BOOK: Sergei Parajanov on photographs and stories by Youri Mechitov - Fr, 24.10. in the Newsroom Caffé in Tbilisi

Newsroom Caffé in Tbilisi

Lado Asatiani 13, 0105 Tiflis

On October 24, at 7pm Newsroom Caffe is pleased to invite you at the presentation of the Biographical Album "Sergei Parajanov on photographs and stories by Youri Mechitov"

The Album was issued in three languages: English, French and Russian and is enriched with photos.

Also, photo exhibition "Marcello Mastroianni visiting Parajanov" will be held in frames of the presentation.

Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase the signed Album from the author.
 

PHOTO BOOTH: Dina Oganova’s Faces of Georgia. Posted by Thea Traff (newyorker.com)

(newyorker.com) At a time when many journalists in post-Soviet states have turned their attention to the encroaching threat of Russia, the photographer Dina Oganova has continued to document life in her home country of Georgia. Inspired by the Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov, Oganova began studying photography in Tbilisi, the nation’s capital. Oganova prefers her subjects to be strangers, and she told me that most Georgian people readily agree to be photographed. “They don’t understand that a photographer is a profession,” she says. “Everyone loves to see how I make the photos.”

Oganova, who is twenty-seven, has seen a lot of change in Georgia. “I was a child when the first war started here,” she told me, referring to the 1992–93 war in Abkhazia. “Of course, I didn’t understand during that period. We called it a civil war, but now I understand that it was war with Russia. It’s crazy, but I can’t go to Abkhazia because I have a Georgian passport. When we had the five days of war with Russia, in 2008, we lost South Ossetia. No one said that it was a war; everyone said that it was a conflict. But I can’t say that. When a lot of people die, when you lose your friends, it’s not just a conflict. It’s a war.”

Above is a selection from “I am Georgia,” an ongoing project that Oganova began in 2007.

All photographs by Dina Oganova. more here >>>

dikarka.ge/i-am-georgia

KULTUR: Iberia-Festival 2012 in den Niederlanden

AMSTERDAM - zum dritten Mal in Folge wird das Festival Iberia organisiert. Die ArtEcho Stiftung begann im Jahr 2010 mit der Veranstaltung, mit dem Ziel, der unbekannten und reichen georgischen Kultur in den Niederlanden mehr Bewusstsein zu verschaffen.

Dieses Jahr wird das Festival unter dem Namen "Georgien: Lokale Zeit." stattfinden. Mit Gesang, Malerei, Fotografie und sogar einem Workshop wird vom 23. bis 25. März das Festival stattfinden.

Neben dem inzwischen schon traditionellen Standort Leiden wird eine Veranstaltung einen Tag und in Keukenhof sein. Es werden auch Veranstaltungen auf der Insel Texel organisiert.

Die Insel unterhält eine besondere Beziehung zu Georgien. Der Aufstand der Georgier, war ein Aufstand der georgischen Kriegsgefangenen gegen die Deutschen. Der Aufstand begann am 6. April 1945 und endete am 20.

Es gibt Konzerte des berühmten nationalen Rustavi-Ensemble, Ausstellungen georgischer Malerei und Fotografie und Workshops in Gesang und Trommeln.

Auf Initiative der First Lady von Georgien Sandra Roelofs, selbst Niederländerin, wurde das  besonderes Projekt in die Niederlande ins Leben gerufen. Die Arbeit des kürzlich verstorbenen georgischen Künstlers Paata Kuparadze unter dem Titel "Colour Party" ist ein spezieller Teil des Festivals.

Für weitere Informationen: www.festivaliberia.nl

Source: www.telegraaf.nl

ART: Tbilisi Photo Festival 2011 25-31 May (europeanweek.ge)

Europe House Georgia and Tbilisi Photography House are pleased to organize the second annual Tbilisi Photo Festival which will take place during European Week in Georgia from 25-31 May 2011.

