Art Week Style.Uz is one of the unique cultural, art and fashion projects of the Fund Forum. This year it was held for the fifth time. And this little anniversary will surely be remembered for all the impressive events which added new bright page in the history of the week, which already won a high status in the international arena, as evidenced by the participation of representatives from numerous countries. This year the week brought together renowned cultural figures, representatives of national arts, artists, musicians, film and theater actors, fashion designers and celebrities, editors and journalists from leading media outlets.

Among them were famous artists Catherine Metais (France), Marco Perego (Italy), Aleksandr Ischenko (Russia), designers Domenico Vacca (U.S.), Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Fernando Lemoniez (Spain), president of the fashion house Elena Yarmak, Igor Chapurin (Russia), Magali Raineri (France), Tsumori Chisato, Naoshi Savayanagi (Japan), Laura Miles (U.K.), , Stephane Rolland from Chanel fashion house (France), Brioni, Max Mara, Salvatore Ferragamo (Italy), Balmain (France) , Basso & Brooke (U.K.), jewelry brand Chopard, de Grisogono (Switzerland); the media: owner of Les Editions Jalou Marie-Jose Jalou (France), head of L’Officiel Benjamin Emeyre (France), TV journalist Andrey Malakhov (Russia), producer of Tokyo Fashion Express NHK World Naoki Yokoya (Japan), producer Japan’s TV channel Fashion Chanel News Hiroshi Sugano, fashion journalist Akira Oda, vice president and director of news programs on RTVi George Tsihiseli (U.S.) General Director of Tokyo Fashion Week Kenji Yamazaki, vice president of China Fashion Association Professor Yuanfen Liu, well-known artists, filmmakers and many others.

This grandiose cultural event embraced large exhibition and presentation projects, scientific forums, Biennale of Photography, Theatre Festival, fashion shows of young and famous designers, festival of national dress, master classes from experts of arts and charity events.

The opening of the Art Week this season was marked by the Fifth International Tashkent Photo Exhibition Buennale – Tashkentale – 2010 that unfolded in the Youth’s Creativity Palace and other exhibition groumds of the capital. According to specialists, the photo art is currently one of the priority kinds of art. The exhibition presented the works by 140 authors to the topics People, Traditions, Environment, Wings of Experiment, Young and Bright that give people the opportunity of another comprehension of the multiform world with its creativity, fantasies, hopes and desires.

The traditional art exhibition was presented in the Youth’s Creativity Palace for six days. They have chosen the venue of exposition deliberately for this place has been initially indented for fostering talents and creativity in young people. This issue, as well as revival, preservation and enrichment of ancient traditions of the folk applied art and workmanship, arrangement of conditions and opportunities for the people involved is assigned a big part in the country. Presenting the best works by young masters and winners of contemporary and traditional art festival Navqiron O’zbekiston – 2010, another project by Fund Forum, this exhibition proves the country’s progress in this sphere. The exhibits are truly unique: ceramics, gold embroidery, miniature, Gobelin tapestry, and installation. There are also suzani here, with their fascinating pattern. As people say, suzani is the reflection of all colors existing in the Uzbek land.

The agenda of exhibition projects included personal exhibition of the Week’s guests: artist Catherine Mete from Paris and Marco Perego from Italy. The artist and photographer Catherine Mete presented about 20 works including pictures, photo collage, installations peculiar in their original color solutions and clear lines. Marco Perego presented this philosophy of life. He is an avant-garde, ever-searching contemporary artist with good pictorial capabilities, the specialists say.

The idea of other exhibitions within the Art Week is also interesting. Aristotle’s Mysteries, the project by young artists, is one of them. The ancient philosopher stated that imitation of nature and reality is the principal law of the art. However, bold and fantastic ideas of young talents disproved this theory with their original works presenting their own view on Aristotle’s postulate. The exposition comprised 15 works applying the diversity of modern art techniques: beginning from painting and video art, and finishing with installations and fashion design.

Another exhibition called Signs of the Time took place in the archeological monument Ming O’rik. It’s topic was “I have been/haven’t been to Arcadia”. The idea was originated from the Latin aphorism Et in Arcadia ego (I have been to Arcadia too). This is an international project with participation of known masters from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, France and Uzbekistan, who pondered on Time, Life and Art in their works. The project is unique in its location: it was arranged in the archeological monument. Video scenes, projected to the ancient walls, left an indelible impression in spectators.

The archeological exhibition Kanka Settlement: the Past and the Present was included into the Art Week’s agenda for the first time. It acquainted numerous visitors with the ancient settlement of Kanka and its archeological findings. The exposition comprised big photos of the satellite pickup of the Kanka settlement, its citadel, area before the start of excavations, the process of archeological excavation, pieces of rooms, such as doorway, fire place, foundation of the column, pieces of ceramics, and other things.

