Kokand: A whirlwind craft festival-Vicki Mason shares her experience of the enveloping Uzbek hospitality and south-south connections at the International Festival of Handicrafts
The Outback through Afghan eyes-Jahan Rezakhanlou writes about the painting and poetry of Hazara artist Elyas Alavi as an estuary that connects the experience of Afghan cameleers with Indigenous Australians.
Pesh boro: Epic weaving from Afghanistan-Australian-based artist Khadim Ali introduces us to his weavers in Kabul, who demonstrate a fortitude characteristic of Hazara culture.
Asif Shaikh and Aziz Murtazaev ✿ A dialogue of print and stitch-Our October laurel goes to Our October laurel goes to an eloquent collaboration between Indian embroiderer Asif Shaik and Uzbek ikat maker Aziz Murtazaev.an eloquent collaboration between Indian embroider Asif Shaik and Uzbek ikat maker Aziz Murtazaev.
The Kyrgyz yurt: Let the hearth not go out-Alymkozhoeva Kүlүm Shamievna, Issyk-Kul State Historic Cultural Reserve Museum, shares her extensive knowledge about the anatomy and rules of the yurt.
The world in a yurt-Dinara Cochunbaeva shares her learnings about Kyrgyz craft, family, culture and cosmology embodied in the yurt.
Aziz Murtazaev ✿ Why I returned from London-The story of how Aziz Murtazaev left his lucrative career in London and returned to Uzbekistan, making a successful ikat workshop. .
Carlier Makigawa ✿ Delirious in Uzbekistan-The Melbourne jeweller Carlier Makigawa was inspired by the Islamic architecture of Uzbekistan and produced necklaces that relfect a geometric intricacy of colour and form. Helen Britton adds her analysis of the work.
Making wood precious in Astana, Kazakhstan-As a participant in the Sheber Festival Astana (Kazakhstan 17-18 December 2016) and Artistic Jewellery Workshop, Martina Dempf gives us a rare glimpse of the creative life of Astana, Kazakhstan.
Unexpected linkage-Sun Woong Bang describes how his work connects the ancient Celtic and Korean cultures,