The Desert of Forbidden Art(2011)

The Desert of Forbidden Art Synopsis

How does art survive in a time of oppression? During the Soviet rule artists who stay true to their vision are executed, sent to mental hospitals or Gulags. Their plight inspires young Igor Savitsky. He pretends to buy state-approved art but instead daringly rescues 40,000 forbidden fellow artist's works and creates a museum in the desert of Uzbekistan, far from the watchful eyes of the KGB. Though a penniless artist himself, he cajoles the cash to pay for the art from the same authorities who are banning it. Savitsky amasses an eclectic mix of Russian Avant-Garde art. But his greatest discovery is an unknown school of artists who settle in Uzbekistan after the Russian revolution of 1917, encountering a unique Islamic culture, as exotic to them as Tahiti was for Gauguin. They develop a startlingly original style, fusing European modernism with centuries-old Eastern traditions.

The Desert of Forbidden Art (2011) is a history and documentary film directed by Tchavdar Georgiev, released on March 18, 2011 with a runtime of 1h 20m. It stars Ed Asner, Sally Field and Ben Kingsley. Viewers rate it 4.7 out of 10 across 6 ratings.