From 14 March to 30 April 2026, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art will present "The Birth of Suzani: The Story of an Embroiderer", an exhibition devoted to the revival and continued development of the traditions of the Tashkent school of embroidery.
"The Birth of Suzani: The Story of an Embroiderer" is more than an exhibition; it is a collaborative curatorial project conceived as a dialogue between theory and practice, between the art historian and the craftswoman.
The project’s concept, dramaturgy and research framework were developed by Binafsha Nodir, while its artistic realisation and material language were shaped by Madina Kasymbaeva.
This collaboration offers a perspective rarely encountered in the museum context, presenting tradition as a living process in which knowledge and craftsmanship exist in inseparable unity.
The exhibition’s title refers to the very process through which a suzani comes into being — from the initial idea and compositional design to the painstaking labour by which tradition is brought to life anew.
This idea is articulated through the work of Madina Kasymbaeva and her school, presenting tradition not as a fixed or static form, but as an evolving artistic practice.
As part of the exhibition programme, visitors will have the opportunity to attend a masterclass by Madina Kasymbaeva, as well as a lecture-presentation by Binafsha Nodir, PhD in Art History and Editor-in-Chief of "SAN’AT" and "HUNARMAND", entitled "Topography of Tradition: Local Identities of Uzbek Embroidery: History, Regional Schools, Patterns, Meanings".
Project authors: Binafsha Nodir, Madina Kasymbaeva
Оrganisers: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Azerbaijan National Museum of Art
Supported by: the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Azerbaijan and the Hunarmand Association of Uzbek Artisans
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