The President of our country visited the new Center for Contemporary Art
Uzbekistan
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the new Center for Contemporary Art in Tashkent and inspected the facilities established there.
The Center for Contemporary Art is a flagship project of the Art and Culture Development Foundation of Uzbekistan. Its creation was made possible through the initiative of the Head of State and the consistent efforts being undertaken in the country to develop culture, support the creative community, and expand international cultural cooperation.
The Head of State noted that our people possess a rich cultural heritage and a glorious history that command well-deserved interest worldwide. In recent years, systematic work has been established in the country to restore, preserve, and widely promote this priceless heritage.
At the same time, the President emphasized the importance of consistently developing contemporary art. It reflects the worldview, creative exploration, and constructive potential of the current generation, while opening up new opportunities for dialogue with the world and strengthening the cultural image of New Uzbekistan.
In this regard, the new Center for Contemporary Art is intended to serve as an open platform for artists, curators, researchers, and young people—a hub attracting contemporary creators from both our country and abroad. It is a place where new ideas, professional connections, and projects showcasing Uzbekistan’s modern cultural potential on the international stage can take shape.
This is the first state-run center for contemporary art in Uzbekistan and the first cultural institution of this scale in Central Asia to integrate exhibition, educational, research, and outreach activities.
The new center is housed in a historic building constructed in 1912 and designed by architect Wilhelm Heinzelmann. Originally a tram depot, the building later served as a diesel power station.
The architectural concept for the restoration was developed by the French firm Studio KO. The renovation preserved the facility's historic appearance and industrial character while adapting the building to meet the requirements of a modern cultural venue.
The President toured the exhibition and educational spaces as well as the public areas. The complex also features venues for meetings and public programs, a concept store, and a restaurant. A specialized library and research archive—open to the general public—house a collection of literature and materials on art, visual culture, and critical theory.
The center will host exhibitions, lectures, open discussions, film screenings, concerts, performances, creative workshops, and art residencies. These programs aim to support local artists, curators, researchers, and young professionals, introduce new professional practices, and broaden public access to contemporary art.
It is particularly significant that the center will operate as a permanent institutional environment. Here, young creators can showcase their projects, researchers can work with source materials and archives, and the general public can engage with contemporary art through education, public programs, and direct interaction with the creative community.
This infrastructure aligns with the country’s cultural policy objectives: unlocking the intellectual and creative potential of youth, developing the creative economy, enhancing the quality of humanities education, and strengthening Uzbekistan’s openness to international cooperation.
The center will launch its activities with the inaugural international exhibition *Hikmah* ("Wisdom"). The exhibition focuses on themes of knowledge, spiritual heritage, and cultural memory, as well as the interplay between historical traditions and contemporary artistic practices.
The exhibition will feature 11 works by renowned artists, including pieces created specifically for the project. A highlight is the first-ever presentation in Uzbekistan of an installation from the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
The center is building partnerships with leading international cultural institutions, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the National Museum of Asian Art (USA), Tate and the Delfina Foundation (UK), the Centre Pompidou (France), and the Arts Council Korea.
The Head of State was briefed on the center’s future exhibition, educational, and research programs. It was noted that the new venue would foster a professional environment, promote Uzbek artists on the international stage, and strengthen Uzbekistan’s cultural ties with other nations.
The President emphasized the need to make the center a vibrant space—open to creative youth, the professional community, and the general public. Particular attention was drawn to expanding international connections, attracting renowned contemporary artists to Uzbekistan, and supporting new projects by local artists.
The project will also serve to strengthen cultural diplomacy, shape the capital's modern image, and showcase "New Uzbekistan" to a wider audience as a nation with a rich heritage that is open to modern ideas, creative exploration, and international dialogue.
The center’s official opening is scheduled for September 6.
The Head of State noted that our people possess a rich cultural heritage and a glorious history that command well-deserved interest worldwide. In recent years, systematic work has been established in the country to restore, preserve, and widely promote this priceless heritage.
At the same time, the President emphasized the importance of consistently developing contemporary art. It reflects the worldview, creative exploration, and constructive potential of the current generation, while opening up new opportunities for dialogue with the world and strengthening the cultural image of New Uzbekistan.
In this regard, the new Center for Contemporary Art is intended to serve as an open platform for artists, curators, researchers, and young people—a hub attracting contemporary creators from both our country and abroad. It is a place where new ideas, professional connections, and projects showcasing Uzbekistan’s modern cultural potential on the international stage can take shape.
This is the first state-run center for contemporary art in Uzbekistan and the first cultural institution of this scale in Central Asia to integrate exhibition, educational, research, and outreach activities.
The new center is housed in a historic building constructed in 1912 and designed by architect Wilhelm Heinzelmann. Originally a tram depot, the building later served as a diesel power station.
The architectural concept for the restoration was developed by the French firm Studio KO. The renovation preserved the facility's historic appearance and industrial character while adapting the building to meet the requirements of a modern cultural venue.
The President toured the exhibition and educational spaces as well as the public areas. The complex also features venues for meetings and public programs, a concept store, and a restaurant. A specialized library and research archive—open to the general public—house a collection of literature and materials on art, visual culture, and critical theory.
The center will host exhibitions, lectures, open discussions, film screenings, concerts, performances, creative workshops, and art residencies. These programs aim to support local artists, curators, researchers, and young professionals, introduce new professional practices, and broaden public access to contemporary art.
It is particularly significant that the center will operate as a permanent institutional environment. Here, young creators can showcase their projects, researchers can work with source materials and archives, and the general public can engage with contemporary art through education, public programs, and direct interaction with the creative community.
This infrastructure aligns with the country’s cultural policy objectives: unlocking the intellectual and creative potential of youth, developing the creative economy, enhancing the quality of humanities education, and strengthening Uzbekistan’s openness to international cooperation.
The center will launch its activities with the inaugural international exhibition *Hikmah* ("Wisdom"). The exhibition focuses on themes of knowledge, spiritual heritage, and cultural memory, as well as the interplay between historical traditions and contemporary artistic practices.
The exhibition will feature 11 works by renowned artists, including pieces created specifically for the project. A highlight is the first-ever presentation in Uzbekistan of an installation from the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
The center is building partnerships with leading international cultural institutions, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the National Museum of Asian Art (USA), Tate and the Delfina Foundation (UK), the Centre Pompidou (France), and the Arts Council Korea.
The Head of State was briefed on the center’s future exhibition, educational, and research programs. It was noted that the new venue would foster a professional environment, promote Uzbek artists on the international stage, and strengthen Uzbekistan’s cultural ties with other nations.
The President emphasized the need to make the center a vibrant space—open to creative youth, the professional community, and the general public. Particular attention was drawn to expanding international connections, attracting renowned contemporary artists to Uzbekistan, and supporting new projects by local artists.
The project will also serve to strengthen cultural diplomacy, shape the capital's modern image, and showcase "New Uzbekistan" to a wider audience as a nation with a rich heritage that is open to modern ideas, creative exploration, and international dialogue.
The center’s official opening is scheduled for September 6.
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