Georgia's Venice Biennale Pavilion Explores End Times Through VR and Video

Mariam Natroshvili and Detu Jincharadze represent Georgia at the 59th Venice Biennale with their exhibition 'I Pity the Garden' at Spazio Punch. The work, conceived during peace but now contextualized by war, examines signs of ending through a VR experience and auto-generating video. Designed by Luka Murovec from Raumlabor Berlin, the installation opens with a talk by philosopher Federico Campagna. For the artists, participation holds particular significance given Georgia's 70-year exclusion during Soviet rule, making their pavilion a statement of independence amid current regional tensions. They note that Georgia's artistic development diverged due to Socialist Realism imposition, though Tbilisi had a vibrant avant-garde scene before Sovietization in the 1920s. Inspiration comes from modernist painter Dimitri Shevardnadze and poetry. The Venice Biennale offers visibility for smaller nations often overlooked by global art institutions except during crises. The artists anticipate seeing works from rarely-traveled countries in 'The Milk of Dreams' exhibition. The biennale runs from April 23 to November 27, 2022.