The ORALIK exhibition took place at the Zanmakon cultural center in Tashkent, following an event in Dushanbe. This exhibition is the result of an annual educational and residency program that gathered over 50 artists from Central Asian countries.
The project was carried out as part of the regional initiative Art for Social Changes — Central Asia Lab of Cultural Leaders, and was supported by the Public Foundation 'Kuduk Cultural Center' with financial assistance from the Swiss Government.
The exhibition features paintings, photographs, and video installations created by eight finalists from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan—two representatives from each country. These works were completed during a five-day art residency held in April on Lake Iskanderkul in Tajikistan.
Before the art residency, the artists participated in an online educational program that began in January. Fifty-five artists from four countries took part, attending lectures, workshops, and discussions, completing assignments and exchanging experiences under the guidance of curators, art critics, and the artists themselves.
The ORALIK team emphasizes that the project arose from a desire to restore contacts between young creative forces in Central Asia. The project curator, researcher Alexandra Filatova, noted that previously, older generations of artists from different countries in the region often interacted, for example, through the Union of Artists during the Soviet period, which organized exhibitions and trips for them. However, these connections have weakened over time.
Filatova explained that the younger generation of artists, aged around 20–30, often does not know about colleagues in neighboring countries or about cooperation opportunities. Therefore, the residency was conceived to allow them to meet and begin working together, which, in her opinion, will help build new professional ties.
Art critic and curator Aziza Sharopova also highlighted that the goal of the project was to unite participants with different levels of experience—both those just starting their creative journey and those who have already achieved recognition.
The organizers deliberately chose a remote location, far from major metropolitan art centers, aiming to find a location with its own history and unique environment, rarely reached even by local residents. Filatova explained that since people from outside often write about and film Central Asia, it was important to present the region 'through our eyes,' telling its story themselves. She added that Iskanderkul has its own mythology and folklore that often go unnoticed, and they wished for these to be reflected in the works.
According to the curators, the key component of the project was the process of immersing the artists in the location: observations, walks, conversations, and direct work in the natural environment. This influenced the participants' initial concepts. Sharopova noted that before visiting Iskanderkul, the artists presented their projects differently, but after living among the mountains and by the lake, working on site, and listening to the stories of local residents, their ideas began to transform.
Begimai Isaeva from Kyrgyzstan adjusted her approach to work after getting acquainted with the area. During walks near Iskanderkul, she captured the play of light and reflections on the water, making sketches, which led to the creation of the elongated diptych 'Mirror. Kuzgu,' conveying the feeling of the lake's changeable landscape.
Kazakh artist Nazira Sadvakasova presented the work 'I Am From Here,' made from scraps of used fabrics taken from the palette of Iskanderkul. The patina and varied texture of the materials indicate that the fabric already has its own history. Some scraps imitate the outlines of the mountains surrounding the lake. Furthermore, Sadvakasova integrated a fragment of an ornament from the facade of her father's ancestral home into the textile collage, referring through these details to the memory of a place that, although remaining the same, changes over time and with a person's perspective.
Sarvinoz Melikuziyeva from Uzbekistan developed a diptych based on local legends. In the first piece, she addressed Lake Koli Moran, located near Iskanderkul and named so because of the water snakes inhabiting it. The composition includes white birds and a paper boat, symbolizing inner light and movement.
In the second work, Melikuziyeva reinterpreted the legend of Iskanderkul, according to which the lake is named after Alexander the Great's horse that drowned in its waters. The artist does not reproduce the landscape literally but works with images and impressions associated with this story.
ORALIK is planned to continue in other countries of the region. The organizers intend to hold the next residency in Uzbekistan in spring 2027, followed by one in Kyrgyzstan. According to Alexandra Filatova, the project is conceived as 'nomadic,' meaning that the venue for meetings will change, and with it, the environment in which the artists will work.
The exhibition at Zanmakon is open to visitors until October 15 daily from 10:00 to 19:00, and admission is free.