As part of the Creative Collaboration programme, Uzbek photographer Husniddin Ato collaborated with UK deaf community photographer Stephen Iliffe on his “Deaf Mosaic” project. They conducted a workshop in Tashkent in May 2024, which not only showcased artistic collaboration but also highlighted the British Council Uzbekistan’s commitment to supporting inclusion in the country.
‘I am deeply grateful to the British Council for funding my recent visit to Tashkent, where I had the privilege of collaborating with the Uzbek deaf community. As a UK photographer, my “Deaf Mosaic” project aims to convey a simple yet powerful message: with the right support, deaf people can achieve anything.
At Tashkent’s prestigious House of Photography gallery, I led a two-day workshop to inspire young Uzbek deaf photographers to use cameras as tools for self-empowerment. During this workshop, we created a mural artwork that expressed the pride of Uzbekistan’s deaf community in their country, identity and culture.
This mural is just the beginning; over the next few months, we plan to create many more artworks. With sufficient resources and support, we hope to exhibit these pieces in both Tashkent and London. My long-term aspiration is for British Council Uzbekistan and ‘Deaf Mosaic’ to continue working together to build on this progress, fostering greater opportunities for the deaf community.’