Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 12-14 July 2019, a group of craftsmen from Uzbekistan took part in the annual festival “International Folk Art Market” (IFAM), held in Santa Fe (New Mexico).

According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United States, IFAM is the world’s largest exhibition and sales site of traditional art, which was attended by over 150 folk art masters from 50 countries.

In the welcome message of the Embassy of Uzbekistan at the opening ceremony of the festival, its participants were informed about the history of the folk art of our country. The participants of the event were also invited to the international festival of folk art, which is planned to be held on 10-15 September in Qoqand, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan said in a statement.

According to the diplomatic mission of our country, one of the most numerous delegations at the festival was a group of craftsmen from Uzbekistan. It consisted of more than 20 craftsmen, including the famous weavers Gulnor Odilov, Muhayo Aliyev, representatives of the Tashkent textile school Madina Kasymbaeva, masters of carpet cases Fatkhullo Kenzhaev, Dilshod Usmanov and many others.

Masters from Uzbekistan at the festival’s 11 stands present a large assortment of traditional art, in particular, silk and woolen carpets, clothing and other products made from traditional fabrics, jewelry, and ceramic products made by artisans of the world-famous schools of art of Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent and Shahrisabz.

Both the organizers and visitors of the festival highly appreciated the refinement and diversity of the applied art of Uzbekistan. Products created by Uzbek artisans aroused wide interest among lovers of folk art. The works of Uzbek masters personified the rich history of Uzbekistan, and also harmoniously combined the antiquity and modernity of our country. Many participants and cultural figures noted that they had never seen anything like it in other countries.

According to the organizing committee of the festival, the volume of goods sold by Uzbek artisans only in the market itself, that is, excluding goods sold to private collectors and trading houses, amounted to about US$300,000.

During the talks with the Executive Director of the International Folk Art Market Stuart Eshman and the Chairman of Bukhara-Santa Fe Sister Relations Committee, Caroline Lopez, a member of the organizing committee, the participants of the event from Uzbekistan were discussed as well as the participation of the IFAM leadership in the upcoming international festival of folk art in Qoqand.

Representatives of IFAM, expressing gratitude for the invitation, confirmed their willingness to participate in this festival, as well as to establish bilateral cooperation with the Association "Hunarmand".