On May 19, a one-day art laboratory project “Particles” took place in Makhinjauri, curated by Alisa Kusti and Mariya Kutuzova.
The project explores the theme of boundaries through various aspects of the personal and collective, the earthly and the poetic.The exhibition was held in an abandoned 1970s solarium.
Originally, the building was constructed for relaxation and sunbathing in a military sanatorium, but it is now used for communal needs by local residents. Soviet mosaics with resort themes and stone grilles on the staircases evoke thoughts of the decline of empires and their cultural heritage.
The works presented in the art laboratory interpret contemporary events through the lens of art. The same approach was applied to the building—without nostalgia for the past, but with a respect for cultural heritage. The artists engaged with the building as a partner in dialogue. This approach reflected their attitude towards current events—artistic and, at the same time, sharp, allowing for the exploration of today’s complexities within the framework of yesterday’s dreams.
The project offered reflections on the nature of presence, boundaries, and the ongoing dialogue between past and present, art and the environment, capturing an example of coexistence in a world marked by transient borders and a changing reality.
Participants:
Mariya Kutuzova.
Iren Kwan
Taissa Ren
Valentina Gudaeva
Sergey Trafedlyuk
Video: Eugene Mikhailov.
Author’s archive.