PODIUMSGESPRÄCH: Architektur und baubezogene Kunst aus der Sowjetzeit in Georgien in Zeiten der Transition!

mit
Kuratorin Irina Kurtishvili und Autorin Nini Palavandishvili
Moderation: Adolph Stiller, Ausstellungskurator

am Mittwoch, 14.11.2018 | 18:00 Uhr
Ausstellungszentrum im Ringturm, Schottenring 30, 1010 Wien

Um Anmeldung wird gebeten unter Tel. +43 (0) 50 390-20299 oder per Mail an info@airt.at

Die Ausstellung im Rahmen der Reihe "Architektur im Ringturm" (11. Oktober bis 30. November) knüpft an die 2016 gezeigte Schau über die Architektur in Georgiens Hauptstadt an und wirft nun einen Blick über die Grenzen Tiflis hinaus. Die einzigartige Architekturlandschaft des eurasischen Staates an der Schwelle zwischen Europa und Asien wird präsentiert: Vom historisch verbrämten Zuckerbäckerstil, der als Zeitzeuge an die Jahrzehnte der Zugehörigkeit zur Sowjetunion erinnert, bis hin zu atmosphärischen Ähnlichkeiten mit europäischen Städten oder Parallelen zu Europa in der alpinen Baukultur.

Zwischen Kaukasus und Schwarzem Meer: Georgien
von 11. Oktober bis 30. November 2018

Ausstellungsort:
Ausstellungszentrum im Ringturm (Schottenring 30, 1010 Wien)

Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Freitag: 9:00 bis 18:00 Uhr, freier Eintritt
(an Feiertagen geschlossen)

WICHTIG:
Angabe Copyrights / honorarfrei nur im Rahmen der Berichterstattung über diese Ausstellung und Namensnennung des Fotografen


Links:
www.airt.at


Downloads
(Große Datenmengen bei Download möglich)
Terminvorschau: GEORGIEN Zwischen Kaukasus und Schwarzem Meer [pdf]

Presseaussendung GEORGIEN Zwischen Kaukasus und Schwarzem Meer [pdf]

Fotoblatt GEORGIEN Zwischen Kaukasus und Schwarzem Meer [pdf]

Image gallery [ZIP]

Pressefotos [ZIP]

Die Herbstausstellung der Reihe "Architektur im Ringturm" des Wiener Städtischen Versicherungsvereins steht ganz im Zeichen des kulturellen und architektonischen Reichtums Georgiens. Sie knüpft an die 2016 gezeigte Schau über die Architektur in Georgiens Hauptstadt an und wirft einen Blick über die Grenzen Tiflis hinaus: in die Stadt Gori, westlich von Tiflis im georgischen Kernland, nach Kutaissi, der zweitgrößten Stadt des Landes, in den Kurort Zqaltubo und in die Hafenstadt Batumi am Schwarzen Meer.


Einzigartige Bauten des 20. Jahrhunderts werden vorgestellt: von den in dezentem Klassizismus russischer Prägung gestalteten Jugendstilbauten in der Hauptstadt, den architektonisch sowie kulturgeschichtlich bedeutenden Bauten aus den Jahrzehnten der Zugehörigkeit zur Sowjetunion – die in Dimension, Raumkomposition und Baumaterialien eine eigenständige Entwicklung darstellen – über die markant modernistischen Architekturen aus der Regierungszeit Micheil Saakaschwilis bis hin zu den jüngsten Entwicklungen der aufstrebenden Hafenstadt Batumi.

Auch die jahrhundertealten Badehäuser in persischer Bauart, die bei den heißen Quellen in Tiflis zu finden sind, werden im Rahmen der Ausstellung präsentiert.


Tiflis


In der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts wurde Georgien zu einer Teilrepublik der Sowjetunion. Die Folge war Gigantomie in der Baupolitik und die Abkehr vom Individualismus. Tiflis wurde zu einem der größten architektonischen Experimentierfelder der jüngeren Geschichte.
Anfang der 90er Jahre des vergangenen Jahrhunderts zog sich der Staat zurück, seitens der öffentlichen Hand wurden keine größeren städtebaulichen Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Wohnsituation der Bevölkerung mehr durchgeführt. Erst dank des persönlichen Engagements von Georgiens ehemaligem Präsidenten Micheil Saakaschwili (von 2004 bis 2013, mit Unterbrechungen, im Amt) wurden im ganzen Land neue Bauprojekte realisiert. Dafür wurden Architekten von internationalem Renommee aus Deutschland, Italien und Spanien engagiert. Ihre Aufgabe sollte es sein, ein Gegengewicht zur Architektur aus der Zeit der Sowjetunion zu schaffen.

In Tiflis gilt seit Jahrhunderten höchste religiöse Toleranz. Ein architektonischer Beweis hierfür ist das Nebeneinander von 48 orthodoxen und armenisch-gregorianischen Kirchen sowie jeweils zwei Moscheen, jüdischen Synagogen und römisch-katholischen Kirchen.


