Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion presents the Islamic heritage of the country from the eve of the Islamic conquest of Central Asia until the present day, showing how Uzbekistan’s identity has been built firmly on its Islamic legacy.
Partnering with the Art and Culture Development Fund of Uzbekistan (ACDF), the Museum of Islamic Art’s exhibition is the latest to promote the art and culture of Uzbekistan on the international stage. While recent exhibitions elsewhere have narrowed their historical or thematic focus, this exhibition will be the first in 30 years to link Uzbekistan’s history directly to its identity as a modern nation.
The exhibition consists of four themes. Beyond the River sets up the cultural context of the lands of Uzbekistan right before the Islamic conquest of Central Asia in the 8th century, demonstrating its status as a cosmopolitan crossroads already with a rich history. Building Earth and Empire concentrates on the historical built environment of Uzbekistan, highlighting the creative ingenuity afforded by simple building materials like brick. This theme also introduces the drivers of what historians call the two Islamic Renaissances in these lands: the Samanid and Timurid dynasties. Architects of Thought and Image presents many leaders of Islamic intellectualism who hailed from the lands within Uzbekistan’s borders, demonstrated through manuscripts and supported by interactive activities. The exhibition ends with Legacies of Clay and Thread, the largest and most celebratory theme, showcasing the development of traditional craft including ceramics, dress and jewellery, and textile production (especially silk) through time and into the modern period. Traditional craft remains vital to Uzbekistan’s vivid cultural fabric, a living legacy preserving practices and principles of an ancient past.
Throughout the exhibition, connections will be made to the modern relevance of historical figures, materials and artistic principles. As modern Uzbekistan looks to its Islamic past, it draws upon its heritage to guide and inspire the direction of its future.
