The Desert Of Forbidden Art

Archaeological records speak volumes about a particular era in the history of any civilization. And, as a matter of fact, every civilization calls for some extraordinary endeavors of a special human being belonging to that era, so that it will be remembered by its successors for all times to come.

The Desert of Forbidden Art is a documentary that chronicles the real life story of a famous archaeologist, Igor Savitsky. He strived to preserve some of the most valuable artifacts and treasures of the Stalin era in a secluded desert of Western Uzbekistan. He was a man of great perseverance, who attempted to go against authority, putting even his life at stake in order to safeguard the paintings and art-pieces that reflected the salient features of a particular era. He collected around 40,000 paintings and ethnic artifacts that were banished and rotting. The museum in which he put all the valuable zeitgeist Russian creations was named as The Karakalpakstan State Museum of Art.

However, the creators of this documentary have traced the journey of Savitsky, whose passionate efforts for creative freedom couldn’t withstand for long. Unfortunately, the artifacts are now lying stale in an old building after the museum was evacuated by some pig-headed politicians of Uzbekistan. This brilliantly shot docudrama carries a tinge of ethnocentrism for the creations and belongings of their culture and traditions. Thus, it brings to the fore the contributions of Savitsky in safeguarding the identity of a great civilization.