Saodat Ismailova (b. 1981, Tashkent) is an important voice within the first generation of Central Asian artists who came of age in the post-Soviet era. Her work explores the rich, complex, and layered culture of her native region.
Ismailova intertwines myths, rituals, and dreams with everyday life, and in a nuanced way calls attention to social issues such as ecological problems and the right of women to veil or not. In her work there is plenty of room for intuition, magic, music, and performance. Moving from personal to collective memory, she connects myths from the Central Asian region to its turbulent history and addresses its spiritual heritage for healing.
This book accompanies the artist's first major retrospective exhibition, presented at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Paperback