About

Nargiza Usmanova

Fields of work

  • ART & LIGHT INSTALLATIONS
  • ART PERFORMANCES
  • INTERIOR DESIGN
  • EXHIBIT DESIGN
  • THEATER DECORATION
  • DECORATIVE LIGHTING
  • WALL-ART
  • ARTWORK & PAINTING
  • GRAPHIC DESIGN
  • ILLUSTRATION

Profile

Nargiza is a creative designer and visual artist with a passion for creating beauty and making our planet a better place. With a diverse skill set spanning painting and decorations, interior and exhibit design, art installations, product design, graphic design, and illustration, Nargiza has cultivated a rich career in the visual arts.

Her work experience across multiple fields has created a solid foundation for her current career as a designer, where she is able to bring her unique vision to life in a wide range of projects. Nargiza is particularly interested in architecture, art installations, and modern interiors. She loves to work with urban objects to create unique and innovative designs for public spaces.

Nargiza’s projects span the globe, having worked on design projects in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland, Turkey, and Canada. With a keen eye for detail and commitment to excellence, Nargiza is ready to bring any creative vision to life.

The Grand Jury Member in 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019 at A’Design Award & Competition:
https://competition.adesignaward.com/jury.html
http://www.awardjury.com/

The Judge in 2017 at Darc Awards, London, UK

Member of the Belarussian Union of Designers since 2002:
https://www.unid.by/members/1200-u.html

Education

1996-2001 – Belarusian State Academy of Arts (Bachelor degree in Industrial & Graphic Design) / Minsk, Belarus

Subjects studied: Drawing & Painting, Formal Composition, Sculpture, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Material Science and Technology, Architectonics, Ergonomics, Plastic Art, Chromatics, Artistic Fonts, Perspective, Surface Anatomy, Contemporary Design Styles, Engineering Drafting, Patent Science

1990-1995 – Architecture & Arts School / Brest, Belarus

Work Experience

2000/12/21 – present time – Founder, Creative Designer & Visual Artist
NARGIZA Design / Toronto, Canada – Minsk, Belarus

2014/04/28 – present time – Co-founder, Art-director
NUMZ Graphics / Toronto, Canada / ww.numzgraphics.com

2013/03/01 – 2016/06/20 – Chief Designer at GVA Lighting, Inc., Oakville, Canada
Duty: Stand design, lighting design & installations, the design of promotional materials, catalog of products design, identity & branding, photography, and web design

2010/12/01 – 2013/03/01 – Graphic & Exhibit Designer at GVA Lighting JLLC, Minsk, Belarus
Duty: Stand design, the design of promotional materials, identity

2005/08/01 – 2010/01/01 – ART Director at a full-Service Advertising agency JUKOLApress, JLLC, Minsk, Belarus.
Duty: PR, identity, advertising campaign, exhibitions, printing art, outdoor advertisements, package design

2002/10/01 – 2005/08/01 – ART Director at JUKOLApress, LLC, Minsk, Belarus

2002/01/25 – 2002/10/01 – Major Designer at automobile magazine “KORVET”, JUKOLA Holding, Minsk, Belarus.
Duty: graphic design, photography, illustration

2000-2001 – Major Designer at “KUZNIA” design-studio, Minsk, Belarus
Duty: interior design, accessories, painting, decor

1998-1999 – Interior Designer at “ALLADIN” salon of Italian furniture, Minsk, Belarus
Duty: interior design, painting, decor

1998 – Designer at “OSMIUM”, Minsk, Belarus
Duty: graphic design, ART industry

Interviews

2019 – Video interview for Biełaruski śviet (BELSAT TV), Toronto, Canada
https://www.facebook.com/bielaruskisviet/videos/2033881386659039/

2018 – ITSLIQUID GROUP / Venice, Italy
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-nargiza-usmanova-visions.html

2017 – ITSLIQUID GROUP / Venice, Italy
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-nargiza-usmanova.html

2017 – NASHA NINA / Minsk, Belarus
https://nina.nn.by/?c=lr&i=198126&lang=be

Clients

  • TELS / Transeuropean Logistic Services Ltd. (UK, Belarus, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Germany)
  • City of Toronto (Canada)
  • GVA Lighting, Inc. (Mississauga, Canada; Minsk, Belarus)
  • GLLS (Las Vegas, USA)
  • Erin Mills Town Center (Mississauga, Canada)
  • Transam Carriers (Toronto, Canada)
  • Vinyl City (Toronto, Canada)
  • Star School Academy (Vaughan, Canada)

