Round-up: mix of dreams, colors and emotions at Style.Uz Art Week 2011

November 1, 2011

Cultural frenzy reigned in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, as Style.Uz Art Week 2011 was in full swing on October 23-28, 2011. The 6 days offered a diverse and colorful menu of fashion shows, exhibitions, competitions, workshops and concerts by prominent singers, thereby adding another exciting and memorable page to the cultural chronicles of Uzbekistan. A brainchild of Gulnara Karimova, Art Week has been given the goal of contributing to international cultural exchange and supporting the creative endeavors of young talents.

The Art Week, which this year has been given the slogan Mix of dreams, colors and emotions, and which tends to attract big names in the fashion industry as well as young budding designers, artists, masters of contemporary and applied art, cinema and theater professionals, actors and actresses, musicians, dancers, stylists, photographers and journalists, is organized annually by the Fund Forum, Uzbekistan’s cultural juggernaut.

Style.Uz Art Week, an annual showcase of kaleidoscopic imagination, colors and emotions, presents an interesting and exciting cultural program. It is a platform for artists, musicians, actors and actresses to strut their stuff. That said, Tashkent Art Week is more than a festival of beauty. It is, first of all, a major modern project devised in an effort to support artistic endeavors and young talented people.

Those interested in contemporary art had the opportunity to view around 1,500 works by over 100 artists from Uzbekistan and 50 international artists from 25 countries at the 6th Tashkent International Biennale of Contemporary Art held as part of Style.Uz under the slogan “Contemporary Art: the Artist’s Space and Society” at five exhibition showrooms in Tashkent. First of all, the Biennale is aimed at supporting young artists and helping them to develop their skills. This year the Biennale was inaugurated as part of Style.Uz Art Week. The opening ceremony was attended by around 3,000 people.

Masut Fatkulin, a member of the Fund Forum’s Board of Trustees and chairman of the executive Committee of the International Confederation of Artists (Russia):

“This is the 6th time I have participated in the Tashkent International Biennale of Contemporary Art. I look back at the first Biennale and compare it with the current one, and I see there’s a huge difference. Presently, organizing international biennales requires more space, more interesting works and more viewers. Tashkent has all of that. This means that the level of professionalism and culture has grown. Speaking of Tashkent artists, I should say that their works are admirable and world-class. They are truly interesting and have drawn positive reviews from my colleagues across the world. And this points to the fact the Biennale level is growing. Undoubtedly, Tashkent is turning into one of the global hubs of contemporary art.”

Jorge Ontiveros, art collector and gallerist (Spain):

“I’m impressed by the level of the Biennale and by the amount of assistance and support we have been given. Just as impressive are the enthusiasm and the artistic approach seen in the organization of the exhibitions. It is amazing that the Fund Forum collaborates and supports young talented artists. Before I came here I knew nothing about the way young budding artists are presented to the public in Uzbekistan. Each of them has their own unique style and merits special attention.”

Besides the Biennale, Style.Uz 2011 included a series of other exhibition projects such as the Gallery of National Textiles and a touring photo exhibition “Tokyo at 100”, dedicated to the historical and contemporary development of Japan’s capital city, which had on display photos of cities and prominent Japanese figures as well as ordinary people. This is the first time it has been held in the CIS. Thus far, the exhibition “Tokyo at 100” has toured 13 European countries, with Russia’s St. Petersburg being the next stop.

Hiroshi Yano, executive director of the Japan Institute of Photography:

“ ‘Tokyo at 100’ offers over 350 black-and-white photos which will be of interest to the local public. We picked Tashkent as the first city in the CIS to host the exhibition because we are convinced that this exhibition, being held in the very heart of Central Asia, will help to boost Uzbek-Japanese cooperation and fit in perfectly with Style.Uz Art Week 2011.”

Apart from its artistic component, Art Week also sets itself charitable goals. Held annually in October, the international breast cancer awareness month, it includes several fundraisers to support women living with breast cancer. Over 300 people attended a pink ribbon charity gala dinner organized in conjunction with “In the Name of Life” National Breast cancer Association. The gala dinner was hosted by prominent Russian TV journalist Andrei Malakhov. As an upshot of last year’s charity auction held as part of Style.Uz Art Week, 35 women were provided with the necessary medications and treatment. The proceeds from this year’s event will go toward supporting another 25 women from all parts of Uzbekistan who will undergo treatment for breast cancer and will be provided with costly medications free of charge. In addition, the funds raised will be channeled into organizing annual free medical checkups in Uzbek regions as part of the National Association’s efforts to address breast cancer. Also, 15 cancer care institutions in Tashkent have been provided with ultrasound equipment as part of the charity gala. The gala also presented the results of efforts to create the genetic map of Uzbek women’s predisposition to breast cancer. One of Uzbek breast cancer patients will be sent for treatment to South Korea under a collaborative project with Chonnam National University (South Korea).

