Profile: Nargiza Usmanova

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About Nargiza Usmanova : NARGIZA USMANOVA Designer & Visual Artist Nargiza Usmanova is an award-winning visual artist and creative designer with an international career spanning more than 20 years. Based in Toronto, she specializes in Exhibit Design, Industrial & Lighting Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, and large-scale public art. She holds a diploma in Industrial & Graphic Design and has served in prominent roles such as Chief Designer and Art Director, contributing her expertise to multidisciplinary creative projects across the globe. Renowned for her innovative approach and exceptional imagination, Nargiza has authored numerous exposition projects, sculptural installations, and art-and-light works that merge artistic expression with functional, contemporary design. Her practice encompasses public spaces, interior environments, and exhibition settings, with a particular focus on lighting-based installations that transform urban landscapes and elevate the viewer’s experience. Nargiza’s creative portfolio includes interior and exterior projects, social and individual commissions, artistic and technological installations, and urban and avant-garde works. She draws inspiration from art and culture, modern architecture, history, and the evolving character of contemporary cities. Her hands-on approach and passion for integrating diverse materials and technologies allow her to craft immersive, dynamic environments. She has collaborated with the City of Toronto and participated in major cultural events and festivals, including Nuit Blanche Toronto (2022), DesignTO (2025), and the Toronto Art-Fall Festival (2019). Her large-scale installation, Global Vision, a monumental eye-shaped light sculpture presented at Nuit Blanche TO22, demonstrates her ability to animate city spaces through bold, avant-garde concepts. The work was later re-exhibited at the Cavalcade of Lights in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square, engaging thousands of visitors in the heart of the city. Her installations, exhibition designs, interior design projects, paintings, and wall art have been featured in Canada, the USA, Costa Rica, Italy, Germany, China, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. Nargiza continues to expand her artistic practice through public art initiatives, international collaborations, and exhibition design, contributing meaningful and visually compelling works to vibrant, growing cities worldwide.
STATEMENT OF ART:
INTERVIEW
2019 - Video interview for Biełaruski śviet (BELSAT TV), Toronto, Canada
https://www.facebook.com/bielaruskisviet/videos/20
33881386659039/

2018 - IT'S LIQUID GROUP / Venice, Italy
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-nargiza-usmanov
a-visions.html

2017 - IT'S LIQUID GROUP / Venice, Italy
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-nargiza-usmanov
a.html

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

ORGANIZATION:
Nargiza Design

NON-DESIGN OCCUPATION:
Artist, painter Media, graphic, printing, culture, design

EDUCATION:
1996 - 2001 – Belarusian State Academy of Arts (Bachelor's degree in Industrial & Graphic Design).

Courses: Drawing & Painting, Formal Composition, and Rules, Sculpture, and Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Practical Classes of work with Different Materials, Material Science and Technology, Architectonics, Ergonomics, Plastic Art, Chromatics, Artistic Fonts, Perspective, Surface Anatomy,
Contemporary Design Styles, Engineering Drafting, Patent Science (Minsk, Belarus).

1990 - 1995 – Architecture & Arts School (Brest, Belarus).

EXPERIENCE:
EXPERIENCE

2001 - present time - Founder, Creative Designer & Visual Artist at NARGIZA Design (Toronto, Canada) www.nargizadesign.com

2026 - present time - Founder, Designer & Artist at Nargiza Interiors (Toronto, Canada) www.nargizainteriors.com

2014 - present time - Co-founder, Art-director
NUMZ Graphics (Toronto, Canada) www.numzgraphics.com

2013/03/01 - 2016/06/20 - Chief Designer at GVA Lighting, Inc. (Oakville, Canada).

2010/12/01 - 2013/03/01 - Graphic & Exhibit Designer at GVA Lighting JLLC (Minsk, Belarus).

2005/08/01 – 2010/01/01 – ART Director at a full-service Advertising agency JUKOLApress, JLLC (Minsk, Belarus).

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).

2000-2001 – Major Designer at "KUZNIA" design studio (Minsk, Belarus).

1998-1999 – Interior Designer at "ALLADIN" salon of Italian furniture (Minsk, Belarus).

1998 – Designer at "OSMIUM" (Minsk, Belarus).

MIXED EXHIBITIONS:
2025 - ColoRise - Art installation in Erin Mills TC, Mississauga, Ontario (May 25th - July 25th, 2025)

2025 - Tangled Paths - Design TO 2025, Toronto (January - February, 2025)

2022 - 56th Cavalcade of Lights, Toronto, Light Installation, Global Vision (December 23rd, 2022 - January 7th, 2023)

2022 - NUIT BLANCHE Toronto, Light Installation, Global Vision (October 1-2nd 2022)

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, Bogotá, Colombia (March 07-30, 2018).