Publications

2018 – ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHILDREN BOOK Warsaw, Poland
Andrei Sannikov book “New Adventures of Pikki & friends”
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Nargiza.Design/photos/?tab=album&album_id=315690115579781

2017 – ANIMA MUNDI Catalog of art Festival / Venice, Italy / Canada 150 art installation
http://www.itsliquid.com/call-anima-mundi-venice-2017.html

2017 – ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHILDREN BOOK Warsaw, Poland
Andrei Sannikov book “The Adventures of Pikki and Tipo in the underground city”
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Nargiza.Design/photos/?tab=album&album_id=315690115579781

2017 – “MONDO*Arc” #99 August-September, London, UK / 160 p. / Darc Awards
WALKING LIGHT, North York, Canada / Lighting Рerformance
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/mondoarc99

2017 – “MONDO*Arc” #97 April-May, London, UK / 132-133 p. / LIGHT IS ART IS LIGHT
REFRACTION team art & light exhibition, USA / Lighting design
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/ma97_issuu

2017 – “DARC Magazine” #20 March-April, London, UK / 98-99 p. / Limehouse Conservation Area
Lighting installation “12”, Limehouse, Canada / Lighting design
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/da20_digital_issuu

2016 – “MONDO*Arc” #91 June-July, London, UK / 140 p. / Lighting Performance
Close Encounter, Oakville, Canada /  Lighting design
http://www.arc-magazine.com/outsiders-canada/

2016 – “ILUMINET ON LINE” Mexico / El Bosque de Ontario entre esferas de luz
Lighting installation “12”, Limehouse, Canada / Lighting design
http://www.iluminet.com/ontario-esferas-luz/

2016 “Who is who, Designers in Belarus” ТУТЭЙШЫ Дызайн – Belarusian Union of Designers
Minsk, Belarus / Lighting design

2015 – “MONDO*Arc” #88 December-January UK / 102 p. / Light & Sound Festival 
Russia, Moscow / Lighting Installation
http://www.arc-magazine.com/to-see-the-sound-russia/

2009 – “ZNAK logotyp” Belarusian Designers Union / Minsk, Belarus / graphic design

2008 – “Who is who, Interior and Exterior Design” Belarusian Union of Designers / Minsk, Belarus / interior design, painting, photography

2007 – #2 “PHOTOMAGIA” Magazine / Minsk, Belarus / graphic design, photography

2003 – #3 “KORVET” The corporate magazine holding “JUKOLA” / Minsk, Belarus / profile

2002 – #4 “PRO Design” Magazine (Belarusian Union of Designers) / Minsk, Belarus / graphic design

2002 – #1-2 “Club NEXT” Magazine / Minsk, Belarus / industrial design

1999 – “Formal Composition” Chernishev O.V. Minsk, Belarus / graphic design

Competitions & Exhibitions

2020 – Silver A’ Design Award Winner for Performing Arts, Style, and Scenery Design Category in 2020
“Outsiders” Lighting Performance

2020 – Silver A’ Design Award Winner for Lighting Products and Lighting Projects Design Category in 2020
“Crystal” Lighting Art Installation 

2020 – Runner-Up for Arts, Crafts and Ready-Made Design Category in 2020
“Canada 150” Pendant Art and Craft Installation

2019 – ART FALL FESTIVAL 2019 ART & Light Installation “CRYSTAL” (October – November 2019)
Venue: the streets cross Yong & St. Clare in Toronto, Canada

2018 – ALCHEMIC BODY FIRE . AIR . WATER . EARTH .
Jorge Jurado Gallery, Bogota, Colombia (March 07-30, 2018)

2017 – LIXTART Lighting and architecture Biennale / Minsk, Belarus (November – December 2017)
Venue: Gallery BUD & Palace of ART in Minsk
https://www.facebook.com/events/1012045372267476/

2017 – ALCHEMIC BODY Bogota, Colombia (November 1 – 30th, 2017)
CANADA 150 – video-art-project ttp://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/canada-150-art-installation/
FIRE . AIR . WATER . EARTH . International photography, painting, installation, video art & performance festival
Venue: Jorge Jurado Gallery; Curator: Luca Curci, www.itsliquid.com
http://www.itsliquid.com/opening-alchemic-body-bogota-2017.html

2017 – Darc Awards Architectural-2017 London, UK (September 2017)
One Shortlisted Lighting Project – Walking Light at category Best Light Art Installation – Low Budget

2017 – ANIMA MUNDI FESTIVAL – CONSCIOUSNESS & VISIONS 
July 13th – November 26th, 2017, Venice, Italy. Video: Art projecting of project Canada 150 
http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/canada-150-art-installation/
http://www.itsliquid.com/opening-anima-mundi-festival-visions-venice-2017.html
http://www.itsliquid.com/feedback-release-consciousness-anima-mundi-festival-venice-2017.html 

