Hojagulieva Maral, Woman's Work, 2006. Courtesy Mercer Art Gallery

The art of Turkmenistan is coming to Yorkshire in a new exhibition at the Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate.

Yorkshire artist Bridget Tempest and the gallery’s curator of art Jane Sellars have collaborated with Turkmen artists to bring a rare glimpse of the arts and heritage of this central Asian republic.

The exhibition, Beyond the Caspian Sea: Art From Turkmenistan, runs until January 29 2008 and features more than 30 contemporary oil paintings and 40 works on paper.

They show how Turkmen artists have assimilated influences from other artistic traditions and incorporated them into their own decorative language, creating rich and symbolic works.

Miradaliev Annadurdy, Consultation, 1998. Courtesy Mercer Art Gallery

Paintings are shown next to historic carpets, jewellery and embroidered textiles.

Carpet weaving is an ancient Turkmen tradition, while women’s wedding jewellery is derived from armour and usually made of silver and set with cornelian and turquoise.

Beautiful embroidered coats are included, covered with symbolic designs.

Recent photographs by Stuart Holmes are also displayed, showing the desert scenery around the Caspian Sea, next to archive photos of when Turkmenistan was part of the Soviet Union.