2015 » Georgia » Section of Countries and Regions

Curator:	Nino Gunia-Kuznetsova
Authors of Theme:	Tamar Bokuchava, Nino Gunia-Kuznetsova
Designer / Architect of exhibition:	Manana Gunia
Institution:	V. Gunia Union of Young Theatre Artists (YTA Union) - OISTAT National Center of Georgia

The Woman’s Voice

The Georgian national exposition presents the works of 12 women scenographers manifesting the general characteristics of contemporary Georgian theater.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Georgian theater was the protagonist of the national idea and the country’s political and social processes. In view of the new political and cultural reality of the 21st century, the theater now faces new challenges. The process of searching for a new identity extends to all levels of intellectual life, as the individual’s personal and gender identity has been transformed along with political identity. These processes manifest themselves in the specifics of composition, performance space, time modeling, and the dramatic interpretation of material and colors. In some of these works, this crisis of identity is felt in the images of spiritual and physical suffering, division, self-irony, dreaming, and the fragmented, mosaic or compressed and restrained space that originates from the recent conflicts and unresolved political and social problems; in other works, the grotesque is substituted to aestheticism and glamour as an ideal counterweight to disharmonic reality. Behind the negation of reality, pain, suffering and frustration, we can see a world at the edge of self-discovery. The artistic fabric of the women’s designs has been woven using archetypal symbols and basic colors, which are sporadic but full of vital energy. This results in the impression that, in the depths of spirituality and culture, a process of transformation and renewal is taking place. The National Pavilion of Georgia – “The Woman’s Voice” – is the “area” where the virtual unity of stage designers creates a unified panorama through the synthesis of visual imagery and music, consisting of real and virtual artifacts. Recordings of scenographic works/performances will be presented on screens along with video art inspired by the women’s theater designs. The exposition embraces the specifics of the exhibition space. Doors open in three directions, thus enhancing the flow of the audience, which symbolically reflects the geopolitical specificity of Georgia. At the same time, the openness of the architectural space opposes the pavilion design, which approaches the “black box” aesthetics. Darkened windows and black panel structures are designed to create a sense of inwardness. Taken as a whole, this creates the metaphor of ambivalence typical for the political and mental situation of a transition period. The music at the exposition is also ambiguous and includes a combination of silence and sound – a mixture of music and noise. The “Woman’s voice” is heard both directly and figuratively.

The National Pavilion of Georgia – The Woman’s Voice – is the “area” where the virtual unity of stage designers creates a unified panorama through the synthesis of visual imagery and music, consisting of real and virtual artifacts. Recordings of scenographic works / performances will be presented on screens along with video art inspired by the women’s theater designs.

The exposition embraces the specifics of the exhibition space. Doors open in three directions, thus enhancing the flow of the audience, which symbolically reflects the geopolitical specificity of Georgia. At the same time, the openness of the architectural space opposes the pavilion design, which approaches the “black box” aesthetics. Darkened windows and black panel structures are designed to create a sense of inwardness. Taken as a whole, this creates the metaphor of ambivalence typical for the political and mental situation of a transition period.

The music at the exposition is also ambiguous and includes a combination of silence and sound – a mixture of music and noise. The Woman’s voice is heard both directly and figuratively.