Movement TV / Superhumans at ERTI
ERTI Gallery will present non-comercian project by Uta Bekaia at Tbilisi Art Fair 2018
“Super Humans” ERTI
Kinto Dreams
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SUPERHUMANS SUPERHUMANS
Opening Reception: February 8, 19:00
ERTI Gallery is delighted to announce a solo exhibition of new works by Uta Bekaia, Super Humans, marking the gallery’s first collaboration with the artist.
Uta Bekaia engages multiple artistic mediums, creating wearable sculptures, performances, and videos, where the borders between the disciplines are blurred, and the cultural references are synthesized in his own, personalized vision. With the background in fashion and costume making in the beginning of his career, Bekaia transformed these mediums into the main means, to approach human body and fully emerge into performances. Inspired by ancient mythology, fairy tales, Italian Baroque, and Georgian Dada, Bekaia with his exuberant, sculptural costumes, reinvents and re-stages long lost never-before-documented rituals. Believing in genetical transferability of communal memory, Bekaia attempts to re-connect with the ancient knowledge and impregnate it with his own experiences and new meaning.
“Super Humans” marks Bekaia’s growing interest in his native Georgian folklore and mythology. Entire gallery space and the window will be transformed into immersive, experiential multi-channel video installation, reviving nine characters from different fairy tales, that had the biggest influence on the artist in his childhood. Loyal to his creative process, this time also, Bekaia hardly relies on actual texts or research; instead, he dives into his own memories and subconscious, reviving remnants of those memories, enriched with his own childhood imaginations and interpretations. As a result, the viewer encounters with almost completely new, re-interpreted characters, containing references not only from the Georgian folklore but also experiences from the western pop-culture, another source of Bekaia’s inspiration. Each character is interpreted by the artist himself and carries very personal, almost symbolical meaning for him. This is Bekaia’s attempt to re-connect with his childhood dream to encounter with the Superman (Übermensch). Sound for the video is also created by the artist, reviving memories from ancient folk songs, Mengrelian spells (the region of Georgia where he’s from) and childhood summers in the country side.
Along with the videos Bekaia created nine hand embroideries of the Super Humans, where the playfulness of the children coloring books are merged with his widely explored and beloved craft.
The characters are the following:Ochopintre – soul of the forest, half human -half animal, always accompanied by two golden deer, he played on the flute and to his music, the trees and flowers would blossom;
Gulambara and Sulambara – a blind King, that in order to get back the sight, had to apply the blood of the golden Fish on his eyes.
Devi – hairy giants, that would generally occupy the springs or another source of the water and would always ask something or someone in return.
Natsarquekia – a lazy person, who would spend days in staring at the center-fire and playing with the ashes.
Tsiqara – an orphan boy, with his loyal friend bull, who would carry him through the difficulties.
Faskunji – large creature with the wings, who would carry humans on long distances over their wings, but the character should feed it constantly, even to give them their own leg.
Gatsi and Game – double God, that would become one whole time to time.
Armazi – Pagan God of the war.
Dali – Goddess of the forest, with long golden hair.
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Kinto Dreams Kinto Dreams
“Kinto Dreams” represents an artistic attempt to creative associative links between contemporary and traditional ritualistic culture. The project is based on a idea of perceiving ritual, as an altered state of consciousness, which can be reached through enhancement of rhythmic, continuous beat, homogeneous dance and psychedelic substances.
“Kinto dreams” investigates urban culture in different period of time and tries to connect old Tbilisi city Kinto dance, with blooming culture of electronic music in Georgia, both as a representation of ritualistic culture. Altogether with displayed paintings, created between 2001 -2005, as decorations for psychedelic events, the show creates comic and absurd, dreamlike expression of higher state of mind.This show is dedicated to living memory of dear friend, Chaiung Siagian.
presented by ArtArea Tbilisi
Music – Natalie Tba Beridze
Video – Levan Maisuradze / Giorgi Akhvlediani
Installation – George Babalashvili Giorgi Baba
Curator – Taso Chkheidze
Special thanks to Levan Mindiashvili
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Caucasus Business Week: Uta Bekaia’s “Super Humans” at E R T I Gallery. Caucasus Business Week: Uta Bekaia’s “Super Humans” at E R T I Gallery.
