Uzbekistan to present Tashkent Modernism. Index project in the exhibition in Milan

The Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan will present the exhibition project Tashkent Modernism. Index at the 23rd International Triennale Milano on 17-23 April 2023 in Italy’s Milan.

“Comparing Armin Linke’s photographs with some archival materials, the exhibition weaves together images and narratives of 20 modernist buildings in Uzbekistan’s capital, exploring key themes in the city’s architectural, social and cultural history. Redrawing the landscape of Tashkent through striking images, the exhibition rediscovers its modernist architecture and presents a reflection of the colonial, postcolonial and decolonial aspects of the Soviet social and cultural experiment.” – as quoted on the official website of the exhibition. 

From 17 to 23 April 2023, the 23rd International Exhibition Triennale Milano will be held in Milan, Italy. As part of the Triennale Milano, the first public presentation of the Tashkent Modernism exhibition will take place. Index., initiated by the Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan together with the Grace agency.

The preparation of the project was attended by international specialists in the field of architecture, and history, and experts in the preservation of cultural heritage, including the Polytechnic University of Milan, Boris Chukhovic and Laboratorio Permanente. The purpose of the exhibition is to document, interpret and preserve the modernist architecture of Tashkent city.

Using images and narratives selected by researchers from 20 buildings in the city, the exhibition explores key themes related to the architectural, social and cultural history of Tashkent and the current state of cultural heritage sites of Uzbekistan’s capital.

Soviet modernism in Tashkent is shown as a unique artistic, cultural and social phenomenon that can adequately reflect the specific nature of "Soviet modernization" in Central Asia. The project reflects the colonial, postcolonial and at the same time decolonial aspects of the Soviet social and cultural experiment. After World War II, Tashkent was designated as the capital of the Soviet East, a showcase for socialism in the East. The uniqueness of Tashkent modernism stems from the tension between the desire to embody the socialist East in architecture and the desire for a more subtle understanding of local culture by local and Moscow architects.