Madina Kasimbaeva
Madina Kasimbaeva / Uzbekistan, b.1981 / Palak suzani 2016–21 (installation view, Art Museum RIGA BOURSE, Latvia 2024) / Image courtesy: The Latvian National Museum of Art / Art Museum RIGA BOURSE / Photograph: Oksana Mizgajeva / View full image
Madina Kasimbaeva is an Uzbeki artist known for her exquisite suzani (from ‘suzan’, the Farsi word for needle) a type of silk-thread embroidery that draws on cosmological and Zoroastrian world views that are part of the heritage of Central Asia. Tashkent suzani or palak are a specific and unique style of bold, graphic embroideries, usually employing hand-dyed red and yellow silks, with abstracted references to the sun and moon, serpents, pomegranates and other symbolic fauna and flora associated with women and with Uzbekistan’s pre-Islamic history. Recognised by the Uzbek government for her work in reviving this time-honoured art form and innovating in scale and design, Kasimbaeva is passionate about extending her knowledge to other artists; she has established several workshops around the country that provide employment and training to young women. Displayed for the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial, Kasimbaeva’s large suzani took three and half years to complete with the assistance of 15 of her students.
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Watch • Delve into the embroidery of Madina Kasimbaeva during the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial
Worn by the likes of Iris Apfel and Emirati royals and displayed in international museums, the exquisite work of Madina Kasimbaeva showcases the ancient art form of suzani – a specific style of hand-dyed silk-thread embroidery from Central Asia. See Kasimbaeva’s spectacular 8-metre long ‘Palak suzani’ now on display at the Asia Pacific Triennial. Seventy artists, collectives and projects from more than 30 countries feature in the eleventh chapter of the flagship QAGOMA exhibition series, the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. Bringing compelling new art to Brisbane, the Triennial is a gateway to the rapidly evolving artistic expression of Australia, Asia and the Pacific. The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art is QAGOMA's (Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art) flagship exhibition series. Video that honours tradition 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 30 Nov 2024 – 27 Apr 2025 Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art Free entry https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/apt11 Madina Kasimbaeva, Uzbekistan b.1981 Palak suzani c.2015–20 Hand-embroidered textile, silk and natural dyes Courtesy & ©: Madina Kasimbaeva Additional footage supplied by Madina Kasimbaeva Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia © Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees, 2024 https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au #qagoma #shorts