TURANDOT Group Show at ACP Palazzo Franchetti Reclaims Central Asian Women's Narratives
The exhibition titled TURANDOT: To the Daughters of the East, overseen by Dr. Ziba Ardalan, is currently on display at ACP Palazzo Franchetti until 31 October. Its name is inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera from 1926, which is rooted in a Persian story by Nizami Ganjei from the twelfth century. In Farsi, 'Turandokht' translates to 'Daughter of Turan,' referencing Central Asia. This showcase explores how migration influences women's roles. Featured artworks include Nazira Karimi's Return Policy (2019), Tala Madani's The Womb (2019), Madina Joldybek's Milk Road (2025–26), films by Lida Abdul, Hera Büyüktaşcıyan's The Dream of a Falling Star (2019–23), Huma Bhabha's Road to Balkh (2025), and Saodat Ismailova's What Was My Name? (2020).
Key facts
- Exhibition TURANDOT: To the Daughters of the East runs until 31 October at ACP Palazzo Franchetti.
- Curated by Dr Ziba Ardalan from Parasol Unit.
- Title originates from Puccini's opera (premiered 1926) and a 12th-century Persian tale by Nizami Ganjei.
- Turandokht means 'Daughter of Turan' in Farsi, referencing Central Asian territories.
- Nazira Karimi's Return Policy (2019) addresses Tajik marriage customs with dresses made of textiles, cement, and steel hangers.
- Tala Madani's The Womb (2019) is a stop-motion video about a fetus reacting to world history.
- Madina Joldybek's Milk Road (2025–26) includes flora native to Kazakhstan, such as the tulip.
- Hera Büyüktaşcıyan's film is set in the ghost town of Livissi (Kayaköy), Türkiye, abandoned since 1922.
- Huma Bhabha's Road to Balkh (2025) references the ancient city of Balkh in Afghanistan.
- Saodat Ismailova's What Was My Name? (2020) uses Old Uzbek script and neon.
Entities
Artists
- Dr Ziba Ardalan
- Nazira Karimi
- Tala Madani
- Madina Joldybek
- Lida Abdul
- Hera Büyüktaşcıyan
- Huma Bhabha
- Saodat Ismailova
- Giacomo Puccini
- Nizami Ganjei
- Rumi
- Stelios Theodosiadis
Institutions
- Parasol Unit
- ACP Palazzo Franchetti
- Canvas
Locations
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Türkiye
- Livissi (Kayaköy)
- Balkh
- Afghanistan
- Kabul