Sara Raza to Lead Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent

Sara Raza to Lead Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent

The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) has appointed London-born curator, writer, and educator Sara Raza artistic director and chief curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Tashkent. Set to open in September in a restored 1912 tram depot and diesel station, the institution will function as a global arts and culture platform, providing artists and designers with the opportunity to connect via residencies, exhibitions, workshops, and educational programs. Raza will be tasked with leading the CCA’s creative mission to promote cultural and educational partnerships while supporting regional and international artists in their engagement with Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage.

“We are delighted to welcome Sara Raza as the artistic director and chief curator of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent,” said ACDF chair Gayane Umerova in a statement. “Her vision, coupled with her scholarly expertise in global contemporary art, will ensure that the CCA becomes a vibrant cultural hub for Uzbekistan and the world over.”

Currently based in New York, where she teaches in NYU’s Media, Cultures and Communication Department, Raza arrives to the CCA with two decades of curatorial experience across Asia, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. She was previously the Guggenheim UBS MAP Global Art Initiative curator for the Middle East and North Africa and has curated major exhibitions at institutions including the International Center of Photography and the Rubin Museum of Art, both in New York, and Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, in Doha, Qatar. Raza is the author of the well-received 2022 book Punk Orientalism: The Art of Rebellion.

“It is an honor to be invited to lead the artistic and creative vision for the Centre for Contemporary Art in Tashkent, a groundbreaking initiative that sits at the cultural intersection of the global art world,” said Raza in a statement. “This role holds deep personal and professional significance: I am proud of my roots in the Greater Iran region, including ancient Uzbekistan, and as a curator and writer I have enjoyed working extensively in Uzbekistan and its neighboring regions.” Raza further noted that she was looking forward to working with Umerova “and with local and international communities to develop programs celebrating the country’s traditions and contemporary artistic practices, igniting fresh dialogues on a global stage.”