NAFISA — is a research and exhibition project about women’s art in Bashkortostan, launched by ZAMAN Contemporary Art Museum in 2022. The project’s goal is to give visibility to the women’s names of the local scene, initiate research about them, discover connections among artists of different generations, as well as to document and archive their biographies and art.

NAFISA — is a female name of Turkic etymology stemming from the word nәfis. The name is wide-spread among the peoples of Volga region, Central Asia, and in Arab countries. Nәfis is translated as “refined” or “sophisticated,” and together with a noun it can mean “artistic.” For instance, nәfis film means “fiction film,” and nәfis sәngat refers to “fine arts.” The use of this name reflects the project’s focus on women’s artistic legacy, while also emphasizing its local angle.