A brief history of artists' connections between Bristol and Tbilisi since 1992
1992
Heat and Conduct, Mappin Gallery Sheffield, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol, exhibition curated by Dr. Susan Reid. Eight Georgian artists exhibit. Oleg Timchenko and Guia Rigvava awarded six week residencies at Artspace with an exhibition at the Artspace gallery. Oleg stays with Bruce and Novvy Allan. Guia stays with Anthea Nicholson.
1994
Residencies for six Bristol artists in Tbilisi organised by Bruce Allan and Anthea Nicholson with support from The British Council. The residencies followed the 1992/3 Civil war and took place in desperate times for Georgia. Many people carried guns.
Gunfire and barking dogs were ever present at night. Despite this, springtime, hospitality and the interaction with Georgian artists was unforgettable, culminating in Silk Road an exhibition at the Caravanserai Tbilisi with work by six Bristol based UK and six Georgian artists.
1995
Forest Fire exhibition at Bruce Allan's studio, Blakeney, Forest of Dean, with work by Bruce Allan, Mamuka Japharidze, Anthea Nicholson and Yasha Djugashvili.
1995/96
Three month residency for Oleg Timchenko at Bruce's studio. The BTA commissioned Oleg to paint a posthumous portrait of BTA founder Paul Garland. In the painting Paul is seen wearing Bristol insignia. In reality no such photo of Paul existed, the insignia was photographed at the Mansion House and added by Oleg. The painting now hangs in the Members room of the Council House.
Oleg Timchenko and Councillor Arthur Massey with Oleg's painting of Paul Garland
1998
Mirzaani International Artists Workshop, Georgia organised by Anthea Nicholson, Mamuka Japharidze and Iliko Zautashvili with participants from the UK, Ireland and Georgia. The workshop took place in and around the Pirosmani Museum at Mirzaani, Kahetia coinciding with Pirosmanoba the annual celebration of Pirosmani's birthday held in October. Mirzaani was Pirosmani's home village.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niko_Pirosmanashvili
Mamuka Japharidze and Anthea Nicholson introducing the artists' workshop at Pirosmanoba. 400 people attended a feast sitting at four tables.
Dancers rehearsing for Pirosmanoba
At Pirosmani's Table
Tableau vivant, Pirosmani Museum, Mirzaani, Georgia, 1998
Bruce Allan, Ian Joyce with Oleg Timchenko, Manana Dvali, Mamuka Japharidze
At a carefully prepared table, based on the feast paintings of Niko Pirosmani, invited participants raise their glasses in a toast. The work was performed in front of Pirosmani's village house, now in the grounds of the Pirosmani Museum
Feast of Five Noblemen
Oil on oilcloth
Niko Pirosmani 1906
1998
Annie Lovejoy, Mac Dunlop, Koka Ramishvili and others establish here nor there
"...here nor there... a space of the imagination ... between one place and another"
The concept of being between borders in flight inspires the name "...here nor there..." ..a thematic and metaphoric focus for the international collaborations, exhibitions and events that the collective instigates or is invited to participate within.
here nor there 1998 - 2003
www.herenorthere.org
here nor there: adaptor
1999
brucebruce screen, Blakeney, Forest of Dean, organised by Bruce Allan and Bruce Stinson includes work by Georgian artists Mamuka Japharidze, Koka Ramishvili, Oleg Timchenko and Mukha Mukigulli.
1999
Mamuka Japharidze represents Georgia at the Venice Bienalle.
1999/2000
Two month residency for Oleg Timchenko at Bruce's studio.
2001
Table a performance banquet for Year of The Artist, Southville Centre, Bristol. 110 guest participants with performances and contributed artwork from around the world. Organised by Bruce Allan, Anthea Nicholson and Mamuka Japharidze in association with Alix Hughes, Bristol International Twinnings Association. Inspired by celebrations at a Georgian table.