TBILISI Wissenschaftliche Bibliothek des Botanischen Instituts | Library of the Institute of Botany 2009 Sulkhan Sulkhanishvili Foto | Photo: Adolph Stiller

Gori

Westlich von Tiflis, im Kernland Georgiens, liegt die Stadt Gori an der Mündung des Flusses Liachwi. Ihren Namen verdankt Gori der weithin sichtbaren Felsenfestung „Goris-Ziche" („Festung auf einem Hügel"), die auch das alte Stadtzentrum markiert.

Im Jahr 1949 wurde ein Generalplan für den urbanen Ausbau der Stadt unter Berücksichtigung des historischen Stadtbildes erarbeitet. Der Stadtkern sollte von Industriebauten verschont bleiben, es wurden nur überwiegend niedrige Bauten zugelassen. Eine neu geschaffene breite Nord-Süd-Achse verbindet das Stadtzentrum mit dem Bahnhof. Darüber hinaus wurden ein neuer Museumskomplex, ein Hotel sowie ein Forschungsinstitut errichtet.

Als Heimatstadt von Sowjet-Diktator Josef Wissarionowitsch Dschugaschwili (vulgo Josef Stalin) beherbergt Gori auch das Stalin-Museum.

GORI | GORI Justizpalast | Palace of Justice 2012 AG & Partners Foto | Photo: Adolph Stiller

Kutaissi

Kutaissi ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Georgiens und das kulturpolitische Zentrum im Westen des Landes. 2012 wurde der Parlamentssitz von Tiflis nach Kutaissi verlegt, in ein gläsernes, futuristisch anmutendes 200 Millionen Dollar teures Parlamentsgebäude am Stadtrand, umgeben vom „Millenium"-Park. Noch im selben Jahr wurde ein anderes großes Entwicklungsprojekt realisiert und feierlich eröffnet, der Kutaissi-David-Agmashenebeli-Flughafen.

Das architektonische Erbe der Stadt hingegen ist von bescheidenem Ausmaß: So verlor die Bagrati-Kathedrale aus dem 11. Jahrhundert im vergangenen Jahr nach übermäßiger Restaurierung ihren Status als UNESCO-Weltkulturerbe. Lediglich ein großes Theaterhaus und einige Bauten aus dem 19. Jahrhundert laden noch zur Besichtigung ein.


KUTAISI Kutaissi David Agmashenebeli Flughafen | Kutaisi David Agmashenebeli International Airport 2012 Ben van Berkel, Caroline Bos, Gerard Loozekoot, UN Studio, Amsterdam Foto | Photo: Nakanimamasakhlisi



Zqaltubo

Zqaltubo ist weltweit bekannt für seine heilenden Quellen und liegt inmitten einer saftig grünen Hügellandschaft, umgeben vom Kolchischen Wald. Hier präsentieren sich kunstvoll erbaute Kurhäuser in neoklassischer Opulenz mit hohen griechischen Säulen. Vor kurzem wurde das Kurhaus Quelle Nr. 6 (eine Kombination aus Kurhaus und Hotel) saniert und modernisiert, in dem einst auch Stalin badete.

Auch ein Krückenmuseum – vermutlich das weltweit einzige seiner Art – ist in Zqaltubo zu finden und beeindruckt mit einer herausragenden Sammlung. Menschen, die am Kurort vollständig geheilt wurden, ließen ihre Krücken zurück, um so die heilenden Eigenschaften der Quellen zu bezeugen.

Zwischen den Jahren 1931 und 1956 wurde Zqaltubo maßgeblich umgestaltet. Aufgrund der geografischen Situation wurde die Stadt als Amphitheater geplant. Für die kreisförmige Anlage des Kurortes wurden 80 Hektar Territorium eingerechnet. Die Wohnbezirke verlegte man vom Zentrum nach Süden, um so den Bau des Kurorts zu sichern, der 1953 schließlich zur Kreisstadt erklärt wurde.

Die Mitte der 1940er Jahre erbaute Eisenbahn verband Zqaltubo mit der UdSSR. Der Fluss wurde vom Kurort weg und in eigene Kanäle geleitet. Rund um diese Kanäle errichtete man Ringstraßen. Das Gebiet zwischen der ersten und der zweiten Ringstraße gehörte zu den Kurhäusern, dahinter lag die Wohnzone, gefolgt von Parklandschaften und Wäldern. Der dritte Ring sollte die umgebende Landschaft zusammenfügen.

ZQALTUBO | TSKALTUBO Sanatorium »Tbilisi« | »Tbilisi« Sanatorium 1951 V. Oltrazhevski, B. Sobolewski Foto | Photo: Adolph Stiller

Batumi

Batumi ist die Hauptstadt der selbstständigen georgischen Provinz Adscharien. Die 1883 an die transkaukasische Eisenbahn angeschlossene Stadt ist nicht zuletzt wegen ihrer Raffinerie weit über die Grenzen Georgiens hinaus bekannt, in der Rohöl aus Aserbaidschan verarbeitet wird.
In den letzten Jahren erlebte Batumi einen Aufschwung, von dem zahlreiche Neubauten zeugen, darunter einige sehr gewagte und spektakuläre. Sie stehen im Kontrast zu den teilweise restaurierten und meist exotisch anmutenden dreistöckigen Gebäuden der Altstadt, die aus dem 19. und 20. Jahrhundert stammen. Die sehr bekannte, beinahe 7 km lange und im Jahr 1881 eröffnete Uferpromenade wurde komplett neu gestaltet.

