Roundtable Explores Soviet-Era Environmental Transformation in Central Asian Art

A roundtable titled 'Visualizing the Transformation of Nature in Central Asia: Socialist Anthropocene in the Visual Arts (SAVA)' was held at University College London on May 29, 2025. Organized by art historian Maja Fowkes, the event brought together artists, curators, and researchers to examine how Soviet-era environmental changes in Central Asia are addressed through contemporary artistic practices. Participants included Aïda Adilbek, Aziza Kadyri, Aigerim Kapar, Anel Rakhimzhanova, and Saodat Ismailova, with SAVA team members Reuben Fowkes, Makar Tereshin, and Sorcha Thomson in attendance. The discussion centered on personal and professional engagements with ecological issues stemming from Soviet industrialization, extractivism, and infrastructure projects. Key themes included the legacy of nuclear testing, water management crises like the Aral Sea disaster, cotton industry impacts, and railway development. Participants shared how their work incorporates archival research, community engagement, and interdisciplinary methods to address environmental degradation and collective memory. The conversation also touched on challenges of nationalism, border disputes, and the need for regional cooperation in facing climate crises. Artistic strategies ranged from filmmaking and performance to textile art and curatorial projects focused on specific ecosystems like Lake Balkhash and the Arslanbob forest.