A contributing partner is the Arles Photo Festival (Les Rencontres Photographiques d'Arles) whose program, La Nuit de l'Année, will be presented on May 28 during the open air screenings in Old Tbilisi and includes the productions of leading p...hoto-agencies, newspapers, news agencies and magazines.

In addition, A Night of Photography - Tbilisi Photo Festival night screenings program - will present the works of various Georgian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Russian, Turkish and Iranian photographers. As well as the LAF PROJECT and OSI Documentary photography program winners…

The Tbilisi Photo Festival is also pleased to host the following four exhibitions during European Week:

- KAVKAZ, by Thomas Dworzak, a member of the Magnum Agency

-CHANGES, a collection of images describing the events of the Egyptian, Tunisian, Georgian, Kyrgyz and Ukrainian revolutions by the leading photo-reporters – Alex Majoli, Yuri Kozyrev, Dominic Nahr, Lionel Charrier, Julien Daniel, Guillaume Binet, Justyna Mielnikiewicz...

- EXPLICATIONS - Modern Georgian Photography, a selection of images from the second part of 20th century until present

-DMITRY ERMAKOV COLLECION Georgian Photography of the end of 19th century - a selection of images of the collection Dmitry Ermakov, one of the pioneers of photography in Georgia.

The Georgian Museum of History and TBILISI PHOTO FESTIVAL are pleased to present this collection to a public audience for the first time ever.

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PRESS RELEASE

Following the success of the first Tbilisi Photo Festival which gathered 15,000 people in May
2010, the capital of Georgia is pleased to welcome this second edition. The festival will be held between 25 and 31 May 2011.

During the 'Night of Photography', on May 28 a Caucasian version of the Nuit de l'Année of
the Arles photography festival, ten screens will once again be set up in the streets and squares
of Tbilisi’s old town, showcasing the work of the greatest photographic associations, agencies, magazines and publications (AFP, Liberation, Noor, Reuters, MYOP, VII, etc.) from dusk to dawn.
But since Tbilisi is at the heart of the Caucasus,

at the point where the culture ofTurkey, Iran, Russia and other European countries meet, the city aims to be a space where young photographers from this diverse yet interlinked world will converge. The Festival’s screens will therefore also present – in between the work of the great names of photography – the images of many young photographers from Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran..

The Photo Festival, an event jointly organised by Tbilisi Photography House and by Europe House georgia, will be part of the ‘European Week’ in Tbilisi. Europe house is foundation which aims to promote European values and culture in Georgia.

Four exhibitions will also attempt to illustrate the Caucasus as a meeting-point of different worlds which became intertwined with a Europe whose modernity was revealed to it in the 'click' of a camera shutter

Georgia at the Crossroads of Modernity – The XIXth-Century’s Ermakov Collection

A selection of images from the collection of Dimitri Ermakov (1848-1916) will be shown for the first time. Having only just finished restoring them to their former glory, Tbilisi's History Museum has lent a series of images taken by this pioneer of photography in the Caucasus to the organizers of the Tbilisi Photo Festival: pictures documenting the construction of the South Caucasus railway, portraits of members of the Georgian aristocracy, images of the art of bathing in Tbi l isi 's sulphur baths,
mountainous landscapes, pictures of Tbilisi and Batumi whose subtle charms are heightened by their mixture of the oriental and the European...

Changes

The Arab Spring of 2011, the coloured revolutions of the former Soviet Union... a world in revolt. This group exhibition, organised in partnership with the young and promising Parisian gallery La Petite Poule Noire, brings together the work of photographers who witnessed these dramatic events – from
Belgrade to Bishkek, Tbilisi to Tunis, via Kiev to Cairo. Alex Majoli, Dominic Nahr, Thomas Dworzak (Magnum), Yuri Kozyrev (Noor), Lionel Charrier, Julien Daniel and Guillaume Binet (MYOP), Justyna Mielnikiewicz...

