Resonating with the theme of the 60th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere”, set forth by the curator Adriano Pedrosa, the exhibition “Don’t Miss the Cue” addresses issues of belonging and identity through the experiences of women from Central Asia, offering insight into how they navigate and redefine themselves in the migration process.
The concept of the exhibition project “Don’t Miss the Cue” is directly related to the theme of the Biennale Arte 2024: entering the Pavilion in the Arsenale, visitors embark on a metaphorical journey that involves elements of participation and interaction with
the installation. The project draws visitors into the deconstructed backstage of a theatre, reminiscent of the Houses of Culture that were located throughout Eurasia in the early 20th century.
The theatrical setting comes to life through sculptures that take inspiration from traditional costumes and textiles, complemented by audiovisual materials by Qizlar Collective. The project focuses on women’s stories, collective practices, and the complex relationships between the physical body and the surrounding world.
The auditory landscape unfolds in several distinct layers: memories of people, memories of spaces, as well as ‘sound portals’ to Uzbekistan. Using field recordings and the voices of women as the materials for the soundscape, the artists create a vivid otherworldly atmosphere, which functions in the same way as one’s memories, fragmented and ever-evolving. Within this foggy
state, moments of clarity emerge, transporting us to aspects of everyday life in Uzbekistan.
The exhibition also explores the interaction between technology and tradition. The characteristic Uzbek hand embroidery “suzani” is reinterpreted through artificial intelligence technology. Aziza Kadyri collaborated with suzani master Madina Kasimbaeva who transformed Aziza’s designs into textile art found in the curtains and embroideries.
The recognizable patterns of “suzani” processed by artificial intelligence undergo a virtual transformation and embody new meanings. This combination not only reinterprets traditional patterns but also highlights cultural changes in the modern world. As a result, visitors can better understand the impact of technology on culture and identity by going through all installations, rethinking their personal experience in the process.
Photos by Andrey Arakelyan, Gerda Studio, Ivaan Erofeev
Don’t Miss the Cue
The National Pavilion of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the 60th International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia, 20 April–24 November 2024
Organiser: Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
Special support: Saida Mirziyoyeva, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Commissioner: Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
Curators: Institution of the Centre for Contemporary Art Tashkent
Artist: Aziza Kadyri
Associate artists: Qizlar Collective (Anastasia Sever, Sofia Seitkhalil, Gulnoza Irgasheva)
Conceptual development: Kamila Zakhidova
Soundscape: Fanis Sakellariou, Amalia Aibusheva
Project management: Laziza Akbarova, Bekzod Ulmasov, Malika Zayniddinova
Exhibition design and architecture: ADRA Studio, Sophia Bengebara, Pauline Ouazana, Othmane Bengebara
Artist’s assistant: Camilla Anvar
Studio coordinator: Denis Stolyarov
Production assistants: Maria Bracher, Leah Bradbury, Caitlin DeLaRosa-Rodriguez, Mouse Green, Corinna Francavilla, Lia Persad, Kristina Rhodes
Embroidery and curtain manufacturing: Atelier Madina Kasimbaeva
Visual identity and catalogue design: Studio Pupilla
Copy editor and proofreader: Melissa Larner
Exhibition production: We Exhibit
Communication and PR: Svetlana Chistiakova, Anastasia Sinitsyna
Fanis Sakellariou 