Artists:
Natalia Vatsadze / Chill / Maryna Brodovska
Communities:
Creative Community Kutaisi / Tbilisi
Tbilisi Photo Festival / Curator: Ana Gabelaia
For the third year of the Magic Carpets residencies, the Tbilisi Photo Festival shifted its focus to Kutaisi – a city with a rich history and deep creative roots. Once a vibrant cultural hub, Kutaisi had seen a decline in recent decades, with contemporary culture becoming heavily centred in Tbilisi. This centralization left Kutaisi with fewer opportunities and resources for emerging creatives, prompting many young people to move to the capital.
Recently, however, things have started to change. New cultural initiatives and gathering spaces have begun revitalizing the city’s creative scene. Our residency aimed to build on this momentum, supporting Kutaisi’s artistic community in a sustainable and impactful way.
We brought together 10 emerging creatives from Kutaisi – a diverse group of painters, sculptors, photographers, an art historian, an archaeologist, and a graphic designer. Through workshops and lectures, we introduced them to contemporary art practices and helped them develop new skills. This group formed the foundation of a community that we hope will continue to grow and thrive long after the residency.
While the residency unfolded, Georgia was experiencing significant political turmoil. The government’s proposed “foreign agents law” – similar to one in Russia – sparked massive protests nationwide, threatening free speech and putting NGOs and independent cultural organizations at risk. Many of us, including the Kutaisi creatives, spent hours in the streets protesting. This context naturally shaped the residency, leading us to explore how art can serve as a tool for resistance and change in turbulent times.
We focused on three powerful protest mediums: performance, graffiti, and zine-making. Three inspiring artists – two Georgian and one Ukrainian – led workshops that allowed participants to reflect their experiences and respond to the issues they care about.
- Protest Art and Memory
Working with artist Natalia Vatsadze, a veteran in creating protest art, participants developed pieces for the exhibition Past Continues Tense. These works reflected on Kutaisi’s cultural losses under the Soviet regime while drawing parallels to Georgia’s current political climate. The exhibition title underscored the persistence of historical struggles and the ongoing fight for freedom.
Natalia herself created Bad Weather Lovers – a poignant work dedicated to Georgia’s freedom fighters. The piece featured a raincoat with excerpts from the Georgian constitution written inside the pockets and a flag integrated into the zipper, symbolizing resilience and hope.
- Graffiti as a Voice
Local graffiti artist Chill introduced participants to the history and practice of graffiti as a form of street art and resistance. Through workshops, the group explored graffiti’s power as a medium for self-expression and protest, eventually creating their own pieces.
- Zines for Change
Ukrainian artist Marina Brodovska, suggested by Jam Factory, brought her unique perspective to the residency. Marina’s recent work, shaped by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, reflects the daily realities and emotional toll of war. She led workshops on zine-making and artist books, teaching participants about the medium’s role in storytelling and activism.
The Tbilisi-based community, composed mainly of emerging photographers, created their own zine drafts and prototypes for artist books and photo books. These pieces spanned topics from deeply personal narratives to pressing social and political issues, mirroring the challenges and inspirations of their environment.
One of the residency’s greatest strengths was its flexibility and community-driven approach. By involving participants at every stage, the work remained relevant and meaningful to everyone involved.
After the residency officially ended, members of the Kutaisi community continued to collaborate, with some still working on new projects together. Seeing this momentum grow beyond the residency is inspiring – it demonstrates the potential of collective purpose and passion to drive lasting change.
We eagerly anticipate where these communities will go next and look forward to continuing our collaboration with them in the future.
Curatorial text by Ana Gabelaia