BATUMI Kolonaden im Park | Colonnades in the park 1934 B. Kirakosian Foto | Photo: Adolph Stiller

Tiflis und seine Bäder

Die berühmten Bäder in Tiflis sind im nördlichen Seidabadi-Viertel beheimatet. Seit mehr als 700 Jahren werden die unter der Stadt befindlichen heißen Schwefelquellen genutzt, rund 65 Schwefelbäder zählte Tiflis im 13. Jahrhundert. Heute sind nur noch einige wenige Bäder in Betrieb, die ältesten davon datieren aus der ersten Hälfte des 17. Jahrhunderts.
Die im persischen Stil aus Backstein erbauten Bäder zeichnen sich durch halbkugelige Kuppeln aus. Im Zentrum der Badehäuser empfangen mit Marmor verkleidete Säle die Besucher. Oberhalb der Bassins befinden sich des Öfteren schmale Sitznischen, am Rand laden Bänke zum Verweilen ein.

Katalog
Architektur im Ringturm LII.: Zwischen Kaukasus und Schwarzem Meer: Georgien. Hg. Adolph Stiller. 180 Seiten. Beiträge von Fried Nielsen, Nini Palavandishvili, Adolph Stiller, Irina Kurtishvili. Mit zahlreichen Fotos, Plänen und Auswahlbiographie. Müry Salzmann Verlag.
Preis: 28 Euro

AUSSTELLUNG: Eine Wiener Schau feiert Tbilissis architektonischen Zauber (wst-versicherungsverein.at)

(wst-versicherungsverein.at) Im Rahmen der Reihe "Architektur im Ringturm" werden seit 1998 regelmäßig Architekturausstellungen gezeigt. Damit möchte der Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein die Architektur jener Länder, in denen die VIG vertreten ist, einem breiten Publikum bei freiem Eintritt zugänglich machen. Begleitend zur Reihe sind auch zahlreiche Ausstellungskataloge erschienen, die beim Portier im Ringturm erworben werden können.

© Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein

Tiflis/Georgien: Architektur am Schnittpunkt der Kontinente 10. März bis 27. April 2016 – Eintritt frei!

Zum Jahresauftakt präsentiert der Wiener Städtische Versicherungsverein im Rahmen seiner "Architektur im Ringturm"-Reihe das architektonische Erbe Georgiens, am "Schnittpunkt zwischen Europa und Asien".

Im Mittelpunkt der Ausstellung steht Tiflis und seine vielfältige Architekturlandschaft und -geschichte, Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts bis heute. Die im 19. Jahrhundert nach europäischem Vorbild realisierten Gebäude, ebenso wie die sowjetische Architektur im 20. Jahrhundert und damit auch zahlreiche Bauten internationalen Formats, prägen noch heute das Stadtbild. Die Ausstellung setzt sich mit der genialen architektonischen Kreativität und dem fruchtbaren künstlerischen Nährboden, der sich auch aufgrund der gesellschaftlichen und politischen Unruhen entwickelte, auseinander und greift darüber hinaus die unterschiedlichen Strömungen auf, die sich seit dem Ende der Chruschtschow-Ära bis heute entfalteten.


Ausstellungsort:
Ausstellungszentrum im Ringturm (Schottenring 30/1010 Wien)

Öffnungszeiten: Montag bis Freitag: 9:00 bis 18:00 Uhr, freier Eintritt (an Feiertagen sowie am 25. März geschlossen)

Für Presseanfragen wenden Sie sich bitte an
Mag. Romy Schrammel
T: +43 (0)50 350-21224
F: +43 (0)50 350 99-21224
E-Mail: presse@wst-versicherungsverein.at

Katalog: Architektur am Schnittpunkt der Kontinente Adolph Stiller (Hrsg), rund 240 Seiten unter Mitarbeit von Irina Kurtishvili, David Abuladse und Rostyslaw Bortnyk, Preis: 28 Euro

KATALOG: Hotel Orient / Haus der Künstler. Von Irene Kurtishvili (Hg) (pro-qm.de)

(pro-qm.de) Eine umfangreiche zweisprachige Publikation an der Schnittstelle zwischen historischer Forschung und Kultur, zwischen Architektur, Literatur und Kunst; das Katalogbuch zur gleichnamigen Ausstellung, die im Literaturmuseum Tbilissi von 28. November 2014 bis 18. Januar 2015 stattfand.

