KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO: Beautiful Minds - by Dutch Photographer Maurice Wolf (living in Tbilisi)

Beautiful Minds (kolga.ge)

These pictures are part of a 3-year journey together with journalist Robin Forestier-Walker. It initially started by coincidence with just a few pictures at a private home in Tbilisi where mentally impaired people were taking care of after harsh ordeals in mental institutions in the country of Georgia. After a publication of these pictures people approached me and asked me to pursue the matter. So I did.

Mental health in Georgia is a subject shrouded in taboo where parents and family members suffer as much as the children because of lack of awareness and education on the matter. We've visited institutions where basic needs and help, let alone therapy, are basically not present. We've been to places where people with hardly any means tried their best to give the weakest a little comfort and respect. Our aim is to raise awareness and put some facts on the table without pointing fingers.

Maurice Wolf

Maurice Wolf studied communication sciences in Nijmegen, Netherlands before becoming an assistant photographer in Amsterdam. He has freelanced for numerous international publications working out of Amsterdam, Berlin, and later traveling across the US and Australia before moving to Tbilisi in 2015. He is represented by Dutch photo agency Hollandse Hoogte and SOPA Images in Hong Kong. He has had numerous solo exhibitions and group exhibitions in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Carson City, Nevada and Tbilisi. He is currently finishing the project "Beautiful Minds" together with journalist Robin Forestier-Walker on people with mental problems and mental delays in Georgia. Book and exhibitions in Georgia, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands are scheduled for the end of 2020, beginning of 2021. At the moment he's finishing a book of 4 years in Georgia and Abkhazia. A project on IDP's in Georgia is still ongoing and presumably finished in 2021

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

VIDEO: ქოლგა თბილისი ფოტო 2002-2014 / Kolga Tbilisi Photo 2002-2014

CALL: Kolga Award 2013 – submission is still open (kolga.ge)

(kolga.ge) The contest is open to all photographers and amateur photographers worldwide!

It’s your chance to show your photo projects to the photography experts. 

For registration visit: kolga.ge/en

The Photographic Alternative
 
The 12th edition of Kolga Tbilisi Photo, the biggest and most prestigious photo contest in Georgia, is about to kick off. Where the goal of the festival is to link international photography to Georgia and to local photography.

Participants
Participants are free to choose the subject of their works, because we would like to attract photographers of all different ages, and those working with various styles. The contest is open to all photographers worldwide. There are no age restrictions. You are free to choose the subject of your photo projects. You may enter a maximum of two entries/series in each category

This year’s categories are:
::  Documentary Series
::  Reportage
::  Conceptual Photo Project
::  One Shot 

Photos uploaded under Documentary Series, Reportage and Conceptual Photo categories should be a series of a minimum 3 photos to maximum 8 photos. One Shoot category participants can upload a maximum of five photos.Each photo project must be uploaded along with a brief autobiography, as well as concept description, (each max. 1000 characters) in either Georgian or English, and in a Word document format.

Jury & Award
The names of the winners will be revealed by jury members:
Dato Tskhadadze::  Art Critic
Tina Schelhorn (DE) :: Galerist, Curator
Wolfgang Zurborn (DE) :: Photographer, Tutor
Mimi Molica (UK) :: Photographer

Calendar
The contest submissions will open on February  10, 2013.
Submissions will be accepted through until March 25, 2013

Entry fee is 15 EUR. Applicants can participate in any or all categories announced. After payment is made, you will be able to upload images using standard procedures. Applicants should only make one written entry for all their submissions. Entry fees will be used for the winners’ prize money – 6000 USD.

The winner in each category will get 1500 USD (1125 EUR).

Copyright & Liabilities
Copyright remains with the author. Chosen photos will be exhibited between 7 and 7 May, 2013 in Tbilisi and will be printed in a Photo Week catalogue.

The printed photos will remain under photo contest ownership and might be featured in Tbilisi Photo advertising campaign and printed media.

Follow the steps as explained on our website
:Fill out the online application.
:Pay the 15 EUR fee.

Entry fees should be paid by credit cards. We do not accept checks,Western Union Money Transfer, debit cards, or wire transfers.

Submission
Applications for the 2013 Kolga Tbilisi Photo Prize shall include: Each photo project must be uploaded along with a brief autobiography, as well as concept description, (each max. 1000 characters) in either Georgian or English, and in a MS Word format. Image names should be in the following format: surname_name_image number: For example – schmidt_max_01.jpg.  We accept photos taken using any type of camera except images made using a cell phone. Contest participants should note the following rules: Image length should be at least 2000 pixels but no more than 3500 pixels. Save your image file as JPEG with maximum quality. Color Profile: Adobe 1998, sRGB or unmanaged. File Size: Final image file size should not be less than 4 MB.

The jury members will pick out the best photo projects, approx. 100 photos, and reveal the winners in each category. Authors of the best 100 photos will be notified via e-mail before April  5, 2013. The names of the winners in announced categories will be revealed on May  12, 2013. They will be notified via e-mail and prize money will be transferred to their bank accounts. If you accept these terms, please begin the registration

Should you have any additional questions, please contact us at: contest@kolga.ge

PHOTOGRAPHY: Kolga Photo Contest in Tbilisi

It was a great pleasure to be in the jury of Kolga Photo Contest 2011.

