It is generally known that Fergana valley is
called The Pearl of Central Asia. We do believe that Fergana city can easily bear the
name of The Pearl of Fergana valley.
Historically, Fergana may be compared to Antiochia
ad Oronte, so antique with its Greek and Syrian
inhabitants with glowing splendor and idyl of Hellenic culture.
Fergana emerged as a city back in 1877 on the
banks of Margilan river. It is the city with ancient and clean
architectonics of the town-planning structure, straight avenues with
plane trees forming a permanent shade during hot July days. The city is
beautifully linked to all the nearby suburbs, including the slightly
more remote Shakhimardan village also known as the Swiss Alps of
Fergana valley.
The beauty and peace dwell in this area for
decades and all this nurtured many Fergana artists whose talents ranged
from brutal cosmopolitism and avantgarde to traditionalism and very
dense realism.
Fergana art school began with Alexander Volkov,
who in early 1920s created a number of masterpieces including the
"Pomegranate Teahouse", the world class painting that is kept in
Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
His followers and students include Peter Nikiforov
- a Master of delicate watercolor landscapes and still life poems,
Leonid Panchenko, Alexander
Uzlov, Lev Snegirev and many others, who in 1960s-70s made
Fergana a respectful member of fine art community.
