News

Chiming with the Human Kind Institute’s values of promoting understanding through art, healing through creativity and global solutions through fuelling imagination, HKI founder Lola Tillyaeva embarked on an ambitious new project last month – an innovative Art Fest celebrating the up-and-coming talent of young creatives. Held in Tashkent, capital city of Uzbekistan in Central Asia, and curated by renowned Uzbek artist Bobur Ismailov, the Re/Generation First Art Fest for Young Artists was a huge success.

For 8 days, from 4-12 September, people flocked to participate in this unique celebration aimed at bringing together young Uzbek artists in creative dialogue, showcasing their diverse talent and breathing new inspiration into the nation’s art scene.

True to the Human Kind Institute’s emphasis on hands-on education, as well as works by over 70 young talents from across the country covering a range of mediums, Re/Generation also hosted lectures, panel discussions and workshops with leading art critics and experts in the field. Highlights included dialogues with Anastasia Mityushina, Mikhail Slobodinsky, Rustam Suleymanov, Natalia Musina, Nigora Akhmedova, Dr. Aura Seikkula, Aigerim Kapar and Kamilla Ahmed.

HKI promotes diversity, inclusivity and personal exploration, and for over a week, the Arena Axelon Karting Club was transformed into an inspiring creative dimension festooned with intriguing installations, over 200 photographs, over 300 wall pieces, and over 50 graphics. Live performances, interactive shows, digital art, black boxes, led screens as well as experimental and electronic music provided an engaging and uplifting atmosphere, with something for every visitor. From fine art to free dance, from street art to audio visual displays, the impressive creative talent of Uzbekistan’s new generation of artists, still firmly rooted in a rich cultural heritage, now embraces all forms of contemporary art, spanning painting, graphics, photography, installations, performance, interactive shows, street art, video and digital art, audio visual displays and experimental and electronic music.

The special Polygon Open Space Lab was a particularly lively area, with a rolling programme of innovative events, including masterclasses on street art and special activities for children.

Recognising the new generations as the engine that will propel humanity towards a positive future, HKI founder Lola Tillyaeva was keen to welcome even small children into the creative process. To accomplish this, the Re/Generation Art Fest set aside a special space for children to explore their creative potential. Marked by a fluttering 40m-long banner, this unique zone was home to specially-tailored painting classes run by Daria Morozova, with hyper-allergenic paints and brushes freely available. It was a sheer delight to see these young creatives revelling in the artistic vibe of the Fest.

The Re/Generation organisers had thought of everything. A well-planned food court offered both visitors and exhibitors the chance to sample traditional Uzbek cuisine in a relaxed setting ideal for forging new connections. Vegetarian options were also available.

The First Art Fest welcomed over 8000 visitors and was so popular that the organisers have pledged to continue promoting Uzbekistan’s young talents through a range of ongoing projects. The first is the opening of the Regeneration Art Gallery, a new permanent exhibition space in the capital which will showcase contemporary works and stimulate creative dialogue through art brunches, master classes and more. Other plans include the publication of an exhibition catalogue, and a film about this ground-breaking event. Together, these ambitious projects ensure that Re/Generation's dual focus – which chimes with Human Kind Institute’s mission – of preserving cultural heritage while embracing innovation and renewal in art is set to support, inspire and engage young artists going forward.

You can follow the project on Instagram @ regeneration_art_gallery.

Photographs by Sergei Pogosyan.

Video by Nalan Mechetner.