Watch and wear: Dilyara Kaipova’s textile art deals with critical issues

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

Andakulova Gallery, DIFC, Dubai, is presenting ‘Silk and Velvet VS Warning Safety Signs’, a new exhibition by acclaimed Uzbek conceptual artist, Dilyara Kaipova. Opening February 8, the show explores the complex intersection of tradition, modernity, and global security concerns through the lens of textile art — an increasingly influential medium in Central Asia’s contemporary art scene. Kaipova is known for her innovative use of traditional textile techniques and her profound exploration of contemporary global issues. Her work, which often combines ancient Uzbek textile arts with modern symbolism and technology, has won international acclaim and is part of the permanent collections of leading museums worldwide.

In recent years, the art ecology of Uzbekistan and Central Asia, has been deeply affected by the rich, centuries-old textile traditions of the region. Kaipova stands at the forefront of this renaissance movement, seamlessly blending age-old techniques with modern themes to create pieces that challenge, engage, and provoke. ‘Silk and Velvet VS Warning Safety Signs’ is the culmination of her intense exploration of the political, cultural and social complexities of today’s world, which she expresses through the delicate yet powerful medium of fabric. Kaipova’s works delve into issues of globalisation, identity, and the modern world order, with particular focus on the role of war and security that is shaping our collective future.

At the heart of her new collection is the striking juxtaposition of traditional textile forms such as the famous Uzbek ikat, velvet and silk robes, exuding alarming symbols of global danger, including depictions of the notorious nuclear trefoil. The symbol, representing both a warning and also emblematic of the N-threat, are re-imagined in her signature bold style: bright pink trefoils set against a sunny golden circle, embroidered with painstaking precision onto the luxurious textures of velvet and silk.

Dilyara Kaipova is an Uzbek artist.

The artist’s innovative approach speaks of the tension between the ancient and the emerging: she uses the traditional material to comment on the pressing concerns of the modern age. Her creations are not just garments or dresses — they are conceptual objets d’art that ask viewers to meditate on the connections between art, politics, and identity. Combining the mesmerising colour harmonies of the East, and the potent, mainly Western security symbols, Kaipova encourages reflection on the precarious balance between beauty, danger and the future of the world. In addition to her striking robes, the exhibition features textile assemblages and kuraki (patchwork), further interweaving and expanding the themes of cultural fusion, aestheticism, and modern-day anxieties.

With this body of work, Kaipova highlights the nuances of Central Asian heritage, asserting the importance of preserving traditions, while acknowledging the inevitable approach of global change. Her expertise in the subject of traditional textiles is unmatched; she has spent years mastering the intricate techniques of Uzbek weaving, stitching, and dyeing. Her work carries the imprimatur of a master artisan, but her conceptual depth and innovative use of modern technology such as IT tools to enhance the textile design, push her creations into new realms of artistic expression.

A playful dress with danger signs.

The rare blend of mastery and modernity, has led to her works being acquired by leading museums worldwide, including Victoria & Albert Museum (London, England), Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Canada), The Dowse Art Museum (Wellington, New Zealand), the MARKK Museum (Hamburg, Germany), and cultural institutions in the United States, Canada, and the Netherlands. Collaborating with skilled artisans from the famous Margilan textile production centre in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley, Kaipova brings the best craftsmanship to her conceptual vision, ensuring that each piece maintains high standards of artistic integrity.

By engaging with Kaipova’s work, viewers will not only witness a captivating fusion of East and West – a West-Eastern Divan - old and new, but will also gain insight into the concerns and sensitivities of artists from a transformative region. ‘Silk and Velvet VS Warning Safety Signs’ is an invitation to explore the richness of Central Asian textile traditions, while confronting pressing challenges of the modern world. Kaipova was born in 1967 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. From 1998 to 2013, she worked as a painter-decorator at the Uzbek State Music Theatre, Mukimi. From 2013 to 2015, she was Art Director and master hand of puppets in educational theatre in the Uzbek State Institute of Arts.

Bright colours, dark design.

According to writer Natalya Antonova, Kaipova’s signature practice involves the exploration and innovative reconceptualisation of traditional forms of Uzbek material culture – patterns and fabrics – via the lens of the present, and modern popular culture, specifically. “The artist’s work integrates the iconography of mass culture into the texture of the fabric,” says Antonova. “For D. Kaipova, fabric, woven or printed, is the object and subject of artistic practice, while the form this fabric might take – such as a robe (chapan or khalat), a jacket (telogreika), an embroidered textile panel (suzani) and so on – is instrumental to making the fabric communicate its multi-layered meaning.”

Andakulova Gallery is a Dubai-based contemporary art gallery representing Central Asian Art in the Middle East. Founded in 2012, it is well-known among local and international professional art collectors and experts as a gallery dedicated to promoting art and design practice, creative experimentation, and cross-cultural communication and serving as a platform for contemporary artists from Central Asia to exhibit their artworks in various media in the Middle East. Andakulova Gallery’s presentation of ‘Silk and Velvet VS Warning Safety Signs’ continues its commitment to exploring the impact of globalisation on Central Asian art and culture.