Malik Nabiyev

Malik Nabiyev (1916-2008) was a People's Artist of Uzbekistan, academician, professor, laureate of several state awards, and was awarded the «For Great Merits» (Buyuk xizmatlari uchun) order (2000) by the State for creating perfect images of our great ancestors and contemporaries.

Malik Nabiyev was born in Tashkent in 1916. He began his teaching career in 1937 at the P. Benkov Republican Art College. From 1958 until the end of his life, Nabiyev introduced several generations of talented youth to the secrets of fine arts at the Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizami. The artist's works, depicting great historical figures and devoted contemporaries, have earned wide public recognition. Among them are Nabiyev's paintings such as «Spitamen», «Portrait of Beruni», «Tamara Khanum», «Shepherd», «Portrait of Doctor Mahmudova», and «Builder».

Malik Nabiyev's creativity developed further, especially during the years of Independence. The artist created unique portraits of the great sons of the Uzbek people - Babur, Fitrat, Usman Nasir, and others. In particular, the portrait of our great forefather, the Sahibkiran Amir Temur, created by Nabiyev in 1994, became a major event not only in fine arts but also in the development of our country's cultural life.

Malik Nabiyev mainly worked in the historical genre, creating portraits of scholars and cultural figures. The exhibition presented multi-faceted historical compositions created at various stages of Amir Temur's life, from his youth to his old age. One of the portraits of Amir Temur from the artist's brush has been recognized as the standard image of the great commander and statesman. This success inspired the artist and encouraged him to carefully study historical documents, books, and archival materials related to Amir Temur and his era.

Portraits of the national freedom fighter Spitamen and the great scientist and thinker Abu Rayhan Beruni also rank among the artist's best works.

Nabiyev visited more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia, and America to see with his own eyes the architectural monuments, museums, and exhibition halls where the great works of other artists are kept. Despite having thoroughly mastered various directions of world art, the artist remained loyal to the traditions of realism. The studies and finished works based on impressions from trips to India, Cuba, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, which were included in the exposition, testify to this.

Malik Nabiyev, who was able to create perfect images of our great ancestors and contemporaries, was awarded the state order «For Great Merits» (2000).

On February 17, 2011, the «IJOD» Association of Artists, Art Historians, and Folk Craftsmen held a memorial evening dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Malik Nabiyev's birth. Also, the exhibition named «Generations» by his son Khusan Nabiyev and his grandson Anvar is in harmony with this theme.

A documentary film telling about the life and path of the prominent figure was shown at the event, and the artist's colleagues, numerous students, and relatives spoke in memory of the famous artist and his work.