Sanjar Ravshanovich Nazarov
Suzani Traditions In Skilled Hands
Third-generation master embroiderer Sanjar Ravshanovich Nazarov grew up watching his father and grandfather at work. Today, with his own team of artisans and apprentices, Nazarov runs a large workshop in historic Bukhara, Uzbekistan. As an ancient city that was a center of arts and culture along the Silk Road, his birthplace offers myriad sources of creative inspiration and encouragement to maintain the gorgeously unique, centuries-old embroidery practices for which Uzbek textile artists are renowned.
Working with a team made up of family members, apprentices, and other textile workers, Nazarov offers a dazzling array of richly woven and embroidered products, including colorful silk-on-silk bags, ornate velvet-lined coats, and an array of showcase-worthy home textiles. Most of the design motifs that adorn these items are traditional to the nomadic Lakai people of Uzbekistan. Their expressive imagery was historically crafted by women as symbols of protection and to represent major life events.
Nazarov is celebrated as a maker of functional items that portray a delicate, highly artistic sensibility. He has participated in exhibitions both regionally as well as in Russia, Japan, and the United States, among other locales. His technical skills and creative vision have earned Nazarov a litany of accolades, including the UNESCO Award of Excellence.
