The opening of the exhibition “Masterpieces of Applied Art of Uzbekistan” took place in Tashkent

The exhibition “Masterpieces of Applied Art of Uzbekistan” was opened at the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan as part of the ongoing Cultural Heritage Week and International Week of Partnership Initiatives “New Uzbekistan: Development, Innovation, and Enlightenment” in Tashkent.

The exhibition featured national costumes, fabrics, headgear, copper engraving, and ceramics from the collections of applied art housed in the “Ethnography” fund of the museum. It also showcased examples of carving and embroidery from various regions of Uzbekistan dating from the 19th to the 20th centuries. 

As part of the event, a round table discussion titled “Masterpieces of Applied Art of Uzbekistan in World Collections” took place, accompanied by the presentation of Elmira Gyul's authored publication “Terms of Traditional Art of Uzbekistan: An Artistic Encyclopedia”.

“This is the first experience of its kind”, noted Elmira Gyul. “In the world, there is a vast number of dictionaries - technical, sociological, and philological. However, until now, there has not been a dictionary where one could find explanations of terms related to the traditional art of Uzbekistan. That is why we decided to prepare and publish such a unique dictionary where each term is accompanied by an illustration”.

Sergei Laptev, a member of the board of the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan and a special research associate at the Miho Museum (Japan), provided a detailed account of the Great Silk Road and its role in the development of transcultural communications. Firuza Melville, Director of Research at the Cambridge Centre for Persian Studies (United Kingdom), spoke about the masterpieces of Uzbekistan's art found in museum collections in the UK.

Throughout their presentations, the participants emphasized the importance of reviving the cultural heritage in Uzbekistan.

“Culture Legacy of Uzbekistan—the foundation of a new Renaissance” - I believe that this is the main message of today’s events”, said Shirin Tasheva, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Uzbekistan (Urgench). “In any era, the cultural heritage of a country, including Uzbekistan, will be the foundation of a Renaissance, the foundation of building any society. It is very pleasing to see that the quality of such events is growing every year. This is evidence of the rich cultural potential of the country”.

“Today, many other countries learn about Uzbekistan through its culture”, notes Frederic Bopertuy-Bressan, founder and president of the Temurids Association (France)”. “It’s wonderful that Uzbekistan is embarking on a path of revival - a new Renaissance. Not long ago, in France, an exhibition titled “Treasures of the Oases of Uzbekistan: At the Crossroads of Caravan Routes” opened at the Louvre Museum in Paris, and it was highly sought after by the European audience. After such an incredible exhibition in France, everyone wanted to visit Uzbekistan. Your country has a very rich history, and it deserves to be known by as many people as possible”, added Frederic Bopertuy-Bressan.