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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. 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 |
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Awards received by Nargiza Usmanova
Runner-Up status designs by Nargiza Usmanova
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Good design deserves great recognition. |
A' Design Award & Competition. |