Kavkaz by Thomas Dworzak

The famous Magnum photographer will present us with the first complete exhibition of his work, taken from his book Kavkaz. 'During the spring of 1993, I decided to live in Tbilisi for a few months before returning to university. It was then that I discovered the cultures of the Caucasus. Hospitality, the beauty of languages, the unbelievable speed of change during the post-Soviet period, war and conflict, courage and cruelty'

This German photographer – known for his brave work during the brutal wars in Chechnya – will show us 80 of his black-and-white photographs of the noisy and furious Caucasus which he captured with his lens.

Georgia - New Generation

Some began to take photographs during the Soviet Union, and others began later... but from the early 1990s onwards all of them devoted themselves body and soul to their art. This exhibition will introduce us to the work of the masters of modern photography such as Yuri Mechitov – who produced a series of portraits of film director Sergei Parajanov, Guram Tsibakhashvili and his Explanations – as well as to the images of young photographers such as Beso Uznadze, David Meskhi and Marika Asatiani, whose work is beginning to charm the European photography world. The highlight of this exhibition? A wonderful series of photographs produced by a real self-taught photographer named Shalva Alkhanaidze.

Lectures and discussions will also be held during this European Week in Tbilisi. Politicians and artists alike will share their visions of Europe, of its ties with Georgia and of the dramatic events which are shaping our world in the XXIst century.

Programme: www.europeanweek.ge

Curators
Lionel Charrier and Nestan Nijaradzé
in France
l.charrier@europehousegeorgia.org / + 33 679331460
in Georgia :
nijaradzenestan@hotmail.com / +995 99559592

Coordinator
Irma Inaridzé
inaridze@hotmail.com /+ 995 99 22 32 95

Contact press
in France
Charles van den Boogaerd,
charles@noecom.com / +33 6 31 17 65 69
in Georgia
Irma Inaridzé
inaridze@hotmail.com /+ 995 99 22 32 95

Logo for Tbilisi photo festival: © Zango Design

VIDEO: Armenia/Georgia InsideOut in Dresden (dresdeneins.tv)

Video >>>

Kaukasisches Lebensgefühl in Loschwitz. In der Galerie der Alten Feuerwache Loschwitz ist derzeit die Fotoausstellung „Armenia/Georgia InsideOut“ zu sehen. Die Exposition soll dem Betrachter einen Blick auf die beiden kaukasischen Staaten aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln vermitteln.

O-Ton: Marcus Oertel, Organisator, 1. Vorsitzender KulturAktiv e.V.
Insgesamt zehn Künstler präsentieren ihre Werke. Sie zeigen teils frappierende Momente im Spannungsfeld zwischen Tradition, Transformation und Moderne. Die Bilder erzählen Geschichten; und oft gibt es hinter der Geschichte noch eine weitere. So auch bei dieser Fotografie des armenischen Künstlers Yuri Mekhitow. Sie zeigt die Beerdigung des 1990 verstorbenen armenischen Regisseur Sergej Parajanov.

O-Ton: Yuri Mekhitov, Künstler aus Georgien
Auch der Dresdner Künstler Harald Schluttig präsentiert seine Fotografien im Rahmen der Ausstellung; unter seinen Werken eine Aufnahme von der jungen Armenierin Margarita.

O-Ton: Harald Schluttig, Künstler aus Dresden
Die Ausstellung ist Bestandteil des Europäischen Kunstprojektes „Transkaukazja2011“, dass in diesem Jahr immer wieder zeitgenössische Kunst aus dem Kaukasus in Dresden präsentieren wird.

„Armenia/Georgia InsideOut“ kann noch bis 6. Februar in der Alten Feuerwache Loschwitz besucht werden.

