Songerie (derived from the French songer ("to dream" or "to muse") is a specter of mind states,
like daydreaming with intention,
when the mind is clear, yet shining its rays as if through a golden haze,
when contemplation and epiphanies flow and morph into each other without dishonesty, force, or pre-concieved expectations,
guided by curiosity and an ever-changing drive.
Welcome to text and visual showing of a story of a young person becoming an adult and discovering the immensity of the world, outside and within.
About:
Born in Tajikistan in 1992, raised in a post-soviet Central Asian setting with an on-going Civil War from 1992 to 1997.
In 1998 unexpectedly won Grand Prix in an internationally organized art competition for children. Got accepted to study with a fine artist Khurshed Mamadslanov with a scholarship, learned basic fundamentals of art and design until 2007.
Studied in College de Nerval in Huningue, France in 2007-2008. In 2009 FLEX Program Alumni, attended Nashua High School South in New Hampshire, USA. Studied in Florence, Italy, from August to December 2011.
Attended Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire with a scholarship from 2010 to 2014. Dropped out due to personal and family circumstances, finished pursuing Bachelors of Art degree in History & Political Studies in 2022.
Returned to Tajikistan in 2015 after 6 months in Guinea interning in an embassy setting. Interned at OSCE in Information & Political Department in Dushanbe. Hard to enact change in a dictatorship, pressure is real. Don’t want to enact change on behalf of US government, for it has a long dark history.
Existential searches, making art was a missing puzzle piece, and connection with other humans over a positive shared purpose too. After returning to art making in 2018, I felt liberated, free-thinking and clearly feeling, and wanted to help open this door for others as well. I began teaching art to adults in Dushanbe in English, “Art & Wine”. After organizing sessions for several months, I was approached by corporate clients, and began organizing these events at an improved level to a bigger audience.
Eventually in 2020 the reputation was built enough to be accepted as an Art teacher at an international MSA-accredited K-12 school. A new road, branch, folkway, breath was in my life. I worked as a teacher in that institution for the next 5 years.
At the same time worked in a human rights organization from 2019 to 2021, and implemented 4 Art Activism projects from 2019 to 2021. Organized “Philosophy & Feminism Tajik-style” Club in Bactria Cultural Center from 2018-2019.
In 2023 began employment at Articulture, Minneapolis art center, first as a teacher then in addition as a communications lead. Continued employment in communications capacity.
In 2025 left from Tajikistan to Armenia, current residence.