Dr. Pak Koon Wu, a specialist at Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital (South Korea):

“I feel privileged to have been invited to attend this charity event. I’m struck by the sense of responsibility and the amount of enthusiasm that the organizers put into breast cancer fight events in Uzbekistan. What is being done by the Fund Forum and the Women’s Council serves as a good platform for addressing breast cancer. This is my second visit to Uzbekistan. Last year we signed a cooperation memorandum with our Uzbek colleagues. Our hospital is one of the best hospitals in South Korea. We operate on over 350 breast cancer patients annually. And this year we’re planning to operate on an Uzbek patient at our hospital free of charge. I’m hopeful that our cooperation with Uzbekistan will continue to develop.”

Style.Uz 2011 included an auction of MEROS Association of Antiques organized in conjunction with the Indian and Islamic Art Department of Christie’s, the world’s largest auction house (UK). The auction was led by British auctioneer Edward Rising. The auction gave itself the goal of attracting public attention to issues in conserving and collecting historical and cultural artifacts as well as to the broad advocacy of national cultural values and the development of auction-related activities in Uzbekistan. The proceeds from the auction will go toward research and archeological excavations overseen by MEROS Association. The research involves archeologists, historians and scholars as well as young specialists and history students from Uzbek universities.

Romain Pingannaud, Indian and Islamic Art, Christie's (UK):

"I'm an arabist and I specialize in Islamic art. I have a keen interest in the Orient, particularly Central Asia with its diverse traditions, cultures and architecture. There are so many ancient crafts here. Uzbek applied art items are of great interest to Western people. Antique objects are unique, but what I have seen here is very beautiful.”

For those with passion for fashion, Tashkent Art Week offered runways shows by Yves Saint Laurent (France), Gianfranco Ferre (Italy), Roberto Cavalli (Italy), Ermanno Scervino, (Italy), Corneliani (Italy), Billionaire (Italy), Victor de Souza (USA), Angel Schlesser (Spain), Kamishima Chinami (Japan), as well as Underground youth fashion show which demonstrated 20 collections by young Uzbek fashionistas. The Art Week fashion shows are seen as an opportunity for the youth to see the latest trends in contemporary.

Natanabe Toshitsugu, president of Kamishima Chinami fashion label (Japan):

“We had long wanted to attend Style.Uz Art Week because we think it’s time to break with the stereotype that only Milan, Paris and New York are the fashion trendsetting cities. We think that it is countries with centuries-old cultures, traditions and customs that serve as the best platform for developing the fashion industry.”

Francesco Mortilla, export manager for Corneliani (Italy):

“Uzbekistan’s Art Week is a spectacular event which is a celebration of not only fashion but also of fine and applied art, theater and cinema. It demonstrates the level of culture in Uzbekistan. I marvel at the enthusiasm which I see in Uzbek people. The way runway shows have been organized in Tashkent is on a par with Milan and New York.”

Angel Asensio Laguna, director of Madrid Fashion Week (Spain):

“Angel Schlesser’s fashion show was a reflection of the delicate style of one of Spain’s foremost fashion labels. Brilliantly organized by the Fund Forum, Style.Uz Art Week was an opportunity for those gathered to see and judge the collection.”

This year the National Dress Festival, one of the most spectacular and eagerly-awaited Style.Uz events, was held in tandem with an equally spectacular International Theatre Festival “Theatre.UZ”. In keeping with the Style.Uz tradition of amazing its guests, the organizers decided to combine two events on the same stage. This was more than just show. This was a blend of two distinct arts. The ten-day theater festival included 26 stagings at 8 theater venues in Tashkent. The Festival brought together actors and actresses from Azerbaijan, Germany, Israel, Russia, Tajikistan, the Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan, who demonstrated their mastery and shared experience in Uzbekistan. As many as 15,000 people had an opportunity to view plays in Russian, Uzbek, Azerbaijani and Ivrit. Theatre.UZ 2011 also included 4 master classes led by international theaters, which were attended by over 300 local young actors and actresses. An international forum titled “The Place and Role of Central Asian Theaters in the Global Theater Process” focused on issues in the development of Uzbek theaters. Around 150 theater professionals from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, Israel and the UK attended the forum.

