Voices On Cental Asia

Interview withThibaut de Ruyter is a French architect, curator, and critic. His latest projects include a traveling exhibition for the Goethe Institute in Eastern Europe and Central Asia entitled “die…

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9 min

The Mystery of Kyrk-Kyz: From 40 Women-Warriors to the Warriors of Light

January 16, 2020

A mysterious castle in Uzbekistan’s Surhandarya bears the name of Kyrk-Kyz, meaning “40 girls.” Was this a sanctuary of legendary women-warriors, or was it home to a group of Sufi…

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10 min

Culture

How Ikat Accompanied History in Central Asia

January 9, 2020

Ikat is a fabric that got its name from the resist dye technique used to make its patterns. But I’d like to show you ikat from a different perspective. In…

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12 min

Destructing Soviet Architecture in Central Asia

December 13, 2019

Soviet architecture in Central Asia, as the name tells, is a fusion of Soviet modernity with traditional Central Asian culture that remains remarkable to this day. Persian and Islamic motifs…

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5 min

Culture

The Ethnographic Collection of the Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts

December 4, 2019

The Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts has played a significant role in exploring and preserving the rich history of Kyrgyzstan’s applied and fine arts for nearly a…

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10 min

Deciphering the Saukele: The Traditional Headdress of Kazakh Brides

November 21, 2019

English transcript of the video presentation belowToday I am going to talk about one particular type of traditional Kazakh clothing: the headdress of a bride, called a saukele.Voronina-Utkina A.A. Watercolor.…

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7 min

Culture

Kazakh Graphic Illustrations of Evgeny Sidorkin

November 15, 2019

Evgeny Matveevich Sidorkin (1930-1982) is a Soviet graphic illustrator and artist who was recognized by several prestigious awards for his art. He mainly worked in Kazakhstan and created powerful images…

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5 min

Culture

Crafts and Couture from Central Asia Festival

November 11, 2019

From October 10 to October 13, the George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies hosted the “Crafts and Couture from Central Asia” festival. The festival was organized…

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6 min

Photo

Between Hope and Fear: Stories of Uyghur and Kazakh Muslim Minorities in the Xinjiang Province

October 30, 2019

An estimated one million people, mostly Muslim minorities, are being held in detention centers across the Xinjiang region in China.Common reasons for detention include studying Islam and praying or having…

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14 min

History

How they met Tamara Khanum in London and the secret of Usto Olim Komilov’s turban

October 22, 2019

Tamara Khanum and her musicians, Credit: Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp House, London, 1935 Author Rosa Vercoe is an independent dance researcher and blogger. She is based in St…

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10 min

Books

Translating Central Asian Literature: An Interview with Shelley Fairweather-Vega

October 17, 2019

Shelley Fairweather-Vega is a translator from Russian and Uzbek. She collaborates with authors, academics, and activists around the world and has worked on projects as varied as Russian poetry, Uzbek…

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6 min

Humans of the Polygon: Travel Notes from the Land of Abai. Karaul, Znamenka (Kokentau), Sarzhal

October 8, 2019

“We are scared for the future of our kids.”A family in KaraulThe lake created in 1963 on the Polygon as a result of an explosion that used 20 tons of…

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8 min

Culture

Kyrgyz Fashion: Combining Tradition and Innovation

October 2, 2019

An artisan must always be an innovator: choosing and experimenting with new materials, techniques, ornaments, and shapes—but a good artisan must cherish traditions as well.Kyrgyz craftsmen know how to make…

Contemporary Art in Central Asia: An Interview with a Curator

The Mystery of Kyrk-Kyz: From 40 Women-Warriors to the Warriors of Light

How Ikat Accompanied History in Central Asia

Destructing Soviet Architecture in Central Asia

The Ethnographic Collection of the Gapar Aitiev Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts

In case you missed it

A Brief History of Collecting Abr Clothing from Uzbekistan

Is Central Asia Moving Beyond Russia? An Interview with Johan Engvall

Why Is Job Insecurity So Widespread in Independent Uzbekistan?

Deciphering the Saukele: The Traditional Headdress of Kazakh Brides

Kazakh Graphic Illustrations of Evgeny Sidorkin

Crafts and Couture from Central Asia Festival

Between Hope and Fear: Stories of Uyghur and Kazakh Muslim Minorities in the Xinjiang Province

How they met Tamara Khanum in London and the secret of Usto Olim Komilov’s turban

In case you missed it

A Brief History of Collecting Abr Clothing from Uzbekistan

Is Central Asia Moving Beyond Russia? An Interview with Johan Engvall

Why Is Job Insecurity So Widespread in Independent Uzbekistan?

Translating Central Asian Literature: An Interview with Shelley Fairweather-Vega

Humans of the Polygon: Travel Notes from the Land of Abai. Karaul, Znamenka (Kokentau), Sarzhal

Kyrgyz Fashion: Combining Tradition and Innovation