2017 – PARADE of Nations  Canada 150 Birthday / Canada Day (July 1st) Toronto, Canada
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Nargiza.Design/photos/?tab=album&album_id=304201996728593

2017 – CANADA 150 ART Pendant Installation
Selected artist for the art installation “150 Canada Birthday at Erin Mills Town Center”
Mississauga, Canada (May-September 2017)
http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/canada-150-art-installation/

2017 – Darc Awards Decorative-2017 London, UK (May 2017).
2 Shortlisted Lighting Product Series at Categories:
– CEILING  – NARGIZA #2 Knitted series
– BESPOKE (Best Light Decorative Product) – NARGIZA #2 Knitted tubes-flex

2017 – IT”S LIQUID INTERNATIONAL CONTEST Venice, Italy (May 14th, 2017).
http://www.itsliquid.com/contest/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/itsliquidgroup/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1495513807185792

2017 – REFRACTION New York, USA (January 12th – November 3rd)
http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/painting-on-textile/
Is a mixed-media exhibition featuring artists who work in, or are inspired by light
Edison Prise Lighting Gallery. www.epl.com
http://www.epl.com/gallery/ 
http://www.epl.com/brochures/EPL-gallery-REFRACTION-guide.pdf

2016-2017 – CONTEMPORARY VENICE Venice, Italy (December 15th – January 15th)
PATTERNS of LIFE http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/patterns-of-life/
It’s Liquid International Art Show. Venue: Palazzo Flangini; Curator Luca Curci
http://www.itsliquid.com/call-contemporary-venice-2016.html

2016 – OXYGEN FRAGMENTED CITIES+IDENTITIES
Bogota, Colombia, November, 19th – December 19th 
PATTERNS of LIFE – video-art http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/patterns-of-life/
It’s Liquid International Arhitecture, Video ART, Painting, Photography,
Installation and Performaning ART Festival
Venue: Jorge Jurado Gallery; Curator: Luca Curci. www.itsliquid.com
http://www.itsliquid.com/call-oxygen-festival-bogota-2016.html 

2016 – Darc Awards at Architectural 2016 London, UK (September 2016).
2 Shortlisted Lighting Installations: “12” and OUTSIDERS: ENERGY IS INSIDE
Category ART (Best Light Art Installation) – Low Budget:
Installation “12”
http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/lighting-project-12/
Outsiders
http://numzgraphics.com/portfolio/outsiders-energy-is-inside/

2015 – TO SEE THE SOUND International biennale of Contemporary Art 2015 / Moscow, Russia
http://www.arc-magazine.com/to-see-the-sound-russia/
Moscow City Galleries Network: Beliaevo & Kashirka

2012 – SILVER at Third Innovation Award for booth design and creativity,
101-400 square foot category, Toronto, Canada
http://nargiza.net/interior/stand_gva_lighting_/_canada/

2010 – 2nd prize at competition “The best watercolor card” Minsk, Belarus
The organizer of the competition RUE “Cryptotech” of Goznak

2006 – Advertising Festival “Direct Marketing Days in Ukraine 2006” Kiev, Ukraine
2 Shortlisted projects:
– People are thinking about people! (Competition Direct Hit Direct mail В2C)
http://nargiza.net/advertising/belswissbank/
– Your Smile is Your Sunshine! (Competition Direct Hit Direct mail В2B)
http://nargiza.net/advertising/belswissbank/page/2/

2006 – III All-Russian Competition named after P.M. Tretyakov
“To 150th anniversary of the Tretiakov State Gallery”, Moscow, Russia

2005 – “25th Hose Nasreddin Illustration Competition” Istambul, Turkey.

2004 – II Belarusian Public Relations Professional Competition “Premiya-2004”.
“KORVET” magazine was nominated as “The Best Corporate Publication”, Minsk, Belarus

2004 – “LOVE WHY? DESIGN21” UNESCO, FELISSIMO / Paris, France

2001 – All-Belarusian Competition-Festival Of T-SHIRT Design “Ya-Maika” Minsk, Belarus

1995 – Grand Prize at the competition
“The History of Belarus in Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture” Brest, Belarus

1992 – 1st prize at regional competition “Spring Flowers” Brest, Belarus

1990 – 2nd prize at regional competition “To 500th F. Skorina’s anniversary” Brest, Belarus

1989 – 1st prize at city competition “The World in Children’s Eyes” Brest, Belarus