Phillip Mackenzie, Head of Creative Learning at Sherman Cymru Theatre (UK):

"I'm very happy to be part of this international theatre festival which is being held in Uzbekistan. This country has long been known as a centre of science, culture and art. It is also famous for its hospitable and hardworking people. Organizing this sort of major theater festivals is very important because they help to develop and boost international cooperation, help actors hone their skills, and pave way for new initiative and ideas, and discover talented actors/theatre professionals.”

The closing ceremony of the First Tashkent International Cinema Forum Golden Guepard was one of the highlights of Style.Uz 2011. As many as 300 applications came from 45 European, Asian, North and South American countries submitted applications for participation in the forum, with only 45 films having been selected. The forum included an out-of-contest program and a series of master classes. The cinema forum has become a milestone in the history of local cinematography and Uzbek culture. The jury for the event included not only local and international film industry professionals but also prominent actors, film directors, critics, producers and animators. The jury was headed by Switzerland’s Moritz de Hadeln, a famous film director, who also headed Berlin and Venice Film Festivals. The main prize for Best Film went to Uzbek film director Zulfiqor Musakov for his film “Lead”. Besides, ten master classes and workshops geared for students have been led by leading international cinema professionals: Shunya Ito (Japan), Gerard Kravchik (France), Regis Ghezelbash (France), Sergei Solovyov (Russia), Hollywood actor Matthias Hues, young Iranian film director Shahram Mokri, German film director Leo Khasin, Kazakh film director Sabit Kurmanbekov, Bulgarian animator Gospodin Nedelchev and Azeri film professional Yusuf Sheikh.

Moritz de Hadeln, chairman of the jury for the Tashkent International Cinema Forum, documentary film director and photographer (Switzerland):

“I’m aware this cinema forum has been eagerly awaited by many cinema professionals and enthusiasts in Uzbekistan. I believe this is only the first step, the beginning of what is certain to become a tradition. Cinema is the universal language of people and nations. It knows no boundaries. Cinema is the very art that truly unites people. All these days the festival jury members have worked hard and at length to select and recognize the best works.”

Egor Konchalovsky, film director (Russia):

“I’ll be coming away with good impressions. Very interesting and thought –provoking films have been selected for the cinema forum. It’s as if the Tashkent Cinema Festival has been reborn. It is now important to ensure it is held regularly because only in this case will it develop and gain popularity. I’d like to thank the organizers, the Fund Forum and personally Gulnara Karimova for inviting me and for the opportunity to show my film. This visit is extremely important for me and it’s been a great honor to be part of the jury along with big name cinema professionals from all over the world.”

The organizers have given as much attention to the educational aspect of Style.Uz 2011, which has embraced a series of international conferences and master classes by leading experts. A master class with London College of Fashion was organized in collaboration with the British Council. Workshops with Lycee la Martinere Diderot, celebrity stylist Kithe Brewster and Russian journalist Maxim Shevchenko was an opportunity for the youth to talk to established professionals and ask questions. A presentation was held on the new publication “Fund Forum: an innovative model of Uzbek civil society institution”. The contributors to the work, which took a year to complete, include Doctor Shirin Akiner of London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, scientist and archeologist Edvard Rtveladze and doctor of art Akbar Hakimov among others.

Kithe Brewster, celebrity stylist (USA):

“I have attended many events related to the arts, and of course I attend fashion weeks all over the world! But what I've witnessed in Tashkent at Style.Uz Art week has surpassed many of these on many levels. This has truly been an amazing experience, the scope of the events, the incredible fabrics, photography, music, cinema and theater make it one of the most special events in the world! I think combining all this is no easy feat, and Tashkent has fared exceptionally well in this arena! I encourage the world to see the magical country with an incredible mixture of culture and charm.”

Two major competitions have been included in this year’s Style.Uz program. One is the International Contemporary Choreography and Sporting Dance Competition, which featured 716 participants (45 teams) from Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan whose performances were judged by an international jury. The participants presented traditional and popular dances as well as dance battles. The other is the International Hairstyling Competition, which brought together 40 masters and jury members from, Russia, Turkey, the USA and Uzbekistan, who selected 3 out of 80 diverse hairstyles.

Sashar Zarif, dancer, choreographer and winner of international dance competitions (Canada):

“There are so many talented children in Uzbekistan. They dance perfect, feel the music and the rhythm. And, most importantly, they enjoy it big time. Obviously, you have excellent dance schools and instructors. I’m impressed by the beautiful Uzbek dances and I am now a big fan. The costumes, the moves and the energy demonstrated by the participants are amazing! I’m happy to be here.”