Im Mittelpunkt steht das einst in Georgiens Hauptstadt existierende ikonische Bauwerk "Hotel Orient" (gebaut 1867 von Otto Jacob Simonson), welches in den 1980er Jahren das Zentrum georgischer Subkultur wurde und vor allem als "Haus Der Künstler" bei den Tbilissern in Erinnerung geblieben ist. Zunächst als Kreisgericht genutzt, wurde das Haus von Albert Salzmann zum Luxus-Hotel rekonstruiert. Zur Jahreswende 1991-92 wurde das Gebäude zum Opfer bürgerkriegsähnlichen Auseinandersetzungen und 1994 unterlag es dem dubiosen Abriss.

Was bleibt von einem Gebäude, wenn es aus unserem Blickfeld einfach verschwindet? In diesem Buch wird versucht, einen Schlüssel zur wahren Geschichte des legendären Hauses und seinem Mythos zu finden. Der Fokus liegt dabei im Wesentlichen auf den Archivmaterialen des ehrgeizigen städtebaulichen Projekts –"Generelle Konzeption des Wiederaufbaus der Rustaweli Avenue in Tbilissi" aus dem Nachlass des damaligen Projektleiters Wladimir Kurtishvili – nach dem Zerfall der UDSSR und dem Tbilisser Bürgerkrieg. Die Publikation berührt einerseits ein für die Stadtgeschichte von Tbilissi wichtiges historisches Thema, andererseits aber auch die Gegenwart, etwa die aktuelle Debatte über das an diesem Ort neu entstehende "Museum of Fine Arts".

Die Publikation wurde Dank der Unterstützung der Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung realisiert.

Deutsch-Georgisch, 252 Seiten, S/W, 125 Abbildungen
Irene Kurtishvili (Hg)
Hotel Orient / Haus der Künstler
Literaturmuseum, Tbilissi, Georgien, 2014, 978-99940-28-90-0

EUR 25.00



Die Kuratorin und Buchautorin bedankt sich für die Zusammenarbeit, die wertwollen Informationen und Hilfestellungen beim GOETHE- INSTITUT GEORGIEN und DVV International Regional Office for Caucasus & Turkey, beim Literaturmuseum und Verlag CEZANNE Ltd., bei der HUMBOLDT UNIVERSITÄT ZU BERLIN, bei den Autoren, Übersetzern und Redaktoren, außerdem bei allen beteiligten Künstlern und Leihgebern, den Fotografen und privaten Personen, den Organisationen und öffentlichen Institutionen, insbesondere bei Georgiens Nationalmuseum, Georgiens Nationalarchiv, Museum für Theater, Musik, Film und Choreografie, bei der Staatlichen Kunstakademie Tbilissi, CCA und GALA Gallery, ohne die ein solches Projekt nicht realisierbar wäre.

KÜNSTLER: Merab Abramishvili, Gia Bugadze, Lewan Chogoshvili, Mamuka Djapharidze, Gia Edzgveradze, Kote Jincharadze, Keti Kapanadze, Karlo Katcharava, Lewan Kharanauli, Luka Lasareishvili, Irakli Parjiani, Koka Ramishvili, Gia Rigvava, Alim Rijinashvili, Lia Shvelidze, Oleg Timchenko, Niko Tsetskhladze, Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Guram Tsibakhashvili, Iliko Zautashvili

LICHTINSTALLATION: Andreas M. Kaufmann

KLANGINSTALLATION: Annett Stenzel & Karsten Ehlers

Literaturmuseum Tbilissi, Chanturia Str. 8, (Rustaweli)

Quelle: facebook.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: Irma Sharikadze, "Letters" By Irma Sharikadze - Kolga Tbilisi Photo 2014 - B&W Gallery (Tbilisi, Gogebashvili St. 46 b)

«…Dear Frida, we have mellow and warm October here. The beauty around makes you want to cry! Last week we visited Vassily's parents in the village and celebrated the harvest. A covey of village girls was following me – everyone stared at me and whispered indelicately. I'm a colonel's wife for them, a city bimbo – embodiment of inaccessible city chic. And I'm thinking of you, my sweet sister, of your magnificent beauty, of your mixing in high society… Frida, tell me about THEM, what are they like? What's the difference between us and them? How does it feel – being a wife of the first revolutionary artist? Is it true that he's a sleep-walker? – Erenburg himself told a fellow general's wife about that…» 

«…it's weird that you ask me how I feel about being a great artist's wife, Maritsa. Why don't you ask me how I feel about being a great artist myself, how I achieved it, how I suffered and how many strokes of fate I survived. By the way, Rivera is not the least of them. But the strong is not the one who encountered obstacles, but the one who managed to overcome them! I wonder if you have heard about Nietzsche, that bourgeois philosopher. He claims that man is something to be overcome. Yes, Maritsa, Adam's child must jump over himself. And I did it. «Jump over myself» - that was my ticket to the «high society».

«…Dear Frida, I've just returned from the street, still in my coat. I went to the church nearby… 

It was already getting dark, when I set out to the church – I didn't want to encounter any acquaintances, you know. The church is situated deep in the park. It barely functions – only old priest comes there from time to time. Back in the days they kept the Theotokos of Three Hands icon in this church. Today there are only a few icons on its walls. I prayed to Saint Panteleimon for your health, so that he saved you from those terrible pains.