Externe Links
www.transkaukazja.eu
www.kulturaktiv.org/verein/verein.html
www.feuerwache-loschwitz.de/galerie.html

EXHIBITION: "Armenia/Georgia InsideOut" in Dresden (Germany) (transkaukazja.eu)

I'd like to introduce you exhibition in Dresden, Germany, "Armenia/Georgia InsideOut".
The opening is 10.01.2011-06.02.2011

Armenia/Georgia InsideOut
Fotoausstellung im Rahmen von Transkaukazja2011
Eröffnung am 10.01.2011, 20 Uhr,
Alte Feuerwache Loschwitz (Ausstellung vom 10.01. – 06.02.2011

Mit authentischen und faszinierenden Fotografien von zehn kaukasischen und deutschen Künstlern finden wir einen außergewöhnlichen Zugang zu Menschen, Kultur und Natur der zwei kaukasischen Republiken. Die Anwesenheit mehrerer Künstler, armenische Musik und ein nettes Büfett lassen den Abend zu einem besonderen Erlebnis werden.

With the exhibition „Armenia/Georgia InsideOut” Kultur Aktiv e.V. wants to show these two Caucasian Countries from different points of view: The artist from Armenia and Georgia with the inner view to the both countries, from Germany and Austria with the outer and from the Armenian Diaspora- with their own view.

Names of the participating artists:
Carlos Jose Bourdjian (Syria)
Karen Grigoryan (Armenia)
Aleksey Manukyan (Armenia) (present at vernisage)
Yuri Mekhitow (Georgia) (present at vernisage)
Elena Pagel (Germany/Russia) (present at vernisage)
Elene Rakviashvilli (Georgia)
Zaven Sargsyan (Armenia)
Harald Schluttig (Germany) (present at vernisage)
Holger Wendland (Germany) (present at vernisage)
Siegfried Woeber (Austria)
The Film Association of Sachsen, with Uwe Penckert personally, will start the exhibition with the evening of Sergey Paradjanov already from the 09.01.2011 at 5 pm in cinema Programmkino Ost.

Weitere Informationen unter: www.transkaukazja.eu und forum.kulturaktiv.org

+++

Marcus Oertel
KULTUR AKTIV e.V.- 1. Vorsitzender -
Mail/Post: Louisenstr. 29, D - 01099 Dresden
Visitors/Besucher *NEU*: Bautzner Str. 49, D - 01099 Dresden

tel: +49-(0)-351-811 37 55
mobil: +49-(0)-163-170 62 27
Fax: +49-(0)-351-811 37 54
mail: marcus.oertel@kulturaktiv.org
skype: marcass_
www.kulturaktiv.org

BOOK: Sergey Parajanov. Chronicle of the Dialogue. By Yuri Mechitov (mechitov.net)

Introduction

When Sergey Parajanov passed away, I was left with pain, sorrow, regret and an immense photo archive. Practically every day of our almost 12 year long relationship was filmed by me.
Sergey was fond of being photographed, quite often was the author of the compositions, which later proved to be the best. I indulged him with photographs and part of them he immediately autographed and gave away, the rest he used for his numerous collages. Parajanov praised me for my shots in every way, saying: ”Take my photographs more often, your (?!) future is in them.” But once he sent me an amazing letter.

My dear and beloved Yura!

I beg of you not to take my photographs anymore. You have created the splendid portrait of me and that is enough for a life. Don’t shoot me with your camera. You have taken approximately 1000 photographs, related to me. Even sold at 10 kopeks each it will make the sum, which I will never be able to pay. I am tired of struggling with my conscience every time I receive another set. Believe me, I spare your creative potential and love you very much!!!
S.P.

Sergey was right- even in his lifetime, and even more after his death, there was a great demand for my photographs of Parajanov for various publications, exhibitions, films, sculptural compositions… I even managed to buy my first, though second hand, automobile with the payment I got for one of them. These photographs, some copyrighted, some not, have been spread all over the world. As for me, I’ve been haunted by an ambitious thought to see my best shots of Sergey Iosifovich gathered under one cover. I made a few attempts to compose a layout, but every time something went wrong, I was not satisfied.

About two years ago my old friend, a writer and a director, Levon Grigorian advised me to give the book the title “Sergey Parajanov. The Chronicle of a Dialogue”, in which I would speak in more detail about my relationship with Parajanov. This title predetermined the concept and the architectonic of the book, and the work started.

