Arty Numpty

13/06/2025

🥀

📸: .ph

13/06/2025

what was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest

📸: .ph

03/06/2025

Some things never change — like my lift selfies and lifelong obsession with suzani 🩷💚

What always fascinated me is how every corner of Uzbekistan has its own unique take on this traditional textile art. Each region tells its own story through colours, motifs, and style.

Thanks to , I discovered that in the Fergana Valley and Kokand region (my ancestrial home!), suzanis often feature silkworms — a beautiful nod to the area’s centuries-old connection with mulberry trees and silk production🐛🌿

There’s a whole world of suzani wisdom I’ve soaked up from Yulduz opa — but for now, just wearing a belt made from scraps of a chapan she once crafted feels like enough magic to carry with me. She showed me a book, which proved these type of belts were once worn by the khans. Perfect way of spicing up my office look of the day

13/05/2025

Met someone truly special this week — Yulduz opa, a master of her craft and a soul as generous as her talent. I came to collect a very special gift, and left two hours later with a heart full of joy, a belly full of fresh sumalyak, and a mind buzzing with wisdom.

We spoke of suzani — of its stories, symbols, and stitches. It’s often a legacy passed down through generations, with every piece carrying whispers of the hands that made it. My favourite detail? The faint pencil tracings still visible on true vintage suzani — a quiet testament to the artisan’s first touch.

It can take 20 minutes just to absorb the intricacy of one piece — the colours, the motifs, each region’s identity stitched into silk and cotton. I’m in awe of Yulduz opa and her family for preserving and restoring this art for generations to come.

What is passed through a thread really is so much more than just the beauty of the fabric ✨

15/03/2025

16/02/2025

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play *goes on* and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

07/02/2025

Just got the best email—I’m back for round two as a Delegate for ✨

This year, we’re revisiting the Beijing Declaration, the boldest global blueprint for gender equality. Nearly 30 years later, progress is real, but so are the challenges. At , we’ll assess what’s working, what’s not, and how we push forward to make the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development a reality.

Gender equality isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s non-negotiable.

*The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is a comprehensive policy framework adopted unanimously by 189 countries during the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995. It is considered the most progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights, aiming to achieve gender equality and empower women worldwide.

Despite progress in some areas, the objectives of the Beijing Declaration remain unfulfilled.

22/01/2025

london et al

10/01/2025

Winter doesn’t suck—you’re just not doing it right. London’s got all cultural happenings (mostly FREE) this Jan to shake off the blues 🌀⬇️

🇺🇿 - 14/01 will be hosting a masterclass by an Honoured Artist of Uzbekistan, Ilyos Arabov, to discuss and demonstrate his art. FREE!

🇺🇿- 15/01 An evening of conversation between artist .kadyri and art historian VivekGupta. FREE with reservation via .kadyri‘s bio

🇺🇿 - 17/01 A reception, screening, and discussion of the award-winning documentary, ‘Amu Darya: River to a Missing Sea’ at the . FREE with reservation via .amu.darya bio

🇺🇿 - 23/01 Lecture “Uzbekistan on the Reform Path” at FREE with reservation via EVENTBRITE

🇹🇯 - 28/01 Tajik cookery class with and featuring Tajik classic dishes. £55 via EVENTBRITE

🤍🩵 - 29/01 An evening of music and poetry
Featuring Uyghur musicians and Shohrat Nur. £8 via EVENTBRITE

19/12/2024

Today marks a pivotal moment—the Pelicot trial has finally reached its conclusion, redefining how the world talks about consent and justice.

For me, this hits close to home. My journey of going through domestic violence and abuse as a teenager is not something in ashamed of sharing. I’ve walked through the system, with charities, associations, community of women who uplifted me, and learned that shame has no place on the victim. The weight of accountability belongs to those who inflict harm. That belief has fueled me to speak openly, whether on podcasts, in interviews, or even in the House of Lords, advocating for awareness and honest conversations.

This journey has also made me aware with incredible projects in Uzbekistan such as .uz —whose work I’m immensely proud of.

On a personal note, 2024 was a balancing act of dreams. While I couldn’t fully immerse myself as a CSW68 delegate for UN Women UK, my energy was dedicated to organizing a cultural representation for the ’s Eid in the Square with As someone who immigrated to the UK as a child with no English, bringing my Uzbek heritage to Trafalgar Square was a once-in-a-lifetime honour.
Never in the world would I have imagined to be where I am today. Sometime ago just speaking up was something I dreaded let alone speaking infront of many many people. Let’s see what 2025 brings 🚀

16/12/2024

Is it just me, or does the end-of-year burnout hit like a freight train? Imposter syndrome? Check. Fatigue? Double check. I’m trying to snap out of it all by listing things I’ve achieved, gained, given this year, yet whilst an urge of pride and satisfaction temporarily hits me - the fatigue kicks in yet again, and I feel more like limping than sprinting to the finish line… Rest? Not yet.

Hastily searching for a coastal town in pursuit of fresh breath of air, which turns out to be one of the most famous pirate ports in the 13th century here in England. Rye, far far far away from the noisy streets of London, polluted air, constant traffic and forever clogged up TFL - is a tiny little town with surprisingly rich history. Protected by the conservation, where locals aren’t even allowed to change the colour of their front door without a long winded authority’s approval, yet making the town quirky at every corner. Carried by the serendipity, we have found a local’s gem serving freshly caught fish every day. On our way back, we even met an engineer from Kent, who often travelled to Central Asia and was eager to show us photos of Uzbekistan from his last trip. He even passed the delicacy check when I have questioned him if he was a fan of qazi ( 🐎🥩)