The Tbilisi Photography and Multimedia Museum is hosting a new exhibition that showcases the diverse and rich culture of the mountainous region of Adjara. The exhibition, titled Meeting Point: Mountains, is based on a residency program that involved artists, researchers, and anthropologists from different countries. The exhibition aims to introduce the audience to the different aspects of life in Adjara, from its traditions and religion to its landscapes and seasons.
The Residency Program
The residency program was initiated by the Tbilisi Photo Festival, a sister organization of the museum, in 2023. The program invited various contributors to spend a month in Adjara, a region that is often overlooked by tourists and locals alike. The contributors were free to choose their location and season within the region, and to document their experiences and observations in their preferred medium.
Ana Gabelaia, the curator of the exhibition, told GEORGIA TODAY that the residency program was designed to explore the unknown and hidden sides of Adjara. “When we hear Adjara, instantly we imagine the seashore- Batumi, Kobuleti, and other popular tourist destinations, but actually most parts of Adjara are totally different from what it is near the sea,” she said. “We wanted to show the diversity and complexity of this region, which has a lot of cultural, historical, and natural layers.”
The Exhibition
The exhibition, which opened on January 17, 2024, features the works of the residency program participants, as well as some additional materials from the museum’s archive and collection. The exhibition is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different theme: religion, identity, landscape, and season.
The religion section displays the works of photographers and researchers who explored the religious diversity and coexistence in Adjara, where most of the population is Muslim, but there are also Christian and pagan communities. The identity section presents the works of artists and anthropologists who investigated the different aspects of self-expression and belonging in Adjara, such as language, clothing, music, and dance. The landscape section showcases the works of photographers and researchers who captured the stunning and varied scenery of Adjara, from its mountains and forests to its rivers and waterfalls. The season section exhibits the works of photographers and researchers who witnessed the changes and challenges of life in Adjara throughout the year, from the harsh winters to the lush summers.
The Audience
The exhibition is open to the public until February 28, 2024, and is free of charge. The museum also organizes guided tours, workshops, and lectures related to the exhibition, as well as a publication that contains the works and texts of the contributors. The exhibition is expected to attract a wide and diverse audience, from locals and tourists to students and professionals.
Gabelaia said that the exhibition is a unique opportunity for people to discover and appreciate the culture of Adjara, and to learn more about the region’s history, society, and environment. “We hope that the exhibition will inspire people to visit Adjara, to see it with their own eyes, and to interact with the local people,” she said. “We also hope that the exhibition will contribute to the dialogue and exchange between the different communities and regions of Georgia, and to the promotion of cultural diversity and tolerance.”