We could feel an enthusiasm for photography in Tbilisi. Hundreds of visitors, mostly young people, came to the opening of the very good presentation of the winners and a big interest in our lectures and portfolio reviews.

This year the exhibition of the Kolga Photo Contest will be part of the new "Kolga Tbilisi Photo Meeting" with an extensive program of exhibitions, workshops, portfolio reviews and lectures by international photographers that Tina Schelhorn is curating and coorganizing. We will soon inform you with more details ...

bis 25.04.2012 Kolga Tbilisi Photo Prize 2012

 

KOLGA findet 2012 zum 11. Mal statt und wird international ausgeschrieben. Fotos können online zum Fotowettbewerb eingereicht werden und müssen dabei von einer PDF-Datei begleitet werden, die eine kurze Biografie und eine kurze Konzeptbeschreibung in englischer oder georgischer Sprache enthält.

ausschreibung-kolga-photo-prize-2012.pdf (300 KB)

»Entry fee is 15 EUR. Applicants can participate in any or all categories announced. After payment is made, you will be able to upload images using standard procedures. Applicants should only make one written entry for all their submissions.

Entry fees will be used for the winners’ prize money – 5000 USD.

The winner in each category will get 1000 USD (750 EUR).«

Photohaus KOLGA

Tbilisi History Museum KARVASLA

8, Sioni st.

0105 Tbilisi, Georgia

http://www.kolga.ge

[Quelle: Tina Schelhorn und Herr Wolfgang Zurborn aus der Galerie Lichtblick in Köln unterstützen die Organisatoren des Fotowettbewerbs.]

EXHIBITION: Photo Competition Kolga 2008 - 2009 in Tbilisi (kolga.ge/2009)

First the contest was held in May 2002. Almost 100 photo ammauter took part in the competition. In the show - held paralelly - Georgian professional photographers took part. The second contest was held in December of the same year. The organisation group received about 1000 photos. The number of the photos was coused by wide-format advertising campaign preceeding the contest. Informational support was held by leading TV and Radio channels of the country. The third contest was hosted by three galleries at the same time in December of 2003. There were 1400 competitive photos. 150 winner ones were exhibitied in the hosting galleries. At the conclusive party of the contest there was presented the KOLGA electronice alboom and the photo catalogue. Soon the issue of alboom and the catalogue became the contest tradtition. The winner photographers were awarded with several prizes. The forth contest was arranged in 2004. 2600 photos took part in it. The winner 100 photos were exhibitied for a week in National Gallery. The Gala party, held in Hotel Marriot, announced the winner photos in the following nominations: The Portrait, The Architect Landscape, the Serries, The Landscape, The Communication (the nomination of the General Sponsor - one of the leading Cellural Company in Georgia), The Special Prize and The Grand Prize. The 100 Best Photos of the Year was chosen of 3500 photos taking part in Kolga 2005. There were many photograpers participating from several countries, such as: USA, Germany, France, Turkey… The exhibition was organaised in the central prospect of Tbilisi, that was attanded by 1500 persons. The openning ceremony was broadcated by one of the leading TV channes of the country. The contest moved to the National Gallery. At the Conclusive Party the winners were awarded with several prizes as well as with Prize Money. Kolga 2005 was sponsored by several famous companies and the municipality. The Gala Party of the Kolga 2006 was arranged in Tbilisi Museum of History. The contest organisative group addmits that the number of competitive photos of as Georgian as foreign photographers as well was unusually high. The photos distinguished with professional and qualified sense. The exhibition was attanded by an incredible number of people. The exposition of the best 100 photos was held in molberts – situated proportionally and individully lighened in the balcoons of both floors of the museum. In the Holl of the first floor there was placed Tbilisi. The event was worth to admitt. The winner photos of Kolga 2007 were exhibitied in the oval corridors of Tbilisi Big Concert Holl. The visitors were amused with Tbilisi Big Band. The winner photos were chosen by the members of Polish Photo Agency (AF Photos). The winner of Kolga 2007 was Julia Melse – German Photographer. The contest was sponsored with several leader companies and they awarded the winners with several prizes and Prize Money.




Photo Competition “Kolga 2009”

Competition theme: Freestyle

Special Nomination: 1. “Europe today”
100 winner photos will be exhibited and annual catalogue will be issued.
100 winner photos will automatically participate in the “Lee make history” annual photocontest (Prize capital – 50000 euro)

Prize capital - 5000 GEL

Terms:
- anyone can take part in the photo competition amount of the photos is not determined
-photo print size is A5 (15X21)
-fee for per competitive photo is 1 (one) GEL
- receiving and registration of the photos - from February 25 till March 25 on the address:

6, Meliqishvili str.
Tbilisi. Georgia. 0179
ProFoto Center
Tel: 995 90 93 21 98

For additional information apply: info@kolga.ge

www.kolga.ge 

www.myspace.com/qolga

EXHBITION: Photo Competition KOLGA 2008 - 2009 / Ceremonty on 8th May and 14th May in Tbilisi (kolga.ge)

Website: www.kolga.ge