TAF (Tbilisi Art Fair) has come and gone as I write this. My wife and I saw it coming and were in Tbilisi, not yet having relocated to Svaneti for the summer, so we went to the Tbilisi Exhibition grounds of Tsereteli Avenue on the first full day. Tickets were 25 GEL/day, or 70 for the whole event, to buy online or on location. We had missed the Tbilisi Book Fair last month by being out of the city, but this time everything came together just before our departure to the mountains.
I have been to TAF at least once before, but this was definitely a much larger deal. There were individual artists’ shows, most of these each on a side of four-walled spaces, on one hall. A much larger hall featured galleries’ selections of various other artists; and there were special installations and films and talks being presented as well.
One thing which impressed me was the sheer range of the work: from photography using varied processes, serigraphy (screen printing), lithography and ceramic sculpture to collage, label design, painting in all genres and large enamel works in 2D and 3D. Also, the international representation was large, from as nearby as Armenia and Azerbaijan and as far as various European countries and Japan. It took some hours, and two complete tours through it all, to make sure that we hadn’t missed anything in the dazzling array.
One highlight for me was the large array, under glass, of ORIGINAL label drawings and paintings for Georgian products from many decades ago. One rarely gets the chance to see such precious things in real life, and there they were. Nice, too, that someone has undertaken to reproduce these classic designs on modern materials for the nostalgic consumer to buy and remember those past tastes. It felt a little like if one had seen the original painting for the Coca-Cola logo before one’s own eyes… A fascinating glimpse into Soviet Georgian esthetics, still fondly thought of by older generations or coming back into vogue for younger ones.
“Just remember how many pictures you’ve not yet framed or hung at home…” my wife reminded me, in an effort at restraint on my buying. “No promises…” I replied, because who knows what will call out to you like a siren?
Prices were a limiting factor, though, from $25 into the tens of thousands. Pieces from tiny to huge, simple to the most elaborate, involving what must have been hundreds of hours of detailed work.
Some friends of mine were exhibiting paintings, including Guram Khetsuriani and Nika Kabelashvili. I was able to reunite with the former and congratulate him on his growing success, wishing him all the best. The latter hadn’t appeared, but seems to be doing well too.
Some personal collage works by Parajani had “Price on Request” signs; I didn’t request, knowing they would be far out of my range. Almost everything was for sale, though, with very few exceptions.
A clever mashup of Pirosmani’s fisherman and Warhol’s Marilyn could only be named one thing which I might have originated: “Piros-Marilyn.”
The Venice Biennial is a bit far to get to from here, although regarded as one of the best art shows in the world (not without its politics). TAF is right here, growing, improving, putting Georgian art on the world map and bringing foreign artists and buyers here to boot. This is annual, so if you missed it this year or not, next spring it will be back. Dive in and be amazed.
Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with over 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenaissance/
He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti
Blog by Tony Hanmer
