Utopia - The Documentary in Caucasian Photography
10 Jun - 31 Jul 2005
The exhibition "Utopia – The Documentary in Caucasian Photography" presents current trends in photography from Caucasia, from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: The subject of authenticity in photography will be examined from the perspective of the "documentary"; various aspects of the documentary will be presented and put up for discourse – ranging from reportages to the photographic pursuit of a theme, from fragmentation to arranged photography simulating to be a document of our time. But because of the subjective perspective of the photographers, their individual ethical, political, religious, and aesthetic convictions and standpoints, every photograph necessarily always entails an interpretation of reality.
The photographers presented in the exhibition are between 20 and 45 years old. They not only belong to different generations but also to different nationalities, characterized by their respective – in part differing – (art) historical developments. Notwithstanding the increasing globalization of the contemporary art scene in Eastern Europe, the association with a local art scene persists, a local, regional and national scene, in whose discourse different approaches, interpretations and criteria evolve. There is a connecting element in Caucasian photography, however: the inquiry into questions of identity, and a nostalgic tendency. Recollecting pre-Soviet values is a starting point for shaping the future. Despite all political differences between the countries, despite military conflicts during the last decade, and despite local and national variations, the "Caucasian art scene" has always been strongly interconnected: joint exhibitions have been organized abroad, and the region presented itself as a lively, manifold, and yet compact art scene. Consequently, the artists for this exhibition have not been chosen by the formal criterion of nationality but by their individual artistic contribution to the subject of the exhibition.
The photographers selected for this exhibition document or produce their individual view on reality, consciously utilizing the means of the documentary to call the notions of reality and truth into question.
Participating Artists:
Irina Abzhandadze, Rashad Alekberov, Albert Babelyan, Rena Effendi, Natela Grigalashvili, Larissa Katasanova, Gela Kuprashvili, Mekhti Mamedov, Ruben Mangasaryan, Serj Navasardyan, Sevinj Pirizadeh, Nino Sekhniashvili.
A catalogue will be available.
Curators: Wato Tsereteli, Barbara Barsch
ifa gallery Berlin
June 10 – July 31, 2005
Opening: Thursday, June 9, 2005, 7 pm
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 2 – 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 2 – 9 p.m.
ifa gallery Stuttgart
September 9 – October 23, 2005
Opening: Thursday, September 8, 2005, 6 pm
Opening hours:
Tuesday, Wednesdy, Friday: 12 a.m. – 18 p.m.
Thursday 12 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
© Image by Natela Grigalashvili, untitled, 2004
The photographers presented in the exhibition are between 20 and 45 years old. They not only belong to different generations but also to different nationalities, characterized by their respective – in part differing – (art) historical developments. Notwithstanding the increasing globalization of the contemporary art scene in Eastern Europe, the association with a local art scene persists, a local, regional and national scene, in whose discourse different approaches, interpretations and criteria evolve. There is a connecting element in Caucasian photography, however: the inquiry into questions of identity, and a nostalgic tendency. Recollecting pre-Soviet values is a starting point for shaping the future. Despite all political differences between the countries, despite military conflicts during the last decade, and despite local and national variations, the "Caucasian art scene" has always been strongly interconnected: joint exhibitions have been organized abroad, and the region presented itself as a lively, manifold, and yet compact art scene. Consequently, the artists for this exhibition have not been chosen by the formal criterion of nationality but by their individual artistic contribution to the subject of the exhibition.
The photographers selected for this exhibition document or produce their individual view on reality, consciously utilizing the means of the documentary to call the notions of reality and truth into question.
Participating Artists:
Irina Abzhandadze, Rashad Alekberov, Albert Babelyan, Rena Effendi, Natela Grigalashvili, Larissa Katasanova, Gela Kuprashvili, Mekhti Mamedov, Ruben Mangasaryan, Serj Navasardyan, Sevinj Pirizadeh, Nino Sekhniashvili.
A catalogue will be available.
Curators: Wato Tsereteli, Barbara Barsch
ifa gallery Berlin
June 10 – July 31, 2005
Opening: Thursday, June 9, 2005, 7 pm
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 2 – 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 2 – 9 p.m.
ifa gallery Stuttgart
September 9 – October 23, 2005
Opening: Thursday, September 8, 2005, 6 pm
Opening hours:
Tuesday, Wednesdy, Friday: 12 a.m. – 18 p.m.
Thursday 12 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
© Image by Natela Grigalashvili, untitled, 2004