Stylishness, charm, and womanhood. This is a characteristic of shows, presenting the fashion collections by foreign designers Chisato Tsumori (Japan), Igor Chapurin (Russia), Agata Ruiz de la Prada, Fernando Lemoniez (Spain), Domenico Vacca (Italy), and others. The show also presented the Balmain fashion house (France), МаxMara, Brioni (Italy), as well as general fashion parade of collections by the leading designers of the Tashkent House of Style.

The Underground contest became, perhaps, chiefly the youth event. This show by young people is original and bright performance, and effective incentive for students and young designers, fostering them for creativity, search for new ideas and foundation of new trends in the world of fashion. Underground is a unique opportunity for manifest oneself and the talent, acquaint with experts and specialists of the sector. As previous experience showed, the participation in the show opens new opportunities for young talents. Authors of the most interesting collections find partners to implement their ideas and produce their collection on an industrial scale. They are invited to take part in international contests and fashion shows. 16 young designers took part in the Underground this year.

The presentation of the new web portal freeartist.uz took place upon the youth fashion parade. The resource will give the people of the art – artists, actors, designers and other creative personalities – the chance of direct live communication.

Having enjoyed the diversity and beauty of the exhibition stands and displays, the visitors rushed to the conference hall, where the local designers, stylists and the other fashion industry professionals got a unique chance to chat with famous artists and to get answers to many questions. Beginning from the first year the Art Week organizes master classes with professionals from the different spheres of art and fashion. This is a unique opportunity to peek behind the scenes and to see how the Image is born with your own eyes. The project allows spectators and participants to informally communicate in a warm atmosphere, as well as to participate as a model, assistant, or the author under the strict guidance of a professional. This spectacular show is not only for experts. The public also wants to see how the famous masters are working.

In the past years the master of Russian fashion Vyacheslav Zaitsev, the Japanese designer Ritsuko Shirihama, Russian stylists Aleksdr Lukash and Igor Stupnikov, French fashion photographer Andre Rau organized their master-classes. This year the representatives of the Salvatore Ferragamo Italian fashion house, the guests from the London College of Fashion, the Russian artist and designer Aleksdr Ishchenko have shared their experience with the public. A presentation on Japan's efforts to achieve a harmonious society by the example of a universal fashion has been made by Professor Oda Akira from Tokyo and the Japanese designer Naoshi Sawayanagi.

It is important to note that the master-classes are not that much orientated to the transfer of professional experience, but for the exchange of thoughts, emotions and impressions. The chat with such renowned pros aroused the great interest among young people. And it is not surprising, because to socialize with the people of such a high professional level is not always possible. And this opportunity has been provided by the Art Week.

The crown of the week has been the traditional Festival of National Dress, which presented 106 models, 16 collections of 18 fashion designers, among whom were a lot of young ones. The National Dress Festival has become a traditional annual event, gathering talented designers from different parts of the country. It was held for the first time in 2005 in Tashkent and was a demonstration of skills, refined taste and originality of ideas about beauty, created by the Uzbek designers, their ability to find harmony between the historical traditions and contemporary demands.

Every year the clothes of Uzbek designers attract the attention of the public. On the one hand, it is skill of designers, but on the other, of course, one should pay tribute to the Uzbek tissues. These bright or soft pastel colors, flowing fabrics and soft textures are simply created to delight. That is why this colorful, rich in ideas and bright colors Festival was established in 2005. During the festival, masters of the textile and weaving arts get the grants. And now the authors of the collections have presented the features of national costumes, inviting viewers to interpret traditional motives in a brand new way.

Tashkent has been the epicenter of the art life, inspiration and violent fantasies for six days. As a part of the Art Week Style.Uz the organizers also invited many of its participants, guests and representatives of domestic and foreign media to the dialogue, which took place within the scientific forum devoted to the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, the round table discussion on the topic “Dialogue: education and business”, and the press conference. And all of them agreed on the common view that this year’s project has not only attracted the attention with its large scope and multiformat, but also fully justified the definition given to this event - the intersection of arts, tradition and modernity.

***

The main purpose of the Art Week is achieved. Intercultural dialogue has taken place, the ties between art historians, artists, designers, photographers, the people of different cultures and national arts have been established.

Uzbekistan is a country with a huge number of archeological, architectural monuments, with the rich cultural heritage. Not occasionally the world community is so interested in it. Thus, my book “Civilization of States and Cultures of Central Asia”, which was published last year in English by the Fund Forum, is currently released in Japan. Very important issues of preservation of cultural heritage is today on the agenda. And the Fund Forum pays great attention to it. At the conference held as a part of the Art Week we exchanged opinions with the scientists from Japan, Spain, Russia, and with the national experts, talked about our work and new methods of preservation of cultural heritage. Thus, I commented on our work on the site of ancient Kampir-tepa.

