Saodat Ismailova is a filmmaker and artist who came of age in the post-Soviet era Uzbekistan. Working between Paris and Tashkent she interweaves rituals, myths and dreams within the tapestry of everyday life. Her films investigate the historically complex and layered culture of Central Asia. Frequently based around oral stories in which women are the lead protagonists, and exploring systems of knowledge suppressed by globalised modernity, these consciousness expanding works hover between visible and invisible worlds.
Spanning film, sound, installation and sculpture, Ismailova often uses archival footage alongside striking iconography and hypnotic narratives that trace the loss marked by successive regime changes to the spiritual memory of the region and the impact of human activity on the environment. This exhibition will be Ismailova’s first in a UK public institution and presents works from her two decade-long career. Exploring thresholds and transitions, the exhibition considers the idea of transmission and personal and collective consciousness.