Crafting Connections

In conversation with Subodh Gupta on the first Bukhara Biennial and revitalising a cultural pulse through art.

- By RIA GUPTA

We rarely pause to think beyond our daily lives. We might pass by the splendour of Humayun's Tomb, oblivious to the Mughal influence on India's design heritage, or chat over steaming samosas without considering how this humble snack has evolved across Central Asia into dishes like the Uzbek samsa. But that's the gap cultural conclaves hope to bridge, and the Bukhara Biennial is one such initiative. Running for 10 weeks from September 5 to November 20, it is set to be one of Central Asia's largest cultural events, bringing together chefs, poets, architects, artisans, scholars, and visual and performance artists from around the world.