The Republic of Uzbekistan is located in the heart of Central Asia and is one of the ancient centres of world civilisation. Lying along the famous 'Silk Road' it was an important trade centre in ancient times. In 1991 the country gained independence as the USSR broke up, and the President, Islam Karimov, has been in power since. Today, its population is around the 25 million mark, and is gradually increasing. The majority of the country is made up of desert, meaning that the limited fertile land in the country is in the North East corner, in the Ferghana region.

The capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, is located in this north east corner, and it is here that a number of the artists featured in this collection currently live and work. Uzbekistan is made up of a number of ethnic communities, the population is approximately 80% ethnic Uzbek, the remainder being made up of largely Russian and Tadjik. The Russian language is prominent as a second language in Uzbekistan, understandable considering the recency of it membership of the USSR. Since Independence in 1991, the art world in Uzbekistan has flourished with a number of artists rising to prominence, gaining worldwide recognition as they exhibit the world over.