Now the book is in front of you. It is the tribute to the memory of the great artist, who with his life and work has influenced and still continues to influence those of the new generation who crave for true, elevating art. Personally I have been taught much by Parajanov, though his lessons were at times extremely hard to take for the man who was far from the world of beauty then. While working with him I was never tired to get amazed how he got the supreme cinematographic quality by daringly putting together the most controversial things.

I would like the reader of this edition to be able to get an access to the extraordinary, fantastic world, to the universe, whose name is Sergey Parajanov.

Yuri Mechitov,
December, 2006



more about the great photographer Yuri Mechitoy on his website: www.mechitov.net

BOOK: Georgian Dishes (mechitov.net)

Those who have ever tasted Georgian dishes would find the experience unforgettable. So the book on the Georgian cuisine compiled by TV journalist Merab Beradze and published in the Russian, English, German, French, Spanish, and German languages is sure to be of great interest to many people, especially foreign visitors to Georgia. The book presents recipes of Georgian dishes accompanied with wonderful color photos by Yuri Mechitov and Maia Deisadze and a photo collection of Georgian wines. The book is designed by Giorgi Avsajanishvili.

For information please call: 899 571 943
energiatv@yahoo.com

here available in russian and german languages >>>

AUSSTELLUNG: Georgien bei Klinger (goerlitzer-anzeiger.de)

Görlitz-Zgorzelec. Die renommierte Galerie Klinger zeigt in Zusammenarbeit mit der Görlitzer Kulturservicegesellschaft mbH in der Zeit vom 6. November 2010 bis 8. Januar 2011 eine Ausstellung. Die Ausstellung heißt "Weltkunstreihe XIV Georgien. Zu sehen sein werden Fotografien von Elene Rakviashvili und Yuri Mekhitov. Großartige Aufnahmen.

Das Projekt wird unterstützt von Kulturaktiv e.V. innerhalb des Transcaucasija Programms der EU und des Büros für Kultur und Bildung der EU.

Prädikat: Unbedingt hingehen!

Vernissage am Sonnabend, 6. November 2010, 17 Uhr, Galerie Brüderstraße 9, Görlitz.

Elene Rakviashvili wird anwesend sein.

Die Laudatio hält Holger Wendland aus Dresden.

Marc Winkler, Görlitz, wird die Vernissage musikalisch begleiten.

Die Galerie ist von Montag bis Sonnabend von 10 bis 18 Uhr geöffnet.

Foto: Yuri Mekhito

Vorschaubild: Elene Rakviashvili

EXHIBITION: Stations Paris - Kiev - Tbilissi

L’Ambassade d’Ukraine & l’Ambassade de Géorgie en France
ont le plaisir de vous inviter au vernissage
de l’exposition

Stations Paris - Kiev - Tbilissi
Lieu, Temps, Evènement
le jeudi 20 mai 2010 à 19h

Cocktail

Espace Culturel
de l’Ambassade d’Ukraine
22, avenue de Messine
Paris 75008

Plus d’infos sur : www.mfa.gov.ua/france - www.france.mfa.gov.ge
www.mari.kiev.ua - www.caravansarai.org - www.artisterium.org - www.art.gov.ge

Stations Paris - Kiev - Tbilissi
Lieu, Temps, Evènement
Exposition du 07 mai au 01 juin 2010

Espace Culturel de l’Ambassade d’Ukraine
Du lundi au vendredi
De 9h30 à 13h et de 14h30 à 19h

22, avenue de Messine, Paris 75008
Métro Miromesnil, ligne 9
www.mfa.gov.ua
Renseignements 01 43 59 03 5

Stations Paris - Kiev - Tbilissi / Lieu, Temps, Evènement
Les organisateurs présentent des photographies & des vidéos d’artistes français, ukrainiens & géorgiens. La thématique de l’exposition est « Lieu, Temps, Evènement ».

