, which have taken place for the years of Independence.
In August – November, 2001 the artist again visited Surkhandarya. His pictures, “Kishlak of Vandob”, “View of Vandob kishlak” and “In vicinities of Vandob” revealed unlimited opportunities in selection of colours, reflection of beauty of native nature. It is necessary to note, that each visit of V.Ziyaev to Surkhandarya, in particular, to kishlaks in the Kughitang mountains, finalized with creation of pictures in a bright and clear colour palette.
A special place in works of the artist belongs to a theme of Pashkurt kishlak. This ancient kishlak has existed since the epoch of Bactria and always drew attention of many artists by its beauty of landscapes, people and their way of life, their customs and traditions. For the first time, to Pashkurt turned Ruzy Chariev, later – B. Babaev, J. Umarbekov, B. Djalalov, A. Mirzaev, P. Tokhirov. A serial of the works about Pashkurt V. Ziyaev created differs by original approach and interpretation. Basing on a real view of landscapes, Ziyaev opens their unique mystery and charm. In this connection are coming to the mind verses of great Chulpan:
If your mystery scattered,
as your hair have scattered,
To whom would you give scarlet cheeks?
An even having told yourself that they have no fidelity
You’ll continue to wait for them.
V.Ziyaev devoted some works to historical monuments of architecture, urban and rural landscapes. The nature, gardens, courtyards and streets, human relations among dwellers of the kishlak – everything is interesting to the artist.
In a historical genre, he is closer to philosophical sources. In evening twilight, on a background of the sunset, Shahizinda within aura of scarlet and torquoise-dark blue colours is returning to life as a wonderful witness of the far past. The majestic view of the monuments, which have overcome the winds of time, makes a person to think about the eternal things (“Shahizinda. Evening”).
The work of the artist “Tillaykori” conquers hearts thanks to extraordinary beautiful combination of architectural forms and colour solutions.
In the modern Uzbek painting art, the borders of art process are extending and getting protean character. In this process a role of the artist Vakhob Ziyaev has been considerable.
Author: Nodir Normatov