Born in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) in 1981, Saodat Ismailova is a prominent figure in contemporary art and filmmaking. Her career has gained international recognition through solo and group exhibitions in prestigious venues such as Le Fresnoy and the Eye Filmmuseum. In 2022, she was awarded the Eye Prize for Art and Film. In addition to being the curator of CCA Lab and the Tashkent Film Encounters, Ismailova founded DAVRA, a research group dedicated to the culture of Central Asia. Saodat Ismailova brings a modern voice to Uzbek traditions, drawing inspiration from her grandmother’s stories about the “18,000 worlds.” Her works intertwine historical events, myths, rituals, and landscapes, characterized by a lyrical quality and attention to natural sounds and human voices. Growing up surrounded by film canisters in an Uzbek archive, she studied cinema and theater. Her first video installation, Zukhra (2013), marked the beginning of a journey that blends cinema, sound, and visual art. Her works challenge Western perceptions, offering experiences that profoundly transform the viewer’s vision.
Fondazione In Between Art Film commissioned her to create Melted into the Sun (2024), which is featured in Room SEVEN of the exhibition path in the Complesso dell’Ospedaletto. Saodat Ismailova skillfully weaves together plays of light and shadow with vast landscapes, guiding the audience on a visual journey through the historical figure of al-Muqanna‘, reinterpreted in a contemporary context. Al-Muqanna‘, a spiritual leader and political agitator in Central Asia during the 8th century, is explored by Ismailova with a lens that connects past and present. The film delves into the complexity of al-Muqanna’s cultural and political influences, whose syncretic thought embraced elements of Zoroastrianism, Mazdakism, and Buddhism. Through an intimate dialogue between the prophet and his disciples, the work reimagines his revolutionary and spiritual visions.
The words that accompany the film, selected and interpreted by Uzbek poet Jontemir Jondor, reflect on the sun as a symbol of enlightenment and the ongoing interaction between time, humanity, and nature. Set in historical and mythological places like the Amu Darya River and the city of Bukhara, the film is enriched with contemporary references, such as the solar power plant in Tashkent, which symbolically interacts with the recurring concept of the sun in the texts of The Veiled One. Melted into the Sun goes beyond depicting the miracles attributed to al-Muqanna‘, inviting reflection on the power of this divine figure, a symbol of rebellion and social justice later appropriated by Soviet propaganda. With a visual mastery that merges history and myth, Ismailova offers a fascinating and provocative perspective that stimulates deep reflection on the nature of power and spirituality.

Featured image: Photo Lorenzo Palmieri