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The Once and Future Garden’ draws inspiration from the magnificent lost gardens of Samarkand in southeastern Uzbekistan. A deep tradition unites the diverse objects displayed in the pavilion. Admired individually, the pieces tell stories of human skill, creativity, and mastery of material, showcasing the work of four studios at the intersection of art, craft, and contemporary design.
As a collective, the objects evoke the atmosphere of the gardens that once ringed Samarkand, former capital of the Timurid Empire (14-15th c.). Evidence from miniature paintings and literary descriptions suggests the gardens were laid out in the chahar-bagh style inspired by Islamic accounts of paradise, containing a central pavilion surrounded by channels of running water and a variety of plants, fruit trees, and flowers. As spaces for imperial leisure, ritual, and celebration, the gardens and pavilions within them were replete with a rich material world of objects—including ceramics, textiles, furniture, and fashion—produced by highly-skilled artists and artisans from across the empire.
The designers showcased here, Madina Kasimbaeva, Nigora Hashimova, Tigran Erdman and Timur Parmanov and Ruth Shelley, connect to a long tradition of artistic production in Uzbekistan. The throughline in their practices is a balance between the influence of centuries-old traditions, reflected in form, material, and technique, alongside innovations that situate their works in a contemporary context.
