Dal Mar d’Aral a Milano: l’Uzbekistan si racconta tra artigianato e crisi climatica
Uzbekistan made its official debut at the Milan Design Week with the exhibition 'When Apricots Blossom' at Palazzo Citterio. Curated by Kulapat Yantrasast and promoted by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, the immersive show presents contemporary reinterpretations of Uzbek craft, organized around three pillars of Karakalpak culture: textiles, food, and dwelling. It features installations by international designers like Bethan Laura Wood and a deconstructed yurt by WHY Architecture.
The exhibition is significant as it positions traditional craft as a form of contemporary artistic expression and resilience in the face of the ongoing ecological catastrophe of the Aral Sea. By linking Uzbekistan's material heritage to the urgent issue of climate change, the presentation aims to foster a deeper international connection to the region's culture and environmental challenges, moving beyond mere preservation to showcase a living, evolving practice.