Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 21 April, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan opened at the 59th Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art, presenting the exhibition Dixit Algorizmi - The Garden of Knowledge ("As Al-Khwarizmi said - the Garden of Knowledge"). The exhibition will begin its work on 23 April and will be available until 27 November.

The pavilion of Uzbekistan will be a reflection on the works of Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a scientist and erudite who was born and raised in the city of Khiva and laid the foundations for various areas of modern science. 

The project "Dixit Algorizmi - The Garden of Knowledge" analyzes and questions the established myths about the origin and existence of digital technologies, using modern artistic practices. Artists and curators explore the origins of technology and its connection to places, eras and cultures long forgotten or lost. The pavilion will present different points of view on technology, and the diversity, depth and complexity of this phenomenon will be discussed by participants in an extensive public program.

“In 2022, our country will take part in the Venice Biennale for the second time. The opening last year caused a great response, and this year we return with new ideas and once again challenge the world of contemporary art. We are proud that this year our project is inspired by the legacy of the world famous scientist Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. We are very grateful to our curators who offered new interpretations of the works of the great erudite through the prism of contemporary art and were not afraid to touch on topics that are more important today than ever,” said Saida Mirziyoyeva, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The spatial organization of the Uzbekistan Pavilion is inspired by the tradition of the Islamic garden as a place of attraction for scientists and thinkers, and the pavilion itself will become a high-tech space for research, reflection and experiment. Association and exchange of experience will be the key ideas of the public program, which will last all seven months of the biennale.

 “During the entire duration of the exhibition, the Pavilion will host a rich program of popular science and highly specialized events. This year we invite outstanding thinkers, artists and curators to our garden, a cultural crossroads inspired by al-Khwarizmi's House of Wisdom, and become part of our public program. The program will include panel discussions, performances, as well as a traditional Uzbek poetry competition. These events will become fertile ground for dialogue between Uzbek and international artists and curators and lay the foundation for future joint projects,” said Gayane Umerova, executive director of the Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

In parallel with the public program, the Pavilion will host the Velocity0 sound installation created by Uzbek musician Abror Zufarov and artist and composer from Paris and Tokyo Charlie Tapp. The installation will become a platform for an international experiment, in which musicians from all over the world will be able to work with the Velocity0 algorithm using the specially created The Program platform. Each participant of the program will be able to enter their own set of data into the algorithm, then on its basis the program will create a unique generative score that will be played until the next update, embedding sound into an organic non-linear narrative of the soundscape. Against the backdrop of an endless algorithmic concert performed by the installation, several concert programs will take place.