Tashkent Nostalgie - Eugene Panov's Exhibition, Tashkent

Poster for Tashkent Nostalgie exhibition

As Tashkent morphs into a modern Central Asian city, many neighbourhoods are undergoing rapid change.

Large apartment blocks are being built in traditional mahallas (neighbourhoods) of single storey homes with courtyards.

Sometimes garages - always painted green and often used as storage places - are removed for new construction.
New business complexes replace two or three-storey old office buildings.

It is the same throughout Central Asia as cities expand and countries develop and establish their own architectural language, throwing off the Soviet model.
 
Talented Tashkent-born painter Eugene Panov lovingly looks at his city. In this charming collection of watercolours, he notes the rhythm of quiet streets: neighbours, courtyards, washing hanging from balconies, electricity poles and gas pipes crowding the streets, old walls, windows and gates in the rain. This is the city Tashkent citizens remember with such affection.

Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

That old Tashkent still exists - but these days it is a little harder to find. You need to go further from the main streets and peek into courtyards, where Uzbek families still sip tea on a tapchan ( a raised platform, which functions as a table or bed ) and grow roses and basil side by side.

Often old, small apartment blocks share a common garden and play area.

In these places you will hear the morning milk man calling out "молоко" (milk) as he wanders the leafy neighbourhoods.

You will come across small bazaars in which you can buy homemade sour cream, kefir and cottage cheese. Or a bunch of flowers freshly picked. Or have your shoes or umbrella repaired.

Panov works in many mediums, but watercolour seems just right to reflect this city in transition.

Artist Eugene Panov

Classically trained at the Republican College of Arts named after P.P. Benkov, Eugene Panov has exhibited regularly and widely, including a solo exhibition in St. Petersburg.

This exhibition is at the cool Bonum Factum Gallery until 20 November. The gallery is located at 20 Sodiq Azimov ko'chasi, Tashkent, near the Japanese Embassy. It is open Monday - Friday, 10:00 - 18:00 and you can call ahead on +998 71 232 03 60.

Gallery staff speak English - they can send image files and can arrange postage of artworks.

Below is a selection of paintings from the exhibition.

Related posts:
Seismic Modernism - Architecture and Housing in Soviet Tashkent
Tashkent's Soviet Buildings
Uzbekistan's Decorative Architectural Panels

Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

 

 

 

 

Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

 

 

 

 

 

Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

 

 

 

Poster for Tashkent Nostalige, Eugene Panov

Giorgio Armani's Take on Ikat

Armani's gorgeous, tailored ikat jacket

Another international designer, Giorgio Armani, included wondrous silk and velvet ikat  in the "Crossing Colours" collection.

Although the origins of ikat are unknown, it is in Central Asia's Ferghana Valley that this weaving technique, practised and refined for generations, is flourishing.

Ikat differs from tie-dyeing in that the pattens are dyed onto the threads before the fabric is woven. (In tie-dyeing, the fabric is woven first and then the resist bindings are applied to the fabric which is later dyed).

The inclusion of ikat fabrics in haute couture collections seems unstoppable. Perhaps because the variety of patterns and colours are endless and the beauty of ikat silks is mesmerizing.

View a selection of Armani's pieces below. And maybe consider a visit to Uzbekistan, where you can meet Uzbek designers who are creating edgy, contemporary ikat clothes and accessories? Or perhaps have pieces made up to your own design?

Related posts
The Story of Uzbek Silk Production: Step by Step 
Oscar de la Renta's Love Affair with Uzbek Ikat
Valentino Haute Couture Meets Suzani
Ikat Porcelain Tableware
The Fantasy World of Uzbek Textile Artist Dilyara Kaipova
Human House - Tashkent's Coolest Design Space

Armani Ready-to-Wear coat

Armani ikat skirts

 

Armani ikat stretch knit top

Samarkand Painter Alexei Sherbakov

Ten Days of Heat, Alexei Sherbakov

Suzanna Fatyan, one of Uzbekistan's finest tour guides, has contributed several pieces on this website about Samarkand as well as about Uzbek cuisine. 

In this article she introduces us to the Samarkand painter Alexei Sherbakov.

Artists have always been inspired by the beauty and light of Uzbekistan, its people as well as its monuments. Samarkand artist Alexei Sherbakov is one such artist.

Born in the village of Juma, near Samarkand, his early years were marked by a spinal injury and long stints, sometimes years, in hospital.

However, in 1971, he entered Tashkent's famous classical art college named after Pavel Benkov. After graduation, he worked as an artist and designer in the workshop of the Art Fund, attached to the Samarkand branch of the Academy of Arts, Uzbekistan. Since then he has exhibited extensively.

Sherbakov's works, in oil, acrylic, water colour and on textiles, display his lifelong fascination with Uzbek culture and traditions, mixed with his own experiences of village life, suffering and joy.  The artist has an incredible ability to describe every gesture and pose and to penetrate the essence of a character.

Under Our Tree, Alexei Sherbakov

His palette is notable for being bright and abundant – a reflection of the brilliance of Uzbek bazaars.

Yellow, brown and green are his favourite hues, punctuated with a sudden red or blue.

Alexei Sherbakov is a master of the wet-on-wet technique, which lends the paintings an improvisational style, capturing a moment in this timeless landscape.

His works are found not only in the state galleries of Uzbekistan and Russia, but also in private galleries in Japan, Argentina, USA, Great Britain, and Europe.

I invite you to view some pieces of  below.

Please contact Suzanna if you would like further details about Alexei Sherbakov.

Contact Suzanna via email: susanna202001(at)yahoo(dot)com

Read Suzanna's other articles.

Dream, Alexei Sherbakov

Pilgrims, Alexei Sherbakov

 

Girl with a Pumpkin, Alexei Sherbakov