Fawaz Gruosi, head of De Grisogono jewelry house, Switzerland:

I visited the Art Week in Tashkent in 2009 and 2010, and I think that the Art Week Style.Uz is a great international event. I hope that we, as guests and participants, are contributing to this event. Of course, it is difficult to reconcile art and industry, but such are the demand of time we live in. That is why the idea of Style.Uz about the combination of fashion and art is so important to all of us.

Every year I come to Tashkent Art Week, and every time I note the dynamism and growth of its level. It is difficult to find the analogues to the Art Week Style.Uz, where everything would be concentrated in one project at a very high level. Today this event attracts the attention of famous designers and artists around the world. And the most important fact is that the achievements of world art and fashion are available for many people of Uzbekistan and in particular for young people, because they can see everything themselves, expand their outlook and views. That means that the youth become more trained, educated, and able to address serious challenges.

Tashkent Art Week is a grand event, which attracted a huge number of people and can provide a great potential for further development of fashion. I was pleased to see the interest and attention with which students of the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry was listening to my lecture. I admire the Underground show of young designers, who presented their collections. I was struck by a large variety of ideas, as well as by the use of national traditional fabrics.

Yuanfeng Liu, professor, vice president of the Association of Fashion of China:

I want to express my gratitude for the organization of this event. The representatives from China are participating in Art Week Style.Uz for the second time. One of our main goals is to improve relations with the Fund Forum, which will help us to carry out a full exchange between the two countries.

Kenji Yamazaki, CEO of Tokyo Fashion Week, Japan:

It is my first trip to Uzbekistan and I am impressed with everything that I have seen, that helps me better understand this country. I visited the school of ceramics, where I received a lot of pleasure from the dialogue with the masters, watching them work. Style.Uz differs from the other fashion weeks, where you can observe only fashion, with the fact that there are a lot of exhibitions and so many people can admire and take a look at the Uzbek culture, Uzbek national products. And this is a very interesting solution, which I have not seen anywhere else.

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, designer, Spain:

I’m not only engaged in creation of wear collections, in addition to that, I make clothes for children, furnishings for the house. I prefer bright colors in life, as well as in my work. And I have got an opportunity to make sure that the history of Uzbekistan is saturated with colors. And I think that the people of this country will easily understand my fashion. The fabrics are very important for me as a fashion designer, and I have realized that you have very beautiful materials. Italy, India and Uzbekistan are three of my most favorite countries, where there are the best fabrics in the world.

Chisato Tsumori, designer, Japan:

Japan and Uzbekistan are linked by the Great Silk Road, we have a lot in common in history, culture and art. This is my first visit to Uzbekistan, so there is a lot of new for me, and I was impressed by the fact that Uzbekistan is a very modern country in the world of fashion. I have collections created under the impressions of my travels to different countries. And here, at the Tashkent Week Style.Uz I have got the new ideas, and I want to use Uzbek motives in my future work.

Marco Perego, artist, Italy:

This is my first visit to Tashkent, and I think people here are kind and nice. I am pleased to participate in the Art Week. My works presented here are mainly devoted to love. At first, my paintings seem to be gloomy, as they are very dark, but the composition is completed with a very bright picture, and it's really something that we reach in due time.

I am very interested in the Uzbek art. I met with the artists, went to their studios.

Munisa Askarova, designer, House of Style, Uzbekistan:

I take part for the fourth time in the Underground youth fashion show, and I can certainly say that the participants gain here a lot: new people, ideas, and career growth. For example, last year the models of the four designers were selected and their collections were shown during the Milan Fashion Week in Italy.
This year I presented the Autumn Flower collection, consisting of 7 models, which use the national fabric, vintage adras, silk, shoi. I would like to note that the level of work has significantly risen for the past years, and this year all designers have presented the very interesting collections.

Nigora Sharafhojaeva, artist, Uzbekistan:

I was really pleased to participate in The Mystery of Aristotle project. I put the environmental issue on the agenda with my work, urging people to respect the nature.

 For the young people like we are the Art Week is an opportunity to show our creativity, reflecting the thoughts and feelings.

 Thanks to the Art Week the doors to the world of art are opening for us, we have a lot to show and to watch. The scope of it is unique. Thanks to the master-classes, which are carried out here, we have a unique opportunity to enhance our knowledge and skills. Not everyone has the opportunity to go somewhere and to take part in international exhibitions. The Week covers a lo of specters of art – beginning from fashion, photo, design, jewelry, textiles and many others. And we are pleased to participate in this project that gives us the opportunity to reveal further potential and new ideas.