The Central Asian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale has been a significant platform for showcasing contemporary art from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. First introduced in 2005, the pavilion has highlighted the dynamic and evolving artistic expressions from this region, with each iteration exploring diverse themes related to history, identity, and the post-Soviet transition.
In 2005, the inaugural exhibition Art from Central Asia: A Contemporary Archive presented video compilations and artworks from key Central Asian artists, such as Said Atabekov and Vyacheslav Akhunov. The 2007 pavilion, titled Time of the Storytellers, explored narrative and storytelling traditions through the works of artists like Almagul Menlibaeva and Roman Maskalev.
The 2009 exhibition Making Interstices, curated by Beral Madra, focused on the theme of “interstitial spaces,” reflecting the shifting political and cultural landscapes of Central Asia. Artists featured in this exhibition included Ermek Jaenisch, Jamshed Kholikov, and Oksana Shatalova.