INTERVIEW WITH MUMTOZ KAMILZODA

OCA Magazine: Tell us, please, about yourself and your creative activity / work.
Mumtoz Kamolzoda: I am a nutritional therapist, and I am qualifying as an herbalist this year. Both professions require a lot of creativity because neither of them is an exact science – with every patient, I need to be creative to puzzle out the source of their health issues and find the solution to help them. Medicinal herbs, especially intrigue me, as they are mysterious vital forces that can heal as a sum of a variety of actions, or hurt, as an isolated compound or in high doses.
I also occasionally dabble in painting and photography in my spare time. I used to write poems too, but mainly during two periods of my life: as a child, perhaps, as an influence of my grandfather – the poet; and at a very sad period of my life, maybe as an outlet for expressing myself without talking.

OCA: How did you choose your path and who is your role model in the creative space or life?
MK: Creativity and artistic people have been part of my life since I was born. I grew up with parents-artists, who dragged me and my artist-sister to exhibition openings as regular evening and weekend pastimes. I spent vacations with grandparents, a poet, and a literature teacher, one of whom constantly wrote poems while the other one urged me to use their library. I frequently heard reminders of my other grandfather’s legacy – composing and playing music (unfortunately, he passed away before I was born) – from my other grandmother, who was a librarian, and encouraged me to read books, too. My parents’ friends, who frequented our house, consisted of artists, filmmakers, publishers, and writers among others. All of this tremendously influenced me, and no matter what profession I choose, creativity will be a part of it.

OCA: What is your main achievement in 2023-2024?
MK: Planning a family, owning a house, and finishing my herbal medicine degree.

OCA: What is the main feature that makes you and your art/work unique?
MK: My experience in a variety of fields: arts, languages, politics, and healthcare. In addition, living and immersing myself in several countries: Tajikistan, China, India, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

OCA: Tell us, please, about the events or projects of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and projects that you have already taken part in and how does ECG influence your creativity and success in your work?
MK: When I was doing my PhD, I lived in London from 2014 to 2019 and tried to participate in most of the local ECG events. It was wonderful and exciting to meet other creative people and to witness real talents being helped on their way up. Since I moved out of London, I regret that I cannot do it as often these days.
OCA: What is your motivation and the main aim of your creativity?
MK: To help other people and my family through nutrition and herbal medicine, and to express myself in my artwork. I hope, after my graduation this year, I will have more time for painting and maybe even writing.

OCA: What would you wish for the members of the Guild and other creative people, just starting their career?
MK: Never stop trying – you will never know if it works for you unless you try. Do not give up, even if you are at your wit’s end. Somewhere, someone or something can offer a solution.