Art shifts the power dynamics in Eurasia's core

Art shifts the power dynamics in Eurasia's core

Central Asia's Emergence as a Vibrant Hub for Contemporary Art

Central Asia, a region with a rich historical tapestry, is now making its mark on the global art scene. Artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural organisations are working together to shape a new cultural geography for contemporary art, with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan at the forefront.

Two entrepreneurs, Kairat Boranbayev and Nurlan Smagulov, have recently invested in the arts in Kazakhstan, opening the Tselinny Center in Almaty last May and planning to open the Almaty Museum of Arts in September. Central Asia, once marginalised for decades, is now emerging as a fertile laboratory for contemporary art, offering a unique and distinct art scene compared to other regions.

Gayane Umerova, leading the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, is a key figure behind pioneering projects like the new Centre for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent. This centre, which opened in September 2025, aims to provide a platform for bridging past and present artistic expressions in the capital and beyond, signalling Uzbekistan’s ambition to become a cultural hub in Central Asia.

The "Recipes for Broken Hearts" biennale in Uzbekistan will feature participation from Uzbek artists, chefs, and designers, alongside international participants such as Laila Gohar, Subodh Gupta, Carsten Höller, Jeong Kwan, Elena Reygadas, and Tavares Strachan. This biennale, taking place from September 5 to November 20, is one of the most significant and diverse cultural initiatives in Central Asia to date, marking the beginning of a growing plan to preserve the city's heritage and create new opportunities for future generations.

The art being produced in Central Asia engages with themes not typically found in the global mainstream, such as identity, post-Soviet memory, ecology, and social transformation. This art serves as an instrument of resistance, research, and liberation, reflecting the region's complex historical layers and evolving modern identity.

Artists in Central Asia are rewriting the visual language of the present, with works that challenge stereotypes and expand the art world beyond Western paradigms. The "Recipes for Broken Hearts" biennale, taking place in recently restored historic sites within a new cultural district, will showcase new site-specific art commissions and a live event program spanning ten weeks.

The Tselinny Center, a former Soviet cinema in Almaty, Kazakhstan, is another new cultural hub. The Almaty Museum of Arts, to open in September in Kazakhstan, marks a renewed cultural interest in the country's economic capital.

In addition to these initiatives, the Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent, Myth 2.0 Multimedia Projects, and the Bukhara Biennial are all contributing to the expanding contemporary arts landscape in Central Asia. These projects reflect a conscious effort to revitalize and reframe the region’s art scene within a contemporary global context, while maintaining local traditions, identities, and the tension between preservation and modernization.

As Central Asian contemporary art continues to evolve, it is becoming increasingly clear that the region's unique artistic voice is an essential addition to the global art dialogue.

• The Tselinny Center in Almaty and the upcoming Almaty Museum of Arts, funded by entrepreneurs Kairat Boranbayev and Nurlan Smagulov, are contributing to Kazakhstan's pursuit of becoming a connecting point in Central Asia's home-and-garden of contemporary art and lifestyle.
• The Recipes for Broken Hearts biennale in Uzbekistan, featuring an international roster of artists, underscores the travel-worthy cultural-travel opportunities for those seeking art experiences beyond the Western mainstream in this vibrant Central Asian art scene.

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