Uzbekistan will officially open its new Center for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent on September 6, establishing the country’s first state institution dedicated to contemporary art. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the center ahead of its opening and reviewed its exhibition, educational and public spaces, as well as its planned cultural and research programs.
The Center for Contemporary Arts is a project of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation and was established at the initiative of the president. The institution will combine exhibition, educational, research and public programming and is intended to provide a permanent platform for artists, curators, researchers and young professionals from Uzbekistan and other countries. The Center for Contemporary Arts is located in a historic building constructed in 1912 and designed by architect Wilhelm Heinzelmann.
The building originally served as a tram depot and was later used as a diesel power station. French architectural firm Studio KO developed the restoration concept. The renovation retained elements of the building’s historic appearance and industrial architecture while adapting the structure for use as a contemporary cultural institution. Mirziyoyev toured the center’s exhibition and educational facilities and public areas during his visit.
In addition to exhibition spaces, the complex includes facilities for meetings and public programs, a concept store and a restaurant. The center also houses a specialized library and research archive accessible to the public. The collections include literature and materials covering art, visual culture and critical theory. The center will organize exhibitions, lectures, public discussions, film screenings, concerts, performances, workshops and art residencies.
Its programs will focus on supporting artists, curators, researchers and young professionals while expanding public access to contemporary art. The institution is also intended to provide a permanent venue where Uzbek artists can present projects and researchers can access archival materials and other sources. Educational and public programs will provide visitors with opportunities to engage with contemporary art and members of the creative community.
The center’s activities will also include professional development and international cooperation involving Uzbek and foreign cultural institutions and specialists. The Center for Contemporary Arts will open with an international exhibition titled Hikmah (“Wisdom”). The exhibition will focus on knowledge, spiritual heritage, cultural memory and connections between historical traditions and contemporary artistic practices.
A total of 11 works by international artists will be presented, including works created specifically for the exhibition. The opening exhibition will also include the first presentation in Uzbekistan of an installation from the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. The center is developing partnerships with cultural institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, France and South Korea.
Its international partners include the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and National Museum of Asian Art in the United States, Tate and the Delfina Foundation in the United Kingdom, Centre Pompidou in France and Arts Council Korea. Mirziyoyev was briefed on planned exhibition, educational and research programs during his visit. The center is expected to use these partnerships for professional exchanges, international projects and programs involving contemporary artists and cultural specialists.
The president also instructed officials to expand international cooperation, attract foreign contemporary artists to projects in Uzbekistan and support new projects by Uzbek artists. The institution forms part of Uzbekistan’s broader cultural policy, which includes preservation of historical heritage alongside the development of contemporary art and the creative sector.
The Center for Contemporary Arts is scheduled to officially open to the public on September 6.
