Historic Islamic architecture with a large blue-green dome, a brick minaret, and an elaborately decorated archway at sunset.

Off the Silk Road

The Silk Road represents more than just the ancient trade routes linking East and West; it stands as a symbol of Central Asia’s complex history, resilience, and cultural exchange. While modern tourism often highlights the stunning architecture of cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva—famed for their mosques, madrasas, and palaces—this focus on grandeur can sometimes overlook the region's deeper narrative. Central Asia’s identity, shaped by centuries of conquest, colonialism, and independence, reveals a story of peoples who have continuously redefined themselves amidst shifting empires.

In my photography, I aim to go beyond the celebrated architecture of Uzbekistan’s Silk Road cities, capturing the daily lives of the people who continue to shape these historic landscapes.

  • Close-up view of a dome and a tower of an Islamic mosque, showing intricate patterned tiles, with a clear blue sky in the background.
  • A shirtless man standing at an open door talking to a person on a motorized scooter, with a young child crouching on the ground nearby.
  • A person walking on a paved area, carrying a stick, bags, and a plastic bag with red text, in front of a large, tiger-print hot air balloon that is deflated and on the ground.
  • A brick wall with a small opening and a colorful tower in the background. Clothes hanging on a drying rack in the foreground.
  • A window with a screen frame showing a dead bird inside, fireplace decorations on the windowsill, and an exterior wall with peeling paint.
  • Old, weathered wooden door with peeling white paint and decorative hardware, set in a stone wall with a blue house number sign reading 'ZARGARON 2'.
  • Facade of an old building with Islamic architectural features, including pointed arches and decorative tile work, surrounded by a green metal fence.
  • A standing mirror reflects a woman and two men outdoors near a brick wall with outdoor items, including pillows, visible.
View of a dome with a spire and a tall, cylindrical tower seen through an old window with peeling paint. The sky is blue.
A woman selling baked goods at a market stall. The stall displays trays of breads, pastries, and cookies, with a colorful cloth covering the front.
A young boy standing in a doorway holding a box, next to a bicycle parked outside a house with beige walls and a window with lace curtains.
Building under renovation with exposed brickwork, scaffolding, and construction materials in front.