DUSHANBE, March 4, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- A work by Tajik artist has been displayed at Sotheby’s auction house in London.

“The Wall” by Tajik artist Aleskey Rumyantsev is among works by nearly 50 artists from Central Asia and the Caucasus that have been displayed at the weeklong “At the Crossroads” exhibit and sale that opened at the world-famous Sotheby’s action house on March 4.  The exhibition takes place at Sotheby’s New Bond Street premises in London from March 4 until March 12.

Works by Aleksey Rumyantsev have been displayed in various exhibitions in Moscow (Russia), Bukhara (Uzbekistan) and Paris (France).

According to Artdaily.org, this first ever selling exhibition of Contemporary Art from Central Asia and the Caucasus features a range of nonconformist, socialist realist, and contemporary artworks from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Many of the works in "At the Crossroads" are being exhibited in the West for the first time, meaning good exposure -- and potential profits -- for the artists involved. All of the pieces are on sale, with list prices starting at $3,000 and rising to Salakhov’s $500,000 portrait.

Artdaily.org notes that commenting on this pioneering initiative, Jo Vickery, Senior Director and Head of Sotheby’s Russian Art Department in London, said: “Countries throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia have experienced rapid growth in recent years and this is also true of the art scene there.  New collectors, art institutions and galleries are emerging every day, and it is an exciting new geography for Sotheby’s to explore.  We are therefore delighted to present this landmark selling exhibition, which encompasses the diverse artistic practices of the region that combine ancient historical roots with techniques at the forefront of contemporary art.”