Table arrangements
Top: Emmanuel Jaffelin, Bordeaux assembling his centrepiece. Below: bicycle from Beira, Mozambique.
Table: Anselm Caminada (Switzerland) performing an acoustic fruit salad
2001
Bruce Allan returns to Georgia to research material for his work a proposition shown in the exhibition River, Estuary, Ocean at Galerie 21, Malmö, Sweden.
2003
Braziers International Artists Workshop UK. Bruce Allan selects Iliko Zautashvili as a participant. Mamuka Japharidze is invited as a visiting artist, Keti Japharidze as a visiting lecturer.
Apartment in Tbilisi established as a creative base for artists by Bruce Allan and Ian Joyce (Ireland) See also http://www.clo.ie/projects.html
2005
A Midsummer Table performed by Bruce Allan and Mamuka Japharidze at the HweiLan International Artists Workshop, Taiwan.
2005
Art Caucasus, Tbilisi, Georgia. Bruce Allan co-curates UK artists with Bristol based artist and lecturer, Louise Short. Louise is the founder of STATION, an occasional hub of arts activity at Phoenix Wharf, Bristol.
2007
Anthea Nicholson, Bruce Allan, Colin Evans and Mamuka Japharidze research Festival of Film and Video Art from Georgia. Visit to Racha province, Georgia by Bruce Allan, Sue Chudley, Dave Gooding and Mamuka Japharidze.
2008
Liza Timchenko, Bruce's god-daughter, stays for a month in the Forest of Dean.
2008
Festival of Film and Video Art from Georgia screened in Bristol at Arnolfini and Cube Microplex co-organised by Anthea Nicholson, Bruce Allan, Mamuka Japharidze and Colin Evans. The festival celebrated 20 years of city twinning between Bristol and Tbilisi and 100 years of Georgian cinema. Georgian ambassador Gela Charkviani gave the opening addresses at the Film Festival Forum. Wato Tsereteli presented a film by Alexander Rekviashvili on disappearing village life in Upper Racha at the Arts Barn, Millers Farm, Blakeney, Forest of Dean, an event hosted by Sue Chudley and Dave Gooding.
Georgian ambassador Gela Charkviani addressing the Festival Forum of Film and Video Art from Georgia. The ambassador gave an impassioned speech following the August war with Russia.
Gareth Evans (Writer and critic), Lasha Bakradze (Actor and film historian), Nino Anjaparidze (Dir. Georgian International Film Festival), Zaza Rusadze (Film Director, Bandits), James Norton (Writer and critic).
Festival organisers and Georgian guest participants with Christopher Davies, the Lord Mayor of Bristol and his wife at the Mansion House.
L to R Back row: Colin Evans, Bruce Allan, Zaza Rusadze (director Bandits), Lasha Bakradze (actor and film historian), Lord Mayor and wife, Mamuka Japharidze (artist), Wato Tseretel (artist)i, Koka Ramishvili (artist).
In front: Anthea Nicholson with Nino Anjaparidze (director Tbilisi International Film Festival).
2009
Koka Ramishvili and Wato Tsereteli represent Georgia at the Venice Bienalle.
2009
Forest of Dean and Racha, Georgia, Artists and Museums Exchange Project Proposal launched at Millers Farm, Blakeney, Forest of Dean. The launch followed preparatory visits to Racha Regional Museum at Oni by Bruce Allan, Sue Chudley, David Gooding and Wato Tsereteli. Staff at Dean Heritage and Oni Museums are supporting the initiative. The project is planned to take place in 2010/2011.
Oni Museum October 2009: Museum Director Gia Berishvili (2nd l) with Wato Tsereteli,
David Gooding and Sue Chudley
2010
Nasangrali Shindisi. A newly built creative residency / visitors' house and orchard, established in the hills above Tbilisi by Anthea Nicholson, Ray Nicholson and Mamuka Japharidze.
Nasangrali Shindisi