Exhibition “A Legacy Spanning Centuries – Uzbek Miniature Art”

The exhibition “A Legacy Spanning Centuries—Uzbek Miniature Art,” presented by San’at—Forum for Art, Culture, and Science e.V. to mark the 585th anniversary of Alisher Navoi and the 543rd birthday of Zahiriddin Muhammad Bobur, presents contemporary approaches to miniature painting from Uzbekistan and explores their roots in a centuries-old visual and literary tradition of Central Asia. The focus is on the question of how a classical art form redefines itself amid the tension between historical tradition and contemporary artistic practice.

Contemporary Miniature Art from Uzbekistan

Zukhra Rakhmatova’s Opening Speech

The exhibition takes as its starting point the literary legacy of Alisher Navoi and Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, whose works have been among the most important sources of miniature painting in Central Asia since the 15th century. Their poetry shaped not only the region’s literary culture but also a rich visual language in which ethics, spirituality, nature, and social life are interwoven.

Ambassador H.E. Dilshod Akhatov at the opening of the exhibition

A central part of the exhibition is devoted to contemporary miniatures inspired by scenes from the Chamsa Navoi—one of the most significant poetic cycles in the Turkic languages and thus the origin of the Uzbek literary tradition. These works draw on the historical practice of calligraphy and transpose its narrative visual logic into the present.

In addition, the exhibition features miniatures depicting traditional teahouses, bazaars, music, and social gatherings. These motifs illustrate social structures and shared experiences. They reveal how the cultural identity of the Uzbek people is shaped and preserved through images.

Further Information

Dunyo.info

Article on „Stimme der Hauptstadt“ (German)