First collaboration between ERTI Gallery and Uta Bekaia
Rustavi2 – ERTI Gallery’s new project with Uta Bekaia, curated by Levan Mindiashvili
Artpil about VC_2017
Kinto Dreams 03 Kinto Dreams 03
c-print, barite photo paper
25×30
2017
Kinto Dreams 02 Kinto Dreams 02
c-print, barite photo paper
25×30
2017
Kinto Dreams 01 Kinto Dreams 01
c-print, barite photo paper
25×30
2017
- Kinto Dreams
Kinto Dreams
“Kinto Dreams” represents an artistic attempt to creative associative links between contemporary and traditional ritualistic culture. The project is based on a idea of perceiving ritual, as an altered state of consciousness, which can be reached through enhancement of rhythmic, continuous beat, homogeneous dance and psychedelic substances. “Kinto dreams” investigates urban culture in different period of time and tries to connect old Tbilisi city Kinto dance, with blooming culture of electronic music in Georgia, both as a representation of ritualistic culture. Altogether with displayed paintings, created between 2001 -2005, as decorations for psychedelic events, the show creates comic and absurd, dreamlike expression of higher state of mind. This show is dedicated to living memory of dear friend, Chaiung Siagian. presented by ArtArea Tbilisi Music - Natalie Tba Beridze Video – Levan Maisuradze / Giorgi Akhvlediani Installation - George Babalashvili Giorgi Baba Curator - Taso Chkheidze Special thanks to Levan Mindiashvili
Uta Bekaia is a Georgian born (1974) multimedia artist currently residing and working in New York and Tbilisi. He had studied Industrial Design at Tbilisi Mtsire Academy. He debuted as an artist at AMA (Avant-Guard Fashion Assembly) with a sculptural performance. He creates multimedia performances and installations inhabited with wearable sculptures, exploring his historical cultural background, genetical codes and cycles of the universe. Currently he is a resident artist at MAD Museum of Art and Design, New York. Among his exhibitions are Kiev 2nd Biennial, ArtIsterium 2015, Popiashvili Gvaberidze Window Project, The Vasquez Building, Brooklyn; His current performance pieces are “41o” Art Villa Garikula; Tbilisoba Festival; “Vestiphobia”, Ideal Glass, New York; “Fua Sia Tata Sia”, The Movement Theater, “Berikaoba” for Tbilisi; Tbilisi City Parade.
Exhibitions
2017
“Kinto Dreams” solo show at ARTAREA Tbilisi
“Vestiphobia” workshop and exhibition at Par Gorria Gallery , Havana Cuba
2016
“Precarious Constructs,” Venus Knitting Art Space, Brooklyn, NY; #NewTiflis, commissioned by Tbilisi City Hall in occasion of Annual City Festival “Tbilisoba,” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili,
Georgia;
Residency at MAD Museum NYC.
“Night Intervention” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia;
“Unintended Archeology” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, The Lodge Gallery, New York City;
2015
“Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Center for Contemporary Art, Batumi, Georgia;
Art Isterium – International Forum for Contemporary Art, Tbilisi Historical Museum, Georgia;
“The School of Kiyv,” 2nd Kiyv Biennial, Ukraine;
“Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Kuad Gallery, Istanbul 14th Biennial parallel project part of Kiyv Biennial, Turkey;
“The Seventh Sky,” Solo Exhibition, The Vazquez Building, Brooklyn;
“Heritage,” Rich Mix Art Center, London, UK;
“Crossing The Boundaries.03,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
2013
“Heritage,” Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia; “Pheromone,” Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL;
“Spotlights on Georgian Contemporary Art,” Dhadamus Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium;
“A Map of My Heart,” Popiashvili Gvaberidze Window Project, Tbilisi, Georgia; “Morphing,” Berliner Liste13, Dhadamus Contemporary, Berlin, Germany; “Crossing The Boundaries.02,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
Performances
2017
“The scarlet shadows” Performance at Mercedes Benz fashion week Tbilisi.
“The Steam city” performance at Tbilisi city fest. conditioned by City hall of Tbilisi.
“The one and almighty “ Performance at Zdanevich art center Batumi & The Artisterium festival in Tbilisi
“Paradise Lost/ !”#”$%&'( 3+4 performance at Mercedes benz fashion week Tbilisi
“Vestiphobia” Performance at Fabrica del Arte Cubano, Havana, Cuba
2016
“Uta Bauhaus UTA,” ODETTA, Brooklyn, NY;
“DaDa Ball,” homage to Iliad Zdanevich, Garikula Residency, Georgia; “Night Intervention,“ State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia; “The last chepter,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City; “Unintended Archeology,” The Lodge Gallery, New York City; “The Fairy Night,” Art Park Residency, New York City; “Elements,” FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands;
2015
“Berikaoba,” Tbilisi City Parade, Georgia;
“Fuasia Tatasia,” Movement Theater, Tbilisi, Georgia;
2014
“Duality,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada; “Duality,” Art a Porter, Bryant Park, New York City;
“Fuasia Tatasia,” Peras de Olmo – Ars Continua, Buenos Aires, Argentina; 2013
“Purple Jester,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada;
FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brighton Fashion Week, UK;
La Guillotine, Paris, France;
“Sweatshop Boogie,” Williamsburg Fashion Week, Brooklyn, NY; 2012
“Wedding,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia;
“Days of a Dandy,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City; “TRANSpolation,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada; 2011
“Pheromone,” Laguanacazul Art Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina; “Uta Levan,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia;
2010
“Saint Hollywood,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City;
Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia;
FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada;
2009
“Icons,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City;
Tags: Uta Bekaia