One of the most beautiful buildings adorning the centre of Tashkent — the Exhibition Hall of the Union of Artists of Uzbekistan (now the Central Exhibition Hall of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan) — was opened in 1974.

The structure appears simultaneously light and monumental. The sense of airiness is created by the arches framing the façades; on closer inspection, their shape forms stylised cotton bolls.

The building is 15 metres high and has two floors: the first was intended for sculpture, graphics and folk applied arts; the second for painting. Inside there is an artist-supplies shop, and on the left side of the building is the “Hamar” gallery.

The design was created by architect Rafael Khayrutdinov in collaboration with F. Tursunov. Construction, carried out by the “Glavtashkentstroy” trust, took two years.

The total exhibition area is 2,500 m², making it one of the largest exhibition halls in Central Asia. The main wall is decorated with an ornamental pattern that has become an iconic symbol of Tashkent. Particularly noteworthy is the original ceiling with semicircular skylights that allow daylight in while blocking direct sunlight.

The building is located at the intersection of Islam Karimov and Sharof Rashidov avenues. In front of it is a small park with sculptures that, during the annual art festivals, turns into an open-air workspace for dozens of young painters and sculptors.

The hall regularly hosts exhibitions of both renowned masters of fine arts and emerging artists.