Artistes : Zura Arabidze, Jacques Crenn, Igor Gaidai, Shalva Khakhanashvili, Chrystyna
Kushch-Katrakis, Luca Lazar, Belka Meskhishvili, Yuri Mechitov, Uwe Ommer,
Edouard de Pazzi, Anton Solomoukha, Viktor Sydorenko, Pierre Terrasson,
Arthur Thévenart, Oleg Timchenko, Thierry Valencin & Iliko Zautashvili.

Evènement : Le vendredi 28 mai 2010 à 17h des rencontres professionnelles seront organisées avec les participants, accompagnées de projections & suivies de débats. La styliste Lolita Meski présentera sa collection de mode 2010/11 et son équipe de création.

Organisation : Caravansarai Echanges Artistiques, AS EditProd, Centre de Coordination Globale Culture & Art – CGCCA & l’Association Artisterium
Contact : shalvak@free.fr
+33 6 16 71 28 26

Commissaires : Shalva Khakhanashvili, Anton Solomoukha & Magda Guruli

Coordination : Elena Cahn

Itinéraire de projet :
- Centre Culturel d’Ukraine, du 07 mai au 01 juin 2010, Paris
- La Grande Galerie de l’Institut d’Art Moderne d’Ukraine, Septembre 2010, Kiev
- Artisterium III Festival, du 02 au 10 Octobre 2010, Tbilissi

Avec le soutien de :
l’Ambassade de Géorgie en France, l’Ambassade d’Ukraine en France,
Le Centre Culturel Français de Géorgie, l’Institut d’Art Moderne de l’Académie des Beaux Arts d’Ukraine, Lolita Meski Paris & la Galerie Taïss

Zura Arabidze, Зура Арабiдзе, zura arabiZe
Stop Agression, 3 photos sur toile , 120x120cm, 2009

Jacques Crenn, Жак Кренн, Jak kreni
www.jacquescrenn.com Roms à Massy, 50x50cm, 2009

Igor Gaidai, Iгор Гайдай, igor gaidai
www.photogaidai.org l’Usine Titan, 180x60cm, 2000

Shalva Khakhanashvili, Шалва Хаханашвiлi,
Salva xaxanaSvili
www.shalvak.com Camp de réfugiés, Géorgie, 2008

Chrystyna Kushch-katrakis, Христина Кущ-Катракiс,
qristina kuSC-katrakis
www. chrystynakatrakis.com Family Tree II, 2010

Luca Lazar, Лука Лазар, luka lasareiSvili
www.lucalazar.com Repeating History 60x60cm, 2008

Belka Meskhishvili, Велка Месхшвiлi,
belka mesxiSvili
www.belka-art.com Stalinland, 100x130cm, 2007

Yuri Mechitov, Юрiй Мечiтов, iuri meCiTovi
www.mechitov.net
Portrait de Serguei Paradjanov, Tbilissi 4 août 1986, 50x65cm

Uwe Ommer, Уве Оммер, uve omeri
www.uweommer.eu 1000 Familles, 2000

Anton Solomoukha, Антон Соломуха, anton solomuxa
www.antonsolomoukha.com Les Tricheurs, 90x95cm, 2007

Victor Sydorenko, Вiктор Сидоренко, viqtor sidorenko
www.sydorenko.kiev.ua
Projet multimédia, Authentification, photo 160x137cm 2006

Pierre Terrasson, Пьер Террассон, pier terasoni
www.photo-terrasson.com Serge Gainsbourg, 50x60cm

Oleg Timchenko, Олег Тимченко, oleg timCenko
Série de photos Bucephalus 50x65cm & 30x30cm

Thierry Valencin, Тьеррi Валенсан, tieri valensani
www.thierryvalencin.com Paris 50x60cm, 1993

Iliko Zautashvili, Iлiкo Заутaшвiлi, iliko zautaSvili
www.artisterium.org Room #708 Busan, 2009 40x50cm

Edouard de Pazzi & Arthur Thévenart, Едуард де Паццi
& Артюр Тевенар, eduard de paci & artur tevenari
www.photosgraphies.com

Roustavi, Aires Post-Industrielles, Géorgie 2007 (vidéo)