Saodat Ismailova – Amanat – As We Sleep

The first solo exhibition in Switzerland by Uzbek artist and filmmaker Saodat Ismailova, featuring her newly commissioned film Amanat and exploring Central Asian cultural and spiritual histories. About Kunsthalle Bern is pleased to present the first solo exhibition in Switzerland by Uzbek artist and filmmaker Saodat Ismailova. Ismailova's films and installations unfold along the fault lines of Central Asian landscapes steeped in ritual and myth, shifting borders and migration, and the invisible forces of empire shaping the psycho-material terrains of the present. The exhibition revolves around Ismailova's newly commissioned film Amanat (2026), whose title references that which is entrusted in one's care, and denotes a sacred responsibility that demands to be honored, protected, and passed on. The film marks the concluding chapter of Ismailova's long-term engagement with Arslanbob, a vast walnut forest in present-day Kyrgyzstan, revered for centuries as a spiritual site. Working across film, installation, archives, and sound, Ismailova explores the cultural and spiritual histories of Central Asia through myth, oral tradition, ritual, and lived experience. Amanat is co-commissioned by Swiss Institute (New York) and LUMA Foundation (Arles). COLLECTIVE LEARNING Opening Free: Thu, 10 Sep, 2026, 18:00 – Opening: Saodat Ismailova Creative Workshop for adults, artists & art students: Thu, 1 Oct, 2026, 17:00–18:30 Exhibition visit and guided relaxation with Ursina Leuteneger and Nadine Guldimann in German: Sat, 10 Oct, 2026, 17:30–19:00 Exhibition Tour Free (De): Thu, 29 Oct, 2026, 17:30 – Walk & Talk with Claudia Heim Exhibition visit and guided relaxation with Ursina Leuteneger and Nadine Guldimann in English: Sun, 1 Nov, 2026, 17:30–19:00 Read more Toggle Mixed media Installation Film / Video