Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent Opens with Inaugural Exhibition Hikmah

The Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent (CCA), Central Asia's first permanent institution dedicated to contemporary art and research, is set to formally open in May. Located in Uzbekistan's capital, the CCA is a key initiative of the Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), led by chairperson Gayane Umerova, as part of the nation's strategic cultural development. The institution occupies a historic 1912 Soviet-era brick building, originally a diesel station and tram depot, which was transformed by French architecture firm Studio KO (Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty) using traditional Uzbek materials and motifs. The CCA soft-launched programming in October 2024 with an artist residency and has since expanded to include workshops, talks, festivals, and youth initiatives. Its inaugural exhibition, titled 'Hikmah' (meaning 'wisdom' in Uzbek), curated by artistic director Dr. Sara Raza, explores concepts of spiritual and material being through the works of ten artists. The exhibition features site-specific commissions, recent artworks, and loans from Uzbek and international artists, including Shokhrukh Rakhimov, Vladimir Pan, Daribay Saipov, Bakhtiar Saipov, Ali Cherri, Kimsooja, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Nari Ward, Muhannad Shono, and Tarik Kiswanson. Sonic explorations by Uzbek DJ Sabina Inoyatova complement the visual works. Raza describes the exhibition as a foundation for intellectual exchange, aiming to foster dialogue between local narratives and global ideas without nostalgia. The CCA's opening aligns with broader ACDF efforts, such as Uzbekistan's participation in the Venice Biennale since 2021, the upcoming Bukhara Biennial in 2025, and the Tadao Ando-designed Uzbekistan National Museum opening in 2028. Future CCA programming includes the Navruz Gala and Festival in March 2026, the Tashkent Public Art Festival in summer 2026, and the Tashkent Film Encounters in December 2026, alongside Raza's curation of an exhibition in Venice.