Tbilisi’s 4th International Summit of Crafts and Design ETHNOFEST 2022 ended, with winners announced in different nominations.
Contest The Best Booth is carried out by GACC as part of ETHNOFEST, which has already become an event tradition.
The jury members evaluated the participant booths during the course of the festival’s three days, from October 14, 15, and 16, using the following criteria. The panel members and specially invited guests announced the winners for each of the contest’s five nominees on the final day, October 16.
The members of the jury were Lana Bendukidze, an expert in art, Sara Anna Kemecsei, the Vice President of the International Women’s Association (IWAG), and Paloma Suarez Cordillo, a crafts expert from the United Kingdom.
The winners were revealed in the following nominations:
The Best Design of Booth – Eka Khuntsaria/Silk Room
Evaluation criteria: overall design of the booth, originality, compliance with brand image and products presented, space use, and overall ergonomics of the booth.
The Best Communication – Mamuka Khoshtaria/Nano Wood
Evaluation criteria: staff communication with customers, the sufficiency of provided information, availability and quality of giveaway promo materials.
Innovative Product – Nino Slepchenko/Saini
Evaluation Criteria: novelty of aesthetics and/or functions, use of innovative tools and/or materials, organicity of integration of new approaches in traditional craft.
Contribution To Safeguarding Tradition
The award was split between two winners:
Giorgi Tatulashvili (traditional ceramic products)
Zaza Gatenashvili (wooden products)
Evaluation Criteria: level of thread to the tradition, quality of performance, innovative approach for the revitalization of legacy, actions for passing on the craft skills, and engaging youth.
The Best Booth / GRAND PRIZE – Keti Nozadze/Lampino
The Grand Prize unites all 4 nominations and should comply with all requirements mentioned above for the categories: the Best Design of Booth, the Best Communication, Innovative Product, and Contribution to Safeguarding the Tradition.
GEORGIA TODAY received exclusive remarks on the international summit from Keti Nozadze, the festival’s Grand Prize winner, Paloma Suarez Cordillo, crafts expert and summit jury member, and Maka Dvalishvili, founder of ETHNOFEST and Director of Georgian Arts and Culture Center.
“For me, taking part in ETHNOFEST was a fantastic experience. There was a wealth of people curious about my products and gave me recommendations on how to expand my production for the international market. I used the three festival days to master the art of communication,” said Keti Nozadze.
“I felt that participating in ETHNOFEST was particularly crucial because I run my business online and wanted to develop my customer interaction skills. The backstory of my creation is what makes it intriguing, and I had the chance to present my products at the festival with that context.” she stated.
Nozadze mentioned that ETHNOFEST is more about forming friendships with individuals who share similar interests than it is about showcasing and selling products. She spoke with new craftspeople who shared similar interests and they swapped experiences.
“It goes without saying that new craft enterprises should take part in ETHNOFEST in order to have the chance to access a sizable market. The event will change their perspective because the bulk of new enterprises operate in an online environment,” Nozadze underlined.
“Winning the Grand Prize was highly important to me. After receiving this acknowledgement, I felt much more confident in my abilities and my work. If I get the chance to compete in international competitions in the future, I’ll be motivated and experienced,” she noted.
Paloma Suarez Cordillo told us in a brief interview that the option to display not only traditional crafts but also an invitation for innovative creations that combine cutting-edge technology with age-old craft techniques is what makes ETHNOFEST so vital.
“This year, ETHNOFEST 2022 was a feast for the eyes! The booths were carefully thought through, displaying a wide range of items in an attractive and well thought out way,” highlighted Cordillo.
This year, Cordillo was struck by the “high level of communication among the artisans and the attention to detail in marketing their products: packaging and personal cards, as well as the flyers they created that were packed full of information about their products.”
The consultations I held showed me the great insight artisans have into their products and a growing desire to be more thoughtful, professional and creative about their displays.
“Judging the Best Booth in the four categories was challenging. I was very impressed with the nomination for contribution to Safeguarding Tradition, this award was split between two artisans who are also passing on their tradition to the next generation,” she stated.
“This year’s Grand Prize went to Keti Nozadze. Keti found her inspiration in the architecture of old Tbilisi and in particular the entrances and facades seen in this part of the city. She draws further inspiration from the entrance doors from old Batumi and the historical Red Cross building in old Tbilisi. Keti has created her company “Lampino”, which makes lamps based on the doors, windows, and balconies of these old Georgian houses,” she noted.
“The presence of other artisans from the South Caucasus makes the event one of the meetings of ideas, collaboration, and friendship,” outlined Cordillo.
“ETHNOFEST offers a great platform for makers and designers to present their new and evolving ideas to the public while showcasing the talent of Georgia’s new craftspeople who are successfully adopting a European level of quality that honors and maintains the roots of the country’s craft tradition,” she added.
In a brief interview with GEORGIA TODAY, Maka Dvalishvili discussed the importance and benefits of ETHNOFEST.
“It must be mentioned that every year’s summit is a unique meeting in its own way. However, this year’s ETHNOFEST is a step forward both in terms of the exhibited products, as well as in the scope and diversity”, underlined Maka Dvalishvili.
Dvalishvili highlights that the pandemic era despite its negative effects, created conditions for entrepreneurs and artists to concentrate on their creativity and this leap was reflected in the works that were displayed at the Expo.
“This year, at the fair the focus was directed on the mini-exhibitions, displays and entrepreneurs’communication skills with visitors. To assist the festival participants in setting up their booths and presenting their products properly, within the framework of our project, supported by USAID Economic Security Program, GACC conducted preliminary trainings and consultations with the entrepreneurs in advance. Common exhibition concept was elaborated as well as other important elements, that ensured the artistic diversity and exclusivity of ETHNOFEST2022,” founder of ETHNOFEST stated.
“The international scale of the event has grown based on the the GACC ongoing projects such as EU Black Sea Basin Program’s “Experiential Tourism” project, Creative Europe’s “Crafting Europe” “iAtelie” exhibition stand, international seminar “Crafts for Local Development Agenda”, and others,” she added.
Dvalishvili mentioned that without the high professionalism and tireless cooperation of the GACC small team, ETHNOFEST 2022 would not have been carried out with such highest artistic and creative value.
By Sophie Hodler