When I was leaving the church, a scary picture unfolded before my eyes: the sky was completely dark with ravens. I have no idea what that meant. It would surely be better that it didn't mean anything at all.

I covered my face with my hands all horrified, got down on my knees and began to pray passionately. All of a sudden I felt somebody touching my shoulder. I cried with fear. The priest was standing behind me. Not the old priest, but a young unfamiliar one.

«You shouldn't be afraid of ravens, - he told me dismally, - they are of the same breed as pigeons».

I felt ill at ease and hurried away. On the way home it dawned upon me that the young priest looked exactly like the lawyer, who told me about your (my twin sister's) existence. I'm scared!..»

«…You know, Maritsa, I had a dream about our mother. She was a beautiful woman with loose wiry hair under a felt hat. She was wearing a batiste flower dress and tarpaulin boots with male jacket on her shoulders. I liked her a lot and was longing for her, I wished I could hug her. I was reaching out for her trying to bridge the distance between us. But when I finally approached her I was in for a big disappointment – there was a hairy male chest under thin fabric of her dress… That's my rubbish fantasies! Nevermind this nonsense…

Maritsa, have you ever seen our mother in your dreams? What was she like? Do you actually believe that subconscious mind of three-year-old twins could adopt the mother’s image? It’s such a pity that you don’t draw! We would have simultaneously painted the mother’s portraits and exchanged them. It’s not that interesting to fantasize alone. I don’t want to impose my vision on you. We'd better do it like that: be my mother and I'll be yours, if you have nothing against that, of course… I will write on your photo right now: «Mother!..» 




www.facebook.com/irmastudio

georgiatoday.ge

kolga.ge/photoweekprogram/KOLGA 2014 [eng.pdf]

issuu.com/kolga tbilisi photo 2014 catalogue



პროექტი „წერილები“

ავტორი: ირმა შარიქაძე

ქართველი ხელოვანის პროექტი „წერილები“ ჩვენს საერთო კულტურულ სისხლის მიმოქცევას გვახსენებს - ხელოვნების შესაძლებლობას, გადაკვეთოს საზღვრები და მოიცვას არა მხოლოდ ადამიანები, არამედ საკუთარი თავიც. ფრიდამ საკუთარი ტყუპი და გამოიგონა, რომელიც ახლა ფრიდას იგონებს და რომელიც ირმა შარიქაძის პერსონაჟია. პროექტში „წერილები“ ორივე მათგანს ვხედავთ - ფრიდას და მარიცას - ქართველი ხელოვანის ალტერ ეგოს, მის თამაშს საკუთარ პერსონაჟთან, ხასიათის სტრატეგიებთან, ისტორიისა და ხელოვნების ენებთან. ფრიდამ დაბადა მარიცა, ფრიდა ჩნდება მარიცასადმი წერილებში - დები ერთმანეთის სიმბოლური დედები ხდებიან („სჯობს ასე გავაკეთოთ: იყავი ჩემი დედა და მე ვიქნები შენი, თუ წინააღმდეგი არ ხარ, რა თქმა უნდა“). ეს ნაზი მეტაფორა გამოსახულებისა და რეფერენტის, ხელოვანისა და პერსონაჟის რთული დილექტიკითაა განმსჭვალული. ეს დაღვინების დიალექტიკაა, რომელიც ფრიდა კალოსკენ იყო მიმართული და, სავარაუდოდ, მისი შემოქმედების არსი განსაზღვრა. ირმა შარიქაძე საკუთარ შემოქმედებით სიმწიფეს დების ამ გამოგონილ ბიოგრაფიას უკავშირებს. 

გარდა ამისა, ტყუპი დები სილამაზეს აორმაგებენ...მაყურებლის ყურადღება უმწიკვლო გამოსახულებისკენაა მიმართული და სურათის ქვეშ, ხელნაწერ ტექსტს აწყდება. შესაბამისად, მაყურებლის მიერ პროექტის აღქმა ეფუძნება არა პრიალა ჟურნალების კლიშეებს, რომლებიც პირდაპირ უკავშირდება ეფექტურ ფოტოგრაფიას, არამედ კონცეპტუალურ კოდებს...

თუკი ერთსა და იმავე დროს დაც ხარ და დედაც, ეს იმას ნიშნავს, რომ ერთი მამა არსებობს, რომელიც ქმარი ხდება. სიზმარში ფრიდა ბატისტის კაბაში გამოწყობილ დედას ხედავს, თუმცა მოულოდნელად, შუქმგრძნობიარე ქსოვილის ქვეშ, მამაკაცის ბანჯგვლიან მკერდს აღმოაჩენს. ეს საზარელი სიზმარი შემოქმედებით ძალისხმევაზე მეტყველებს. ამ დროს, ინდივიდუალურობა შთამომავლობით მიღებული ტაბუსგან თავისუფლდება. ირმა შარიქაძის შეზღუდვებისგან გათავისუფლებული ძალისხმევა ცხოვრებისეული გარემოებების წინააღმდეგ ამბოხში, მამაკაცურობისკენ მისწრაფებაში ვლინდება. პროექტი ანარეკლებითაა დამუხტული...

