On The Other Side of The Hill at E.A. Shared Space

Artists: Beth Collar, Anna K.E., Maia Naveriani, Lika Tarkhan-Mouravi

Exhibition title: On The Other Side of The Hill

Venue: E.A. Shared Space, Tbilisi, Georgia

Date: April 14 – May 21, 2022

Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and E.A. Shared Space, Tbilisi

On The Other Side of The Hill is a group exhibition, which brings together works by artists: Beth Collar, Anna K.E., Lika Tarkhan-Mouravi and Maia Naveriani. The works on paper look at the production of a myth and oral history. Deriving the title from one the works by Maia Naveriani, the exhibition suggests feminist view-points of histories left aside from the status quo. Here past and present are intertwined, creating new readings of the classical mythologies and factual narratives, as well, as traces of history among us.

Beth Collar, looks at the beech tree trunks in one of the historical parks of Berlin, as the backdrops for messages to a passerby. The encrypted messages on the trunks pass on the history of fascism, underground queer culture, alongside to the trivial messages of love and hate. Here the trees stand for the carriers of history and natural archivers and/or advertisers of the actual and imagined, personal and political.

Lika Tarkhan-Mouravi looks into Georgian oral histories and mythologies of the Caucasus, as well, as some of the classical Georgian literature of the 12th century, such as The Knight in a Panther’s Skin. Subverting these mostly male dominated classical narratives Tarkhan-Mouravi creates new feminist readings as a point of departure for her work.

Anna K.E. does not go back to any mythological narrative, on the contrary she uses the blank surface of a paper as a departure for creating new. K.E.’s work is directed to imagining the future, leaving back archetypes, cultural identity and ancient or modern folklore. The series of mixed media on paper show some of her earlier drawings from early 2000’s, where the pictorial language stands close to the edge of abstraction.

Mythology in Maia Naveriani’s work is defined by the constant flows of information of the present. Naveriani uses signs and symbols within the popular culture and creates new narrative. Through her provocative texts and images, Naveriani unabashedly raises questions around the normative. Presented series date back to the early 2000’s, alongside to her new work, produced in March, 2022. Chivalry and Gallantry reflects upon the present moment of political change, military crime and atrocities around the globe stemming from the on-going Russo-Ukrainian war. Ukraine is present in the selection through Naveriani’s earlier drawings in homage to the iconic Ukrainian artist Kazimir Malevich.

On The Other Side of The Hill: Beth Collar, Anna K.E., Maia Naveriani, Lika Tarkhan-Mouravi. Installation View

Lika Tarkhan-Mouravi, (To The Friend Who Saw Me in the Molten Shards of Glass), Watercolor on paper, 45 x 32,5 cm, 2021

Beth Collar, “End Quote”, 2020, Lytographic crayon on paper, 58 x 43 cm. and Beth Collar, Re-read, 2020, Lytographic crayon on paper, 70 x 45,6 cm. Installation View

Beth Collar, “End Quote”, 2020, Lytographic crayon on paper, 58 x 43 cm. (framed)

Maia Naveriani, Chivalry and Galantry, 2022, Color pencil on paper, 148 x 185 cm. Installation View

Maia Naveriani, Kazimir Malevchi 1 and Kazimir Malevchi 2, 2002, Color pencil on paper, 26 x 33 cm

On The Other Side of The Hill, Works by Maia Naveriani. Installation View

From left to right: Maia Naveriani, I Love Bad Guys on The Other Side of The Hill, 2002, Color pencil on paper, 25 x 33 cm; Maia Naveriani, Things To Do, 2003, Color pencil on paper, 25 x 33 cm; Maia Naveriani, Things Not To Do, 2003, Color pencil on paper, 25 x 33 cm

On The Other Side of The Hill, Works by Maia Naveriani and Anna K.E. Installation View

Anna K.E., Missing Part of Nothingness, 2009, Mixed Media on Paper, 41.91 x 55.88 cm. Installation View

On The Other Side of The Hill, Works by Anna K.E. Installation View

Anna K.E., Moonage Daydream, 2019, Mixed Media on Paper, 21.59 x 27.94 cm. and Anna K.E., Oasis, 2009, Mixed Media on Paper, 21.59 x 27.94 cm. Installation View