Historical Street Art: Mosaics from Ancient Georgia
In the heart of Tbilisi, the annual Tbilisi Mural Fest showcases the city's rich cultural heritage, featuring striking murals that pay tribute to Maro Makashvili, a Georgian national hero, alongside a collection of restored and relocated mosaic murals in Zugdidi, transforming them into a new cultural attraction.
These mosaics, a relic of the Soviet era, hold significant historical, artistic, and cultural value. Unlike typical Soviet propaganda, many 20th-century Georgian mosaics stand out for their focus on national identity and folklore, offering a rich and diverse visual experience that is culturally meaningful, historically significant, and often delightfully imaginative.
Artistically, these mosaics display a diverse range of styles, including Socialist Realism, Futurism, and geometric abstraction. They often incorporate elements from Georgian culture and mythology, such as maritime motifs related to the Black Sea, distinguishing them from mosaics in other Soviet republics.
Culturally, these mosaics serve as enduring public artworks that go beyond Soviet propaganda, capturing a complex social narrative and offering insight into mid-20th century Georgian identity. They remain embedded in urban landscapes, including Tbilisi and Batumi, and are increasingly recognized as important heritage sites worth preserving amid urban development pressures.
Initiatives like detailed maps, such as the one created by local Georgian art collective Geoair, and books (e.g., Mosaics of the Soviet Period in Georgia by Nini Palavandishvili) help document and engage the public with these artworks as part of the country’s layered history.
Modern street art thrives in various locations across Georgia, including Fabrika in Tbilisi, and extends into unexpected corners of the country. Artists in Georgia use walls as platforms for social and political commentary through various techniques such as graffiti, stencils, and large-scale murals. The Niko Movement, a project focused on rejuvenating urban spaces through art, is one such example.
Despite the painful memories associated with the Soviet era, particularly in Georgia, many people have come to appreciate Soviet mosaics for their artistic merit and historical significance. Remnants of Soviet mosaics stand as poignant reminders of the past, etched into the fabric of cities and towns alike.
The Niko Movement's work extends beyond the capital, with murals found in other Georgian cities. One of the bold murals created by the Niko Movement in Tbilisi is DANTE's polar bear mural, while Musya Qeburia, a notable Georgian artist, created the mural "Girl Swimming in Plastic" near the "Be Chill" mural.
Fabrika, once a Soviet sewing factory, is now a bustling cultural hub adorned with colorful murals and street art. Themes tackled by these artworks include cultural identity, social justice, and personal freedom, inviting onlookers to engage with Georgia's evolving story.
The Expo Georgia mosaics, a collection of Soviet-era artworks, are situated at the Expo Georgia exhibition centre in Tbilisi. These mosaics serve as a testament to the artistic prowess of the era and the enduring impact of public art on the cultural landscape of Georgia.
[1] Palavandishvili, N. (2013). Mosaics of the Soviet Period in Georgia. Tbilisi: Caucasus University Press. [2] Geoair (2021). Maps of Soviet mosaics in Georgia. Retrieved from https://geoair.ge/en/projects/maps-of-soviet-mosaics-in-georgia/ [3] European Union (2019). EU4Dialogue supports the restoration of Zugdidi Mosaics. Retrieved from https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/65307/eu4dialogue-supports-restoration-zugdidi-mosaics_en