In keeping with tradition, Style.Uz Art Week 2011 included glitzy evenings by world-famous jewelry brands Chopard (a regular of Art Week since 2008), Piaget (its first show this year) and Guli.

Three major concerts have been held as part of this year’s Art Week: a concert by music legend Ennio Morricone, a charity concert by Italian pop star Eros Ramazzotti and a joint concert by prominent Russian opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky and composer Igor Krutoy. Up to 80% of concert tickets were distributed free of charge among young talented people and artisans. The proceeds from Eros Ramazzotti’s concert will be channeled into projects addressing breast cancer run by “In the Name of Life” National Breast Cancer Association.

The string of runway shows at Art Week culminated with the General Défilé by House of Style. The show was broadcast online.

Matthias Hues, actor (USA):

“This is an amazing event, it has so much color and rhythm. I got an opportunity to see not only films but also attend exciting exhibitions, chic fashion shows and theater plays. This is amazing! Style.Uz Art Week is a combination of culture and art that I have never seen before. There is so much to see at Style.Uz Week.”

Over 300 volunteers were involved in this year’s Art Week, representing Kelajak ovozi (Voice of the future) Youth Initiatives Center, the youth wing of the Fund Forum, composed of the winners and participants of competitions and grant programs. As the curtain has fallen on Style.Uz Art Week 2011, it will leave many reminiscing about the palette of events it presented while making many curious to know what the following weeks have in store.

The sixth Style.Uz Art Week was attended by: fashion designers Victor de Souza (USA), Kamishima Chinami (Japan), celebrity stylist Kithe Brewster (USA), director of Madrid Fashion Week Angel Asensio Laguna (Spain), world-renowned composer Ennio Morricone, pop singer Eros Ramazzotti (Italy), composer Igor Krutoy, opera singer Dmitri Hvorosrovski (Russia), representatives of Roberto Cavalli, Ermanno Scervino, Corneliani, Billionaire, Yves Saint Laurent, Angel Schlesser fashion labels, Chopard and Piaget jewelry and watch brands (Switzerland); representatives of London College of Fashion (UK), Lycee La Martiniere Diderot (France), Keimyung University College of Fashion (South Korea); gallerists and artists Jorge Ontiveros, Fernando Diez (Spain), Alexandre Clerisse (France), chairman of the jury for the Tashkent International Cinema Forum, documentary film director Moritz de Hadeln (Switzerland), actors Matthias Hues (USA), Irene Visedo (Spain), Yelena Morozova, Valeriy Barinov (Russia), Nikita Vysotski (Russia), Ingeborga Dapkinaite (Lithuania), Dimple Kapadia (India), film directors Gérard Krawczyk (France), Leo Khasin (Germany), Gospodin Nedelchev (Bulgaria), Pavel Lungin, Sergei Solovyov, Valeriy Todorovskiy, Yegor Konchalovskiy (Russia), Friðrik Þór Friðriksson (Ísland), Shunya Ito (Japan), Shahram Mokri (Iran), Pyotr Pavel Subbotko (Poland), film producer Regis Ghezelbash (France), film producer and vice-president of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations Renat Davletyarov (Russia), Saken Zhaksibayev (Kazakhstan), film critics Hans Schlegel (Germany), Andrei Plakhov (Russia), Russian animator Andrei Andrei Khrzhanovsky, the president of the Organizing Committee of Taiwan Golden Horse Awards Peggy Chiao (China), UniFrance festival manager Yann Raymond (France), German writer and theater director Michael Schindhelm, a member of FIPRESCI Gulbara Talamusheva (Kyrgyzstan), film professional Yusuf Sheikh (Azerbijan); the founder of Assouline Publishing Yaffa Assouline, the executive director of the Japan Institute of Photography Hiroshi Yano; representatives of Christie’s auction house (UK), the vice-president of the China Association for the Advancement of International Friendship Lee Yuibin; journalists Andrei Malakhov, Maxim Shevchenko, Sergei Sholokhov and Oksana Pushkina (Russia), Japanese media and fashion star Don Konishi, Russian journalist, Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily) newspaper journalist Tan Wujun (China), journalist Flora Obgoryan (Switzerland), Nikkei correspondent Hideaki Miyamoto (Japan), photographer Yves Forestier of Getty Images (Switzerland), creative groups of Hello и Harper’s Bazaar magazines (Russia), the shooting crew of First Channel (Russia), journalists of print and online media outlets from Russia, South Korea, China and the United Arab Emirates; the 50 artists from 25 countries who showcased their works as part of the Biennale of Contemporary Art, theater and cinema professionals, and dancers among others.