ალექსანდრე ევანგელი

ART: Artisterium VI in Tbilisi, Georgia (artisterium.org/Artisterium2013)

(artisterium.org/Artisterium2013) The concept, proposed by the creative group (students, artists, curators) is considered as the cultural process, appropriate to the creativity of the art academy’s teaching process and generally, to an artistic scene, the one, where the significant facet of the country’s cultural politics is defined. The architecture of the exhibition project’s content “Me and your freedom”, with its progressive world disposition impulse and the instinct of searching for the self-identity, is organically corresponding with the “Artisterium” idea.

The exhibition curator: Nino Gujabidze

Great eCatalog >>>

 

Artisterium VI

4-14 October, 2013, Tbilisi, Georgia

Am I You?

The only difference between me and you are the choices we make.

Unknown quote
The Artisterium VI, the annual international contemporary art exhibition and series of public art events, opens in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on October 4th, and runs through October 14, 2013. 

“Artisterium” is an evolving curatorial platform. Each year its overall theme always responds to prevailing social concerns, such as alternative ways of development (“Modus Operandi – in Quest of a Different Way”, 2008), changes within general and personal levels (“The Manifest of Changes and an Inner Experience”, 2009), artistic reflections on re-envisioning the future (“Imagine the Future”, 2010), the willingness to embrace open-ended subjects as a way to critically engage with important social, political, urban, private and aesthetic issues (“Free Fall”, 2011) and research artistic and theoretical reflections on a wide range of PROTEST (“The Protest that Never Ends”, 2012).

The theme of the Artisterium 6 / 2013 is “Am I You?” Acceptance of the unfamiliar is a crucial aspect of today’s life. There are many kinds of philosophical, social and psychological theories to describe our relationships to minorities, other nations, other religions, or people who think differently – The Other. In the words of Jacques Derrida, “the other can never be understood as presence, but only with concepts like traces and exteriority. He has completely broken with the phenomenological metaphysics of presence — the other can never be understood in a theoretical act, but only by means of ethical responsibility: I take responsibility for the other.” The uneasiness of this kind of responsibility triggers moments of cultural misunderstanding, religious, territorial or personal conflicts. 

The theme takes as its source of inspiration a performance by the Georgian artist Iliko Zautashvili “Am I You?” (1998). In the performance the artist uses four participants divided into two pairs and asks them to make attempts at understanding each other. However obstacles are placed between them, like an eye bandage that limits vision while the pair touches each other. In another case the participants recite texts in different languages simultaneously. The work shows the impossibility of communication when fixed within one’s own language, the formality of words and cultural or behavioral stereotypes. It also explores the difficulty in discovering a mutual understanding even when the information is purely sensual.

The Artisterium 2013 theme of “Am I You?” encourages participants to research the phenomena of the Other and the ecology of our relation and responsibility to the Other. We wish to explore possible ways of coexisting with unfamiliar, different or even disagreeable ideologies and lifestyles, while at the same time calling for participation, understanding and empathy. Through the year’s theme we hope to reveal modes of exploring the influence that shape our connections to divers thoughts and attitudes – and even the life forms – living next to us on this planet

Magda Guruli
curator
www.artisterium.org

Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
Griboedov Str. #22, 0108 Tiflis

Artisterium 6/2013 (Programm)
 
October 4, Friday.
Georgian National Museum, I. Grishashvili Tbilisi History Museum, 8 Sioni Str.
18:00 – “Am I You?”, opening of the Artisterium 2013.
19:00/21:00 – performance program: Iliko Zautashvili “Am I You?” / Georgia, Ledoh
“Heartland Performance”, Jennifer Hicks “A Street Alone” / USA.

October 5, Saturday
Goethe Institute, Georgia, 16 Zandukeli Str.
16:00 – Julia Charlotte Richter, presentation / Germany.
G.Leonidze State Museum of Georgian Literature, 8 Chanturia Str, second floor.
17:00 – “Pyramids”, Guela Patiashvili / France.
G. Leonidze State Museum of Georgian Literature, 8 Chanturia Str, Gallery “41 Degree”.
18:00 – „A little further from there“, Junichiro Ishii, Masaru Iwai, Rumiko Hagiwara / Japan.
Center of Contemporary Art– Tbilisi, 10 D. Abashidze str.
20:00 – Frances Belser, Eva Wandeler "beyond or a head of us", Pascal Häusermann "Walking
an Oriental Line" (Rustaveli - Samgori) / Switzerland.

October 6, Sunday.
Georgian National Museum, S. Janashia Georgian Museum (Auditorium), 1 Purtseladze str.
12:30/16:00 – “Difference Screen”, international program of artists’ film and video, Day I
Mtatsminda Park, Underwheel.
17:00 – “Meeting Place - Underwheel”, Mtastminda Park’s Art Studio artists’ exhibition.

