L’Atlas is pleased to announce its new collaboration with Georgian gallery Artbeat, for the exhibition My sister named… gathering twelve Georgian femal artists.

The exhibition offers a compelling exploration into the interconnected themes of fluidity, transition, immigration and identity within the Georgian context. Inside of the exhibition space, each artist crafts autonomous realms that engage in a fluid dialogue with space, time, and each other. Through diverse media such as painting, collage, drawing, video, and installation, the artists invite viewers to immerse themselves in an exploration of Georgian cultural context across different historical periods. It’s crucial to highlight that the context of migration serves as a unifying thread, connecting artists across nearly every generation. Through a curated selection of works by prominent women artists spanning multiple generations, the exhibition provides a nuanced examination of identity, societal shifts and personal narratives. The curatorial decision draws inspiration from Polish philosopher and sociologist Zygmunt Bauman’s (1925-2017) theoretical framework on modernity.

In the “Solid State” section, established women artists from earlier generations delve into traditional notions of stability and fixed identities, capturing the enduring essence of solid modernity through media such as painting. Modernist figures like Vera Pagava and Ema Lalaeva-Ediberidze stand alongside artists who navigated the challenges of the Soviet period and offer insights into the social structures and cultural traditions that define the solid phase of modernity, while also acknowledging its inherent limitations.

The transition phase, represented in the “Melting Solid” section, marks the dissolution of traditional norms and the emergence of a more fluid and uncertain reality. Women artists navigate this period of flux, reflecting on themes of transition, identity flux, and the erosion of boundaries. Figures such as Keti Kapanadze, Maia Naveriani, and Tamuna Sirbiladze symbolize the intensive migration of Georgian creators to Western artistic spaces during the transitional period, challenging established hierarchies and exploring new conceptual territories. One of the representatives of this period is Nato Sirbiladze, who lived through the Soviet era and began working in the 1990s, a time when everything collapsed in the local area.

Finally, the exhibition culminates in the “Liquid State”, where contemporary women artists offer insights into the fluid nature of human existence in the era of liquid modernity. Nina Kintsurashvili, Elene Shatberashvili, Ana Gzirishvili, Anna K.E., and Tamo Jugeli, representing the new generation, embody the fluidity of contemporary identities amidst Georgia’s transition from colonialism to nationhood. Their works explore themes of connectivity, fragmentation, and resilience, capturing the constant flux of identities in a rapidly changing contexts.

About Gallery Artbeat

Gallery Artbeat is a pioneering contemporary art gallery based in Tbilisi, Georgia representing midcareer and emerging Georgian artists. Between 2014-2017 the gallery started its journey as a project space, a moving gallery using a shipping container for site-specific exhibitions to introduce contemporary art in peripheral locations where museums and galleries don’t function.
In October 2017 the gallery found it’s permanent home in the heart of Tbilisi. The gallery has a significant presence on the international art scene, collaborating with major institutions and museums and taking part in art fairs such as NADA Miami, Paris Internationale, Artissima, Art Cologne. Its aim is to support artists throughout their artistic journeys, foster cultural activities both locally and abroad, collaborate with international galleries and organisations and mark Georgia on an international art map.