2017 - LIXTART Lighting and Architecture Biennale / Minsk, Belarus (November - December 2017) Venue: Gallery BUD & Palace of ART in Minsk.

2017 - ALCHEMIC BODY Bogota, Colombia (November 1 - 30th, 2017) CANADA 150 - video-art-project. FIRE. AIR. WATER. EARTH. International photography, painting, installation, video art & performance festival. Venue: Jorge Jurado Gallery; Curator: Luca Curci.

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

2017 - ANIMA MUNDI FESTIVAL - CONSCIOUSNESS & VISIONS July 13th - November 26th, 2017, Venice, Italy. Video: Art projection of Project Canada 150.

2017 - PARADE of Nations Canada 150 Birthday / Canada Day (July 1st), Toronto, Canada.

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).

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).

2017 - REFRACTION New York, USA (January 12th - November 3rd). Is a mixed-media exhibition featuring artists who work in, or are inspired by, light. Edison Price Lighting Gallery.

2016-2017 - CONTEMPORARY VENICE Venice, Italy (December 15th - January 15th) PATTERNS of LIFE
It's the Liquid International Art Show. Venue: Palazzo Flangini; Curator Luca Curci.

2016 - OXYGEN FRAGMENTED CITIES+IDENTITIES
Bogota, Colombia, November 19th - December 19th
PATTERNS of LIFE - video-art. It's Liquid International architecture, Video ART, Painting, Photography, Installation and Performing ART Festival. Venue: Jorge Jurado Gallery; Curator: Luca Curci.

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", Outsiders.

2015 - TO SEE THE SOUND International Biennale of Contemporary Art 2015 / Moscow, Russia. Moscow City Galleries Network: Beliaevo & Kashirka.

EVENTS:
2010 - 2nd prize at the competition "The best watercolour card", Minsk, Belarus. The organizer of the competition is RUE "Cryptotech" of Goznak.

2006 - Advertising Festival "Direct Marketing Days in Ukraine 2006" Kyiv, Ukraine. 2 Shortlisted projects:
- People are thinking about people! (Competition Direct Hit Direct mail В2C)
- Your Smile is Your Sunshine! (Competition Direct Hit Direct mail В2B)

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

2005 - "25th Hose Nasreddin Illustration Competition", Istanbul, Turkey.

2004 - "LOVE WHY? DESIGN21" UNESCO, FELISSIMO / Paris, France.

2001 - All-Belarusian Competition-Festival Of T-SHIRT Design "Ya-Maika" Minsk, Belarus.

AWARDS:
2024-2025 - Iron A' Design Award Winner for Tangled Paths Artistic Installation at Fine Arts & Art Installation Design Category

2024-2025 - Iron A' Design Award Winner for Branding Design Kit TELS Cargo at Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design

2024-2025 - Runner-Up for Book Illustrations - Tiny Paws Adventures, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category

2023-2024 - Iron A' Design Award Winner for Illuminated Skyline - Exhibition Booth at Trade Show, Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design Category.

2023-2024 - Iron A' Design Award Winner for Lighting Tunnel - Exhibition Booth at Trade Show, Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design Category.

2023-2024 - Runner-Up for Abstract Illustrations for TELS Art Illustrations - Annual Branding Kit at Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category

2022-2023 - Iron A' Design Award Winner for Abstract Illustrations for Branding Design Kit TELS at Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category

2021-2022 - Runner-Up for Arts, Crafts and Ready-Made Design Category in 2021 "Patterns of Life" Pendant Craft and Light Installation

2020-2021 - Silver A' Design Award Winner for Lighting Products and Lighting Projects Design Category in 2020 "Crystal" Lighting Art Installation

2020-2021 - Silver A' Design Award Winner for Performing Arts, Style and Scenery Design Category in 2020 "Outsiders" Lighting Performance

2020-2021 - Runner-Up for Arts, Crafts and Ready-Made Design Category in 2020 "Canada 150" Pendant Art and Craft Installation

2012 - SILVER at Third Innovation Award for booth design and creativity, 101-400 square foot category, Toronto, Canada.

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

1995 - Grand Prize at the competition "The History of Belarus in Paintings, Drawings, and Sculpture," Brest, Belarus.

1992 - 1st prize at the 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.

PRESS APPEARANCES:
2026 - ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHILDREN BOOK, Warsaw, Poland. Andrei Sannikov's book "Adventures of Pikki and His Friends".

2018 - ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHILDREN BOOK, Warsaw, Poland. Andrei Sannikov's book "New Adventures of Pikki & Friends".

