Uzbekistan’s handicraft heritage showcased at Homo Faber 2026

Uzbekistan showcased its handicraft heritage at the international exhibition of contemporary craftsmanship “Homo Faber 2026: An Island of Light” in Venice. The exhibition will open to visitors on September 1 at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini Cultural Center on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.

This year, the exhibition brought together more than 700 works by more than 500 artists from over 70 countries. Uzbekistan was represented by the works of four masters, demonstrating how traditional crafts take on a new artistic voice in a modern context.

In particular, the exhibition includes two large-scale ceramic works, “Moon jars”, by Sanjar Kubayev and Alisher Nazirov. While preserving their characteristic features, the masters reinterpreted traditional forms in a modern context. The theme of the succession of craft schools is developed through five artistic scissors made by the Kamalovs dynasty of Bukhara blacksmiths. Each piece is handmade using traditional forging techniques and depicts birds, a motif long characteristic of Bukhara blacksmithing.

As part of the educational program, Madina Qosimboyeva will hold a series of open demonstrations of suzane art, during which she will explain traditional embroidery techniques and related cultural practices to visitors.

Diyorbek Abdullayev and Sabina Jurayeva became two of the 90 young Homo Faber ambassadors selected from students at 62 schools of applied arts and design across 23 countries. For a month, they will accompany visitors to the exhibition and participate in a program dedicated to art, craft, and cultural dialogue.

Orash Akaboyev, UzA