XVII CENTURY FRIDGE, 2022 