2017 - ANIMA MUNDI Catalogue of Art Festival / Venice, Italy / Canada 150 - Art installation.
http://www.itsliquid.com/call-anima-mundi-venice-2
017.html

2017 - ILLUSTRATIONS FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK, Warsaw, Poland. Andrei Sannikov's book "The Adventures of Pikki and Tipo in the Underground City".

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" México / 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-russi
a/

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, and photography.

2007 - #2 "PHOTO-MAGIA" Magazine / Minsk, Belarus / graphic design, photography.

2003 - #3 "KORVET" The corporate magazine holding "JUKOLA" / Minsk, Belarus / person.

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.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Speaking - English, Belarusian & Russian

COURSES, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS::
October 2013 - IES Fundamentals of Lighting, Toronto, Canada
December 2015 - Supervisor Health & Safety Awareness
June 2024 - Worker Health & Safety Awareness
October 2015 - PLDC 2015
December 2014 - Can Net Zero Meet Good Design in Lighting - IIDEXCanada'14
December 2014 - Re-Thinking How We Light Our Internal Environment - IIDEXCanada'14

MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS:
Member of the Belarusian Union of Designers since 2002:
https://www.unid.by/

COLLECTIONS:
The original works are in private collections in Canada, the USA, Costa Rica, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland and Turkey.

JURY MEMBERSHIPS:
The Grand Jury Member in 2019-2026 at A'Design Award & Competition:
https://competition.adesignaward.com/jury.html
http://www.awardjury.com/

The Judge in 2017 at the Darc Awards, London, UK

HOBBIES:
Social media:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nargizaus/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/NargizaUS
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Nargiza.Design/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NumzGraphics/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nargiza-usmanova-65631
885?trk=hp-identity-name
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/nargiza_u/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@nargizausmanova2737

CLIENTELE:
www.nargizadesign.com
www.numzgraphics.com
www.nargizainteriors.com

WEB SITE:
www.nargizadesign.com

PORTFOLIO URL:
https://www.facebook.com/Nargiza.Design/

RSS URL:
www.nargizadesign.com

REGISTRATION DATE:
2019-03-12 08:51:05

COUNTRY/REGION:
Canada

ACCOUNT TYPE:
Agency

Awards received by Nargiza Usmanova


Abstract Illustrations Branding Design Kit

A' Design Award Winner for Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category in 2021
Nargiza Usmanova for Tels Group
Lighting Tunnel Exhibition Booth

A' Design Award Winner for Trade Show Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design Category in 2023
Nargiza Usmanova for Gva Lighting
Illuminated Skyline Exhibition Booth

A' Design Award Winner for Trade Show Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design Category in 2023
Nargiza Usmanova for Gva Lighting
Tangled Paths Recycled Artistic Installation

A' Design Award Winner for Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Category in 2024
Nargiza Usmanova for Yonge + St. Clair
Tels Cargo Branding

A' Design Award Winner for Advertising, Marketing and Communication Design Category in 2024
Nargiza Usmanova for Tels Cargo
Burk Residence Cottage Interior Design

Bronze A' Design Award Winner for Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category in 2025
Nargiza Usmanova for Mezza Studio
Burk Boathouse Cottage Interior Design

Bronze A' Design Award Winner for Interior Space and Exhibition Design Category in 2025
Nargiza Usmanova for Mezza Studio
Crystal Lighting Art Installation

Silver A' Design Award Winner for Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Category in 2020
Nargiza Usmanova for Yonge + St. Clair Bia
Outsiders Lighting Performance

Silver A' Design Award Winner for Performing Arts, Stage, Style and Scenery Design Category in 2020
Nargiza Usmanova for Numz Graphics
Global Vision At Nuit Blanche Lighting Art Installation

Silver A' Design Award Winner for Lighting Projects and Light Art Design Category in 2022
Nargiza Usmanova for Nuit Blanche 2022
Colorise Art Installation

Silver A' Design Award Winner for Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Category in 2025
Nargiza Usmanova for Erin Mills Town Centre

Runner-Up status designs by Nargiza Usmanova


Canada 150 Pendant Art and Craft Installation

Runner-Up for Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Category in 2020
Nargiza Usmanova for Erin Mills Tc/20 Vic Management Inc
Patterns of Life Art-Craft and Light Installation

Runner-Up for Performing Arts, Stage, Style and Scenery Design Category in 2021
Nargiza Usmanova for Numz Graphics
Global Vision At Cavalcade of Lights Lighting-Art Installation

Runner-Up for Performing Arts, Stage, Style and Scenery Design Category in 2022
Nargiza Usmanova for City of Toronto
Tels Art Illustrations Annual Branding Kit

Runner-Up for Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category in 2023
Nargiza Usmanova for Tels Group
Tiny Paws Adventures Book Illustrations

Runner-Up for Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Category in 2024
Nargiza Usmanova for Andrei Sannikov

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