What Remained of Farrukh. About the Tajik Designer Who Left Behind More Than Just His Work
A year after Farrukh Safarzade’s death, he continues to be remembered not only as a talented designer, but also as a person who knew how to support, unite, and inspire others. Colleagues, students, and friends shared what character traits and views of his remained with them.
I’m sitting at Farrukh’s mother’s place. Having tea. She’s finishing cooking chicken. Exactly the kind her son loved. Golden crust, sweet and sour sauce, roasted vegetables on the side. «Come by more often, at least that way I’ll get up to cook. Otherwise, since Farrukh died, I don’t even want to cook for myself,» she says.
Over this past year, I’ve already sat with her like this several times, over tea. Sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with someone else who knew Farrukh. And each time I noticed the same thing: as soon as the conversation turns to him, to some story, a detail, a random phrase he once said, her face changes. She lights up. As if that’s exactly how she reclaims another small piece of his life that she herself never saw. Not because she didn’t know her son. On the contrary, she knew her only child better than anyone. But every person has a life that even the closest person doesn’t see. Farrukh the friend. Farrukh the colleague. Farrukh the mentor.
So, over a cup of tea, she pieces him together. From others’ memories, from intonations, from funny and touching stories, from details that others preserved.
Perhaps that’s why, as we approached the first anniversary of Farrukh Safarzade’s death, we didn’t want to list his awards, projects, and professional achievements. All of that hasn’t gone anywhere. We wanted to collect something else — what remained of Farrukh in people.
A year after Farrukh Safarzade’s death, he continues to be remembered not only as a talented designer, but also as a person who knew how to support, unite, and inspire others. Colleagues, students, and friends shared what character traits and views of his remained with them.
I’m sitting at Farrukh’s mother’s place. Having tea. She’s finishing cooking chicken. Exactly the kind her son loved. Golden crust, sweet and sour sauce, roasted vegetables on the side. «Come by more often, at least that way I’ll get up to cook. Otherwise, since Farrukh died, I don’t even want to cook for myself,» she says.
Over this past year, I’ve already sat with her like this several times, over tea. Sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with someone else who knew Farrukh. And each time I noticed the same thing: as soon as the conversation turns to him, to some story, a detail, a random phrase he once said, her face changes. She lights up. As if that’s exactly how she reclaims another small piece of his life that she herself never saw. Not because she didn’t know her son. On the contrary, she knew her only child better than anyone. But every person has a life that even the closest person doesn’t see. Farrukh the friend. Farrukh the colleague. Farrukh the mentor.
So, over a cup of tea, she pieces him together. From others’ memories, from intonations, from funny and touching stories, from details that others preserved.
Perhaps that’s why, as we approached the first anniversary of Farrukh Safarzade’s death, we didn’t want to list his awards, projects, and professional achievements. All of that hasn’t gone anywhere. We wanted to collect something else — what remained of Farrukh in people.
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