David Chikhladze discusses his journey and influences in art, particularly poetry and performance. His love for poetry developed naturally from childhood, influenced by his fascination with reading and a memorable childhood experience at the circus. For Chikhladze, the circus represents a blend of poetry and theater, symbolizing freedom, immediacy, and celebration. He connects this to the ancient origins of circus games and the concept of circularity and sacredness.
Chikhladze also credits cartoons, the satirical-humorous journal "Crocodile," and puppet theater as significant influences. These experiences sparked his interest in filmmaking and the use of metaphor in art. He emphasizes the importance of passion, time, and the dynamic nature of photography, drawing inspiration from various artists and his own life experiences.
In discussing the Margo Performance Theatre, Chikhladze shares a dream where a mystical figure, Margo, inspired him to create the theater. The theater embodies a blend of formalism and avant-garde elements, aiming to capture the essence of femininity and mysticism. Chikhladze highlights the importance of freedom in art, which he defines as a journey of self-discovery and the willingness to embrace change and experimentation.
Overall, Chikhladze's artistic philosophy revolves around exploring the intersections of different art forms, the power of metaphor, and the search for deeper meaning and connection through creative expression.
In Georgian contemporary art, the 1980s and 1990s marked a significant period of alternative artistic exploration. Artists began to conceptualize and intertwine their creative processes, forming informal artistic associations such as "Archivarius," "10th Floor," and the "Marjanishvili Theater Artists' Group." This era saw a surge in the discovery of new forms and the critical reflection of existing realities through trans-avant-garde influences.
The introduction of performativity into artistic processes became a hallmark of this period. Art served as a medium for poetic sensitivity, social commentary, and dynamic expressions. The first documented performance in Georgian contemporary art was Mamuka Tsetskhladze's 1988 piece at the "Karvasla" space of the Tbilisi History Museum.
Artist Temo Javakhi's interest in speech and visual poetry translated into performance art, notably with his “Bulbouillon” alphabet soup performance. His work in the international project TRANS, launched in Tbilisi in 1997, further explored the transformative possibilities of artistic expression.
Performance art in Georgia during the 1980s and 1990s was characterized by intuitive aspirations, creative freedom, and a focus on live processes. Unlike Western practices, Georgian performance art of this era often carried idealized self-expression, light criticism, and irony.
This article talks about performative art. Performance – a time-bound, efficacious act, often adopting a radical and uncompromised form of expression and presents itself as a demonstration of intensive criticism. Since the 2000s, performance art in Georgia has become closer to activist art by contextualizing social problems.
Performance, with its form of expression, aesthetics and conceptual approach, adds an additional layer to the frank, straightforward nature of activism. Due to its radical form, it can even be considered as outrageous. Still, the main motivation of performance is to blur the line between life and art, create a wide thought space to react on prominent issues.
With different forms of expression, the performance of the 2000s makes a critical voice heard in society. The direction of protest and socially active art is actively developed by various collectives and independent artists (Boullion Group, perfo-rmer and artist Andro Dadiani, artist Nadia Tsulukidze, etc.).
Action performances developed in the heart of social protest are not only manifested in the eld of visual arts and the works of artists representing this eld. Performativity signicantly intersected with the experimental research of theater, especially considering the recent pandemic crisis.
Andro Dadiani discusses his identity and the reasons behind hiding his face. He compares this contemplation to a train window, where the landscape continuously escapes, and any attempt to capture it results in an incomplete and blurry image. Dadiani describes his experience as fragmented and incomplete: after May 17, 2013, he lost his vital energy. In 2016, he began to relive his life as Andro Dadiani, feeling the need to cover his face to speak. The past three years were marked by the end of a decade-long cohabitation with his partner, which left him feeling so burned out that he metaphorically lost his entire body. If Andro Dadiani was previously faceless, he is now also bodyless.
In the past, Andro often had different bodies, but the mind was always the primary organism, not the body. He compares this to good music, where the primary musical sonority is the artist's soul, not the instrument. Similarly, the primary energy in his work can exist independently, as thought and conception, without a physical form. Dadiani emphasizes that what matters is not the performance itself, but the thought that becomes embodied in the performance or other mediums. He views the medium as a form from which content is extracted, like the turbulent trajectory of rivers.
Bouillon Group
Founded in Tbilisi in 2008, the Bouillon Group consists of Teimuraz Kartlelishvili, Ekaterina Ketsbaia, Vladimer Lado Khartishvili, Zurab Kikvadze, Konstantine Kitiashvili, and Natalia Vatsadze. This Georgian collective critically explores the rich culture and post-Soviet realities of their homeland through a performative approach. Their work blurs the boundaries between art and everyday life, and between institutionalized art spaces and public arenas. The Bouillon Group merges art and life, tradition and politics, creating complex narratives by reinterpreting regional traditions and rituals in contemporary contexts.
Uta Bekaia is a multifaceted artist who blends various mediums to create wearable sculptures, performances, and videos. His work synthesizes cultural references into a personalized vision, dissolving the boundaries between different artistic disciplines.
Nadia Tsulukidze, a freelance artist and co-founder of the multimedia performance group Khinkali Juice, collaborates with visual artists across various forms such as performance, installation, video, choreography, and experimental theatre. Her practice spans multiple art forms, integrating them into innovative and expressive works.
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Ze-Gavlena concept author and Editor-in-Chief:Thea Goguadze
Editor of this edition: Mariam Shergelashvili
Design: Irina Kacharava (ISTUDIO)
Cover: Andro Dadiani
