WASHINGTON, October 2. /Dunyo IA/.   The United States hosted the exhibition “The Origins of Ornament. Four Paths: One Tradition”, dedicated to the traditional and contemporary textile art of our country, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Exhibition was organized at the initiative of the Embassy of Uzbekistan to the United States in cooperation with the Applied Arts Association of Uzbekistan, brands “Moel Bosh”, “ANOR Atelier”, “Suzani by Kasymbaeva”, “Mio Beauty”, as well as the magazines “San’at” and “Hunarmand”.

Event was attended by representatives of the US Department of State and the White House, heads and staff of diplomatic missions, representatives of the Uzbek community in the United States, experts in the field of art and culture, museum staff, American journalists and members of the public.

Opening the exhibition, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Furqat Sidikov, noted that textile art is an integral part of the centuries-old cultural heritage of our country.

It was emphasized that national fabrics, ornaments, and traditional crafts reflect the historical memory of the people, their aesthetic perspectives, as well as knowledge and skills passed down from generation to generation.

Particular attention was paid to the role of cultural events in promoting the rich heritage of Uzbekistan and contemporary creative processes among the American public, as well as in expanding cultural and humanitarian cooperation between the two nations.

Curator of the exhibition, Chief Editor of the “San’at” and “Hunarmand” magazines, Binafsha Nodir, presented the concept of the exposition.

As was noted, the exhibition demonstrates Uzbek textile art not only through finished works but also as an integrated creative process - spanning from raw material and thread, initial drawing and ornamental composition, to the creation of the fabric, embroidery and the final attire.

Exposition brought together several directions of traditional and contemporary textile art, including abru weaving, hand embroidery, gold embroidery and contemporary apparel design.

One of the central elements of the exhibition featured the abru fabrics by Margilan master Rasuljon Mirzaakhmedov, a ninth-generation representative of a hereditary dynasty of weavers. In his works, the traditional manufacturing technology of abru fabrics is blended with signature ornamental solutions, harmonious colour combinations, and contemporary creative exploration.

Traditions of hand embroidery and national textiles in contemporary design were presented by the founder of the “Moel Bosh” brand, Zuhra Inat. Her collaboration with Margilan masters to develop proprietary fabric ornaments demonstrated the possibilities of interaction between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary fashion.

Founder of “Suzani by Kasymbaeva” Madina Kasymbaeva, presented works in which the artistic language and ornamental motifs of traditional Uzbek embroidery achieved a contemporary sculptural and functional expression.

In turn, the founder of the “ANOR” brand Dilnoza Umirzakova, demonstrated modern interpretations of traditional Uzbek gold embroidery. In her works, elements of the national technique are organically combined with contemporary silhouettes, materials and forms.

Address by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Textile Museum at George Washington University and collector of Uzbek suzanis, Bruce Baganz, aroused particular interest among the guests.

He spoke about the distinct features of Uzbek ikat and suzanis, their artistic value, and the uniqueness of their colour and ornamental solutions, while also sharing the history of his interest in Uzbek textile art and his collecting activities.

During the event, he announced the preparation of a two-volume scientifically illustrated edition dedicated to Uzbek suzanis. It is planned that the book will include the most significant specimens from private and museum collections across various countries.

Edition is scheduled for publication in 2027 in London by “Hali Publications Ltd”. It is expected to serve as another platform for presenting Uzbek applied arts to the international scientific and cultural community.

Honorary Consul of Uzbekistan to the United States, Carol Lopez, also participated in the event. She noted the special place of textile art in the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan and emphasized the significance of initiatives aimed at its broad presentation to the American public.

Guests of the exhibition were able to familiarize themselves with samples of abra, atlas, adras, suzani, traditional embroidery, gold embroidery and national costume. Particular attention was paid to the ornament, colour combinations, compositional solutions and execution techniques of the presented works.