January 25 – April 22, 2026

This Speaking in Symbols exhibition features the extraordinary and intricately decorated ceramic works of Alisher Nazirov, a renowned Traditional Master Ceramist from Rishtan, Uzbekistan. Each of his creations – ranging from small intimate drinking vessels to large ceremonial urns and platters -- reflect longstanding symbols and ornamentation drawn from a deep and rich Uzbek cultural heritage, which actively link his modern creative practice to time-honored traditions that date back well over a millennium. Each handcrafted vessel is coated with local clay engobes, then exquisitely hand-decorated in botanical/biomorphic figures and arabesques, delicately carved with a sgraffito technique, and lastly glazed and fired using local plant materials and minerals. Each vessel’s decorations are intended to convey specific good wishes and blessings – from maker to user, or from giver to receiver – via a canon of traditional abstract/biomorphic symbols, or “islimi”. Nazirov dubs this canon of symbols his ‘Alphabet of Uzbek Ornament’, which create a visual language to convey these good wishes from the artist to the vessel’s final home. His hope as a maker is to spark joy and satisfaction amongst end users and to lighten their hearts, even if for just a moment. This show represents Nazirov’s first opportunity to share his extraordinary work with the U.S. public.

The exhibition has been co-curated by Mr. Nazirov and Ms. Dee Harris, a local DC-area ceramic artist. During an artistic exchange in 2023, the co-curators discovered a mutual sense of aesthetic synergy and the idea of a joint exhibition involving the two artists was born. They note: “In honor of our serendipitous meeting in Uzbekistan and our ongoing conversations in clay, it felt only natural to include in the show a few works that sparked our collaboration in the first place. We both hope the creative synergy is palpable to all.”