Zuza Sikorska - Laura Palmer Foundation
Vahram Aghasyan
Ayreen Anastas
Ei Arakawa
Mari Mukai
Gela Patashuri
Sergei Tcherepnin
Ruben Arevshatyan
Bettina Atala
Daniel Baumann
Alena Boika
Rene Gabri
Bouillon Group
Daniel Birkenmayer
George Chakhava
Josef Dabernig
Kote Jincharadze
Didier Fiuza Faustino
Mathieu Herbelin
Mesarchitecture
Yona Friedman
William Hollister
Zurab Jalaghania
Nana Kipiani
Eva Khachatryan
Agnieszka Kurant
Vicki Lee
Next Dreamhacker
Accidental Lover BoyZ
Nikolozi
Nini Palavandishvili
Lali Pertenava
Richard Reynolds
Georg Schőllhammer
Slavs and Tatars
Sophia Tabatadze
Nienke Terpsma
Rob Hamelijnck
Fucking Good Art
Wato Tsereteli
Urban Research Lab
Gio Sumbadze
Ani Chorgolashivili
Rezo Glonti
Greg Lindquist
Tamuna Karumidze
Neli Zedgenidze
Koka Ramishvili
Urban Reactor
Jan Verwoert
Melinda Braathen
Vladimir Volnovik
Aleksandra Wasilkowska
Martin Zet
Joanna Warsza
The Former Ministry of Highways of the Soviet Republic of Georgia, erected in 1975 is an example of a realized utopia, it has been productive of an augmented reality, blending the image of the future under Communism. This three-day residency of Caucasian and international artists, architects, curators, academics offers rich sessions of research and leisure around the multiple variations of this heterotopic place. The program includes talks, workshops, art and architecture, concerts, field trips, and roof parties.
a project by Joanna Warsza
Artists, academics, architects, curators, economists, and residents of Tbilisi in a context-responsive summer art project in the time between the former Ministry of Highways of the Soviet Republic of Georgia and the future headquarters of Bank of Georgia:
Vahram Aghasyan, Ayreen Anastas, Ei Arakawa/Mari Mukai/Gela Patashuri/Sergei Tcherepnin, Ruben Arevshatyan, Bettina Atala, Daniel Baumann, Alena Boika, Levan Chogoshvili, Rene Gabri, Bouillon Group, Daniel Birkenmayer, George Chakhava, Josef Dabernig, Kote Jincharadze, Didier Fiúza Faustino & Mathieu Herbelin / Mésarchitecture, Yona Friedman, William Hollister, Zurab Jalaghania, Nana Kipiani, Eva Khachatryan, Agnieszka Kurant, Vicki Lee & Next Dreamhacker / Accidental Lover BoyZ, Nikolozi, Nini Palavandishvili, Lali Pertenava, Richard Reynolds, Georg Schöllhammer, Slavs and Tatars, Sophia Tabatadze, Nienke Terpsma & Rob Hamelijnck / Fucking Good Art, Wato Tsereteli, Urban Research Lab: Gio Sumbadze, Ani Chorgolashivili & Rezo Glonti, Greg Lindquist, Tamuna Karumidze, Neli Zedgenidze & Koka Ramishvili; Urban Reactor, Jan Verwoert & Melinda Braathen, Vladimir Volnovik, Aleksandra Wasilkowska, Martin Zet.
The Caucasus speaks with frozen moments. With the fall of the Communist regime, trains stopped mid-route, the cable car over one of the canyons of Tbilisi was abandoned halfway, and the housing estates of the never realized future in Mush found temporary settlers. The heritage of Soviet architecture in the region has revealed its anticipatory potential of multiple secondary uses, creative economies, and the sustainable and self-organizing policies parallelly present in the cultural discourse nowadays. The Former Ministry of Highways of the Soviet Republic of Georgia, erected in 1975 by architects George Chakhava (1923–2007) and Zurab Jalaghania is one of the most stunning buildings in the world. An example of a realized utopia (a utopie realizable), it has been productive of an augmented reality, blending the image of the future under Communism with organic, palimpsestic architecture and the concepts of a continuous, non-master-planned environment. We now live in the future projected by the architects.
This three-day residency of Caucasian and international artists, architects, curators, academics, and of the Tbilisi public will offer rich and fascinating sessions of research and leisure around the multiple variations of this heterotopic place. The program includes talks, workshops, art and architecture, concerts, field trips, and roof parties. The point of departure refers to the poetics of frozen images, with its inherent potential of past and future meanings — whether the legacy of modernism, a moving and walking city, plug-in concepts, ‘back-to-the-future’ policies, and much more. For three days in July this fantastic building will become a diagram for various horizontal contributions, where one spontaneous act may radically change the project. This will also be the only public opening of the building before its renovation as the future headquarters of Bank of Georgia. Come join us in Tbilisi!
Frozen Moments: Architecture Speaks Back is presented by Laura Palmer Foundation, Other Space Foundation and GeoAir.
The team of initiators:
Vahram Aghasyan, Daniel Birkenmayer, Witek Hebanowski, Eva Khachatryan, Nini Palavandishvili and Joanna Warsza
On-site talks curator: Eva Khachatryan
Design: Kasia Korczak
Producers and coordinators: Witek Hebanowski, Julia Missala, Gela Patashuri and Lali Pertenava
Produced by Other Space Foundation and the Laura Palmer Foundation Warsaw, in collaboration with GeoAIR Georgia & AICA Armenia, Institute for Real-Estate Economy and Project Management, Biberach, Germany
Sponsored by The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and the City of Warsaw, in collaboration with the City of Tbilisi and Transkaukazja Festival, with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union
Main Partner: Bank of Georgia
More information contact
Zuza Sikorska Phone: +995 93373172 zuza@laura-palmer.pl
Nini Palavandishvili Phone: +99599337702
http://www.laura-palmer.pl
July 22–25, 2010 Public Opening: Art, architecture, talks, concerts, field trips, and more
The only public opening of the building ever. Free and open to all
The Former Ministry of Highways and Transport of the Soviet Republic of Georgia
29 Gagarin Street Tbilisi Georgia
Every day from 4 p.m.-9 p.m.
Free entrance