October 7, Monday.
Georgian National Museum, S. Janashia Georgian Museum (Auditorium), 1 Purtseladze str.
14:00/17:00 – “Difference Screen”, international program of artists’ film and video, Day II
Europe House, Freedom Square 1.
18:00 - Ledoh, Jennifer Hicks, “Heartland Installation” / USA.

October 8, Tuesday.
Georgian National Museum, S. Janashia Georgian Museum (Auditorium), 1 Purtseladze str.
14:00/18:00 – “Difference Screen”, international program of artists’ film and video, Day III
A. Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, 22 Griboedov str.
19:00 – “Me and Your Freedom”, exhibitions of the academy students and alumni.

October 9, Wednesday.
Goethe Institute, Georgia, 16 Zandukeli Str.
17:00 - Nezaket Ekici, presentation / Germany, Turkey.
18:00 – “Museum Hours”, Goethe Institute program, Director of the Krakow Contemporary
Art Museum / MOCAK, Maria Potocka / Poland.
Gallery “Conteiner”, 10g Radiani Str.
20:00 – “Itching”, Georgian contemporary photography. Performance - DJ Sikha.

October 10, Thursday.
Georgian National Museum, I. Grishashvili Tbilisi History Museum, 8 Sioni Str.
18:00 - “In-Relation: Floating Ourselves”, performance, Nezaket Ekici / Germany, Turkey,
Shahar Marcus / Israel.

October 12, Saturday.
Gala Gallery, 27 Atoneli Str.
18:00 – “Jump”, Murtaz Shvelidze / Georgia, parallel project of the Artisterium.
Oat Gallery / New Art Union, Betlemi District, 14 Silamazis Line, up by stairs.
19:00 – “A Hole in My Heart”, Natalia Mali / Russia, UK.

October 13, Sunday.
Mtatsminda Park, Underwheel.
18:00 – Mtatsminda Park’s Art Studio charity auction.

October 14, Monday.
Georgian National Museum, D. Shevardnadze National Gallery.
18:00 – Anatomy of the Georgian Melancholy, Lado Pochkhua / USA, Georgia.
(The exhibition “Anatomy of the Georgian Melancholy” runs until November 14, 2013).

Admission’s free

EXHIBITION: Helga Paris in Tbilisi History Museum (museum.ge)

(museum.ge) Date: 01 March 2013 – 23 March 2013 

great post here: blog.wessendorf.org

On March 1, 2013 at 6 p.m, Institute of International Relations (IFA) and the Goethe Institute in cooperation with Georgian National Museum, presents a well-known photographer, human rights defender, Helga Paris with the exhibition "Helga Paris. Photography".

The exhibition presents Helga Paris' photographs that are created in Georgia and other countries. These series are connected with her biography.  Helga Paris grew up in Poland during World War II. Her creative way starts from a photographic laboratory. Helga Paris created a costume workshop, also worked in advertising studios and took photos during rehearsals.

During her creative life Helga created different series of photographs: "Berlin pubs", "Berlin youth", "and Memories Z", "Women and men, Podroz Polska". In 80th Helga Paris traveled to Georgia and created photos on feminine theme.

The exhibition presents one of the most uncompromising photographers, who always fights for civic and moral transformation. Helga Paris is a master of portrait genre. She develops her own investigations in different directions and is always in search of novelty in photography .

Exhibition duration: March 1 - March 23, 2013

Address: 8 Sioni Street. Tbilisi History Museum.


more links:
gfzk-leipzig.de
dradio.de
zeit.de
mz-web.de
berliner-zeitung.de
blog.photographiedepot.de 

AmazonShop: Books, Maps, Videos, Music & Gifts About The Caucasus

TIME LightBox: Red Thistle: The Rhythm of Life in the Caucasus. By Davide Monteleone (lightbox.time.com)

(lightbox.time.com) Davide Monteleone traces the genesis of his new book of photographs, Red Thistle, to 2007, when he heard about a film festival going on in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya. At the time, Chechnya had been locked down for nearly a decade under a special security regime. Known as the KTO, the Russian acronym for “counter-terrorist operation,” the regime had meant years of martial law, curfews and random searches enforced by the Russian military. Not exactly the place for something like Sundance–the region’s film festival was a fluke, a rare chance for some foreigners to have a look around, and Monteleone took it. With his companion, Lucia Sgueglia, who would end up writing the text for Red Thistle, he would sneak out of the guarded hotel to explore Grozny.

“We did this until the Russian troops would catch us and take us back,” Monteleone said. “Then we would go out again.”

What he found was a region slowly restoring the rhythm of life—a weird, entrancing, pensive rhythm—after two devastating wars with Russia fought between 1994 and 2000. After the second war, the U.N. had deemed Grozny “the most destroyed city on earth,” but with billions of dollars in postwar Russian aide, the city had been rebuilt and revived. Over the next five years, Monteleone would return to Chechnya and the surrounding regions of the Caucasus Mountains as often as once a month.

“A lot of work had been done on the wars and the human rights abuses,” he said. “We wanted to study everyday life.”

In 2008, the KTO regime was lifted in Chechnya and travel there became easier, but life was still colored by Russia’s shadow and the legacy of the Soviet Union, which ruled this predominantly Muslim region for almost 70 years. So the settings of Monteleone’s photographs—from the beat-up old Zhiguli cars to the destitute apartment blocks—have a distinctly Soviet texture, a drab, heavy latticework that seems to press against the people inside it. Smiles are not common on the faces in his photos, but they seem to have a stubborn glow amid the grayness that surrounds them.

A common theme, predictably, is death, which is so insistent that it approaches a dulled ubiquity. If there is a kind of music to life in the Caucasus, mortality is its drumbeat in Monteleone’s work. In one frame, a woman in a black headscarf hurries along the sidewalk, not seeming to notice a stream of blood flowing toward her from a bull that was slaughtered in the street. There are weddings and funerals, and both seem to occasion equal measures of melancholy and warmth. At one wake in Chechnya, a group of men perform the Dhikr, an Islamic ritual which, in the local Sufi tradition, involves hours of rhythmic dancing and chanting until the men fall into a collective trance.

“You know that you’re in Russia,” says Monteleone. “But at the same time, life is structured in such a way that you feel closer to Persia or the Middle East.”

That is part of the duality of the Caucasus, which remains a world between worlds. The ongoing insurgency against Russian rule creeps in to remind you that the war goes on—a house stands demolished in one frame after Russian tanks moved in for a counter-insurgency strike—but there is also reconciliation: a group of men from one family walk down a mountain toward a mosque, where they resolve a blood feud with another family that had caused generations of strife. The overall picture is sad but not despondent, and there is resilience in almost every frame.

The unifying image of The Red Thistle comes from the opening scene in Lev Tolstoy’s novella Hadji Murat, which begins with a man trying to pluck a crimson thistle from a ditch in the Caucasus mountains. The thistle fights back, stabbing his hand with its brambles, and only gives in when he has frayed the stem and mangled the flower. “What energy and tenacity!” the man thinks. “With what determination it defended itself, and how dearly it sold its life.” 

Full Slideshow >>>

Simon Shuster is TIME’s Moscow reporter.

Davide Monteleone is a photographer with the VII agency. See more of his work here. Monteleone’s latest book, Red Thistle, was recently released by Dewi Lewis publishing.

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RED THISTLE

DAVIDE MONTELEONE

Red Thistle, the 2011 winner of The European Publishers Award for Photography, is a powerful and fascinating exploration of the important but relatively unknown region of the Northern Caucasus and its people. It lies between the Black and Caspian Seas and is within European Russia. Wars have been fought here for centuries – the most recent in Chechnya. Monteleone examines the stubborn, rebellious culture of this region, which although part of Russia, differs in the ethnicity, religion and social customs of its inhabitants.

‘If you shoot in the Caucasus, the echo will be heard for centuries,’ says an old proverb from the region.

Born in Italy 1974, Davide Monteleone studied engineering before moving first to the U.S. and then to England. It was here that he discovered his interest in photography and journalism. Returning to Italy in 2000, he completed his studies in photography and began to work with Italian magazines. From 2001 – 2003 he worked as correspondent for the photo agency Contrasto in Moscow. He began working with major international newspapers such as D, Io Donna, L’espresso, New York Times, Time, Stern, New Yorker, to name a few. Since 2003 he has lived part of each year in Italy and part in Russia, where he is pursuing long-term personal projects and continues his editorial work. He published his first book Dusha, Russian Soul in 2007, and La line inesistente in 2009. His features have won numerous awards including World Press Photo in 2007 and 2009, International Photo Award in 2008, Emerging Photographer Grant, Freelens Award, and the 2010 Aftermath Project Grant.

Previous winners of the European Publishers Award For Photography have included photographers such as Simon Norfolk, Bruce Gilden, Paulo Pelegrin, Klavdij Sluban, Jeff Mermelstein. Open to photographers world-wide, the competition is a unique collaboration between six European Publishers – Actes Sud (France), Apeiron (Greece), Dewi Lewis Publishing (UK), Kehrer Verlag (Germany), Peliti Associati (Italy), and Blume (Spain). 
  

AmazonShop: Books, Maps, Videos, Music & Gifts About The Caucasus

CATALOGUE: Looking for Georgian films? - 2008 (gnfc.ge)

(gnfc.ge.pdf ) This is the right address:

Georgian National Film Center

164, Davit Agmashenebeli av.

0112 Tbilisi, Georgia

phone/fax: (+995 32) 34 29 75 ; (+995 32) 34 28 97

e-mail: office@filmcenter.ge

www.gnfc.ge

here is the catalouge (pdf) >>>

more here efp-online.com >>>

The Georgian National Film Center (GNFC) is a legal entity of public law under the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia. The goal of GNFC is to secure and coordinate state support for the development of Georgian cinema. 

The National Film Center sets state policy in the film sector. The Film Center is a legal entity of public law under the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection tasked with providing state support to national cinematography.