In Conversation: Aziza Kadyri and Francesca Stocco
Wednesday 16 April, 7–8.30pm (BST), Free Online Event
Join an online conversation between multidisciplinary artist Aziza Kadyri and PhD researcher Francesca Stocco, as part of Bonington Gallery’s ongoing Formations programme in partnership with the Postcolonial and Global Studies Research Group.
Streaming live on YouTube on Wednesday 16th April, this free event explores the powerful intersection of traditional textile craft and contemporary digital practice, shedding light on how age-old skills are finding new relevance in today’s art world.
Aziza Kadyri. Photo credit Kamila Banks.
Aziza Kadyri is an Uzbek artist whose work brings together traditional Central Asian suzani embroidery with AI technology, performance, and costume design. Working in close collaboration with suzani masters, Aziza preserves the techniques of this heritage art form and pushes its expressive potential into new territory. Using digital tools to reformulate motifs and embed personal and political narratives, she asks timely questions about authorship, identity, and the evolving role of craft in contemporary culture.
9 Moons(2023), courtesy of the artist.
The conversation will be moderated by Francesca Stocco, a PhD researcher at Nottingham Trent University whose work explores the resurgence of fibre and textile art in the twenty-first-century art world. Together, they’ll discuss Aziza’s practice and the broader cultural shifts happening in Uzbekistan, where textile traditions are being reexamined and reimagined by a new generation of artists.
Don't Miss The Cue. The Uzbekistan National Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale of Art. Photo credit: Ivan Erofeev.
Aziza recently represented Uzbekistan at the 2024 Venice Art Biennale, alongside the Qizlar Collective and suzani master Madina Kasimbaeva. Their contribution - set within a deconstructed theatre backstage - explored themes of migration, identity, and belonging through the lens of Central Asian women’s lived experiences.
Whether you’re a textile enthusiast, artist, researcher, or simply curious about the future of craft, this conversation offers a rare chance to hear directly from voices working at the intersection of tradition and innovation.
Join the live talk for free here:
Wednesday 16 April
7–8.30pm BST
YouTube
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Further Information:
Image Credits:
Lead Image: Detail from Don't Miss the Cue, 2024. Courtesy of the artist.
All other images as credited in captions.