This year’s London Design Biennale will include the participation of Uzbek designers for the first time, showcasing Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary creative talent for an international audience. Participants and organisers of the Uzbek pavilion were celebrated for this achievement at a Reception hosted by the British Ambassador in Tashkent.
The British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, H.E. Mr. Timothy Smart, hosted around 60 guests from the worlds of art, business, diplomacy, and media. The event was organised in partnership with the British Council and a Tashkent-based strategic communications agency, DNA, which commissioned the pavilion showcasing Uzbek designers as part of its 5th anniversary celebrations.
The event began with a preview of the creative vision behind the pavilion. Titled “The Once and Future Garden” the pavilion will exhibit works by Nigora Hashimova, fashion designer, Tigran Erdman and Timur Parmanov, furniture designers, and suzani (traditional hand-made embroidery) textiles by Madina Kasimbaeva. It will also feature glassware created by British artist Ruth Shelley and inspired by the textiles in Uzbek miniature paintings.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Timothy Smart spoke about the significance of the United Kingdom’s cultural ties with Uzbekistan, emphasizing design as a powerful medium through which nations share their stories, histories, and aspirations. He underscored how international events like the London Design Biennale serve to strengthen people-to-people connections and elevate shared appreciation for craft and artistic expression.
“The UK and Uzbekistan share a huge appreciation for cultural exchange. The London Design Biennale is a valuable platform to showcase Uzbekistan’s unique design aesthetic and strengthen connections between our creative communities. This partnership highlights the talent and innovation emerging from Uzbekistan, and I am delighted to support it”, said the Ambassador.
The event also featured reflections from members of the pavilion’s creative team, including Assistant Curator Alsu Akhmetzyanova, fashion designer Nigora Hashimova, and furniture designer Tigran Erdman. Each spoke about the personal and cultural influences that informed their contributions to the pavilion, offering guests a glimpse into their creative processes.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in the London Design Biennale. It is a unique chance to represent Uzbek design through the lens of fashion – a medium where tradition and innovation meet. Our work tells stories woven from heritage, identity, and creative vision”, said Nigora Hashimova, fashion designer.
“Being invited to participate in major international events that bring together the global design world gives powerful momentum to the growth and validation of creative start-ups. It’s also a chance to tell the world that Uzbek product design is not just about heritage – it is evolving, being reinterpreted, and seamlessly integrating into contemporary spaces”, shared Tigran Erdman, furniture designer.
“The Once and Future Garden”, draws inspiration from the legendary Timurid gardens of Samarkand, once renowned for their geometric layouts, flowing water channels, and abundant trees and flowers. These historic gardens, preserved in miniature paintings and literary descriptions, were more than aesthetic spaces. They were sites of celebration, scholarship, and ceremony. The pavilion reimagines their legacy through contemporary design, inviting visitors to consider how cultural memory can be present through form, material, and technique.
The pavilion’s design was led by NAAW, an award-winning architecture studio in Almaty. The NAAW team was represented at the party by Lead Interior Architect Victoria Akram, who spoke about the firm’s approach to the project.
The evening also served to recognize and celebrate the generous sponsors whose support made the pavilion possible. Sturgeon Capital, the Sturgeon Foundation, SUEZ, and Porsche Uzbekistan provided sponsorship.
Additional financial backing was provided by DNA co-founder Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and prominent Uzbek entrepreneur Zafar Khashimov.
Over 40 countries and institutions worldwide will be represented at the London Design Biennale, which opens at London’s Somerset House on June 5. The Uzbek presence at the biennale is a testament to the strength of the country’s creative industry.
Nasiba Ziyodullayeva, UzA