HE the Qatar Museums (QM) Chairperson Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani inaugurated two exhibitions yesterday evening at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), highlighting different aspects of Uzbek culture and heritage.
The opening of “Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion”, which runs until November 28, and “Ektashif: Uzbekistan”, which continues until November 24, comes as part of cultural exchange efforts and initiatives to introduce audiences to the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan.
The two exhibitions offer a cultural and artistic experience that allows visitors to explore key aspects of Uzbek culture and its diverse arts, customs, and traditions.
They showcase elements of a cultural identity shaped by a long history of interaction among civilisations through a collection of exhibits and content that illustrates aspects of Uzbek life and creative traditions passed down through generations.
MIA director Sheikha al-Nassr told the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that, throughout history, the land of Uzbekistan had served as a meeting point for cultures and ideas, a beacon of learning and knowledge, and the home of some of the most prominent scholars and thinkers, including Ibn Sina, al-Khwarizmi and Imam al-Bukhari.
She added that the two exhibitions present aspects of Uzbekistan's rich history, spanning from the 8th century to the present day.
Al-Nassr added that “Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion” features 140 objects from the national collection from 13 museums in Uzbekistan, allowing visitors to explore important milestones in the country’s history and its cultural and civilisational heritage.
She noted that “Ektashif: Uzbekistan” presents a different dimension of this cultural experience and was the result of a journey undertaken by seven Qatari artists to several Uzbek cities, where they explored landmarks and experienced aspects of local life and culture before translating the inspiration from their journey into a collection of artworks.
“Uzbekistan: Heritage in Motion” celebrates the growing cultural exchange between Qatar and Uzbekistan.
Across four sections, the exhibition brings together historical and contemporary works, costumes and immersive installations, taking visitors on a journey through centuries of artistic and intellectual exchange while highlighting the enduring influence of Uzbek artistic traditions on art, architecture and craftsmanship through to the present day.
“Ektashif: Uzbekistan” meanwhile broadens the dialogue between Qatar and Uzbekistan by presenting new works by Qatari artists inspired by research trips to Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara.
The exhibition features works is by seven Qatari artists inspired by their journeys to Uzbekistan's historic cities.
The works highlight architectural details from the Timurid era, geometric brick architecture, ceramic-making traditions, ikat textiles, and traditional craft practices passed down through generations that remain alive in Uzbekistan today.
The participating artists are Aisha al-Muhannadi, Abdulla al-Fakhroo, Lina al-Aali, Maryam Abel, Ameena al-Boinin, The Nourah, and Hameed al-Qahtani.
Through its diverse artistic approaches and choice of materials, the exhibition allows audiences to explore Uzbekistan’s history and culture from seven distinctive perspectives.