Tashkent State Art Museum

17th century ceramic tile

Uzbekistan travel guides talk a big game about the Savitsky Museum in Nukus. Yes, the collection is huge and beautiful and a worthy visit. However, Tashkent's State Art Museum is home to the country's largest art collection and it is located not ten minutes from our house. Paintings, pottery, statues, tapestries, woodwork, and jewelry from all over the world line the walls in building that looks like it was picked out of a Sears Ugly Building Catalog. A weekday morning visit afforded zero other visitors. Security guards followed us throughout the three floors, anxious to make sure we didn't take photos of the hand carved wooden doors and partitions, the one section where photography was specifically forbidden. Why? No explanation was given.

I love portraits the most. I like to imagine what each subject is thinking in their captured moment of time. But on this visit, I paid enough attention in the pottery section to recognize the Rakhimov family name, where six generations of Rakhimovs have been creating handmade ceramics. The current pottery master, Alisher, told me that the museum houses over 300 pieces of pottery made by his father and grandfather. The Rakhimov works are recognized in ceramic circles throughout the world and despite their business being rooted in traditional Uzbek clay throwing methods, they also like to experiment with modern design and innovation. And, he's a cool dude.

The State Art Museum is also cool and has such an eclectic range of art that that there is something for everyone. It was an excellent way to spend that December 8 morning which, coincidentally, is Constitution Day. Uzbekistan adopted theirs just 29 years ago.

Family Photo Shoot

Appreciating some Rakhimov ceramics 1983

1974. My favorite portrait.

Picasso