Saodat Ismailova: Her Journeys, Her Lives

Curator: Karen Verschooren

STUK is delighted to present the work of internationally renowned artist Saodat Ismailova (b. 1981). In her first solo exhibition in Belgium, Ismailova invites you to join her on a trip through female lived experiences across Central-Asian time and space. A careful selection of video works—including Chillahona, 2022; Chillpiq, 2018, Celestial Circle, 2013; Zukhra, 2013; and Her Right, 2020—tells stories of struggle, resistance and survival, of the passing of knowledge, protection and support, and of the creation of a space of affirmation and empowerment. Together, these works provide an insight into her practice, in which elements of circularity, repetition, rhythm, ritual and trance reign high. Ismailova’s multi-layered cinematographic gems are pregnant with meaning—most of which one can feel without fully grasping. But as Clarice Lispector stated ‘I know about a lot of things I haven't seen. And so do you.’ These works tap into precisely that, revealing a broader understanding of what it is to be human.

The exhibition Her Journeys, Her Lives is part of a series of solo exhibitions in STUK by contemporary visual artists who have a particular affinity for the moving image. Previous exhibitions in this series include Raven Chacon: Rift Variations: Collaborative Video Works; Liz Magic Laser: Convulsive States; Ben Rivers: It’s About Time; Helen Cammock: Beneath the Surface of Skin; Mircea Cantor: Am I really free?; Angela Washko: Point of View; Sebastián Díaz Morales: Talk with Dust; Mika Taanila: The End; Nevin Aladağ: Rollin’; Omer Fast: Appendix; Joachim Koester: Maybe this act, this work, this thing; Emre Hüner: Neochronophobiq; John Akomfrah: Auto Da Fé; and Bjørn Melhus - The Theory of Freedom.

Saodat Ismailova (b. 1981, Tashkent, Uzbekistan)
Saodat Ismailova is an Uzbek filmmaker and artist who came of age in the post-Soviet era. Interweaving 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 globalized modernity, her works hover between visible and invisible worlds. Her works have been the subject of solo exhibitions worldwide, and have been shown at major international art platforms including documenta fifteen (2022) and the Biennale of Venice (2022 and 2024). In 2025, she presented the performative forest cinema experience Arslanbob: The healing forest, at Kunsten Festival des Arts, Brussels. Saodat Ismailova was awarded numerous awards for her practice, amongst which The Eye Art & Film Prize, Amsterdam (2022), the Foundation Pernod Ricard’s Nouveau Programme (2025) and the Art Basel Emerging Artist Awards Medalist (2025). She initiated the Davra research collective in Central Asia in 2021 to develop the local art scene and she is a creative fellow at SAVA, Department of Advanced Studies at UCL, London. Ismailova graduated from the Tashkent State Art Institute and Le Fresnoy, National Studio of Contemporary Arts, France. She lives and works in Paris and Tashkent.

Works in the exhibition
Saodat Ismailova: Chillahona
2022, three channel video, 37 minutes.
Embroidery 4X3 meters, light projection, 37 mins, sound 5.1
Directing and editing: Saodat Ismailova / Acting: Feruza Ruzieva / Camera: Carlos Casas / Music: Tomoko Sauvage / Sound: Marc Parazon / Color Correction: Yannig Willmann / Special effects: Philipp Cuxac / Line producer: Aziza Pulatova / Camera assistant: Andrej Morozov / Lider animation: Stefano Zeni / Text translation: Ibrat Safo / Embroidery execution: Madina Kasimbaeva
Film made with the support of Tselinny Center for Contemporary Culture, Almaty, Kazakhstan. 
Special thanks to: Alima Kairat, Jamilya Nurkalieva, Meruyert Kalieva, Cecilia Alemani, Marta Papini
Thanks to: Anvar Safaev, Olimjon Kukcha, Aspan Gallery
Chillahona was realized for the “Milk of Dreams” the 59th international exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, 2022.

Saodat Ismailova: Celestial Circle
2013, single channel, full HD, 16:9 color, stereo, 10 minutes.
Filming: Carlos Casas / Editing and sound: Saodat Ismailova

Saodat Ismailova: Chillpiq
2018, single channel, full HD, 16:9 color, stereo, 17 minutes.
Filming: Carlos Casas and Saodat Ismailova / Editing: Saodat Ismailova / Sound by: Mark Parazon / VFX: Philippe Cuxac

Saodat Ismailova: Zukhra
2013, 1 channel video installation, full HD Video, 16:9, color, stereo. 29 minutes.
Directed, image and sound edited by Saodat Ismailova / Filmed by Carlos Casas / Acted by Dildora Pirmapasova / ©MAP Productions

Saodat Ismailova: Her Right
2020, B&W, stereo, 13 minutes.
Editing: Saodat Ismailova / Music composition: Seaming To / Commissioned by Video Jam, UK

All works courtesy of the artist. 

Please contact Goedele Pyck at goedele.pyck@stuk.be for press inquiries or Karen Verschooren at karen.verschooren@stuk.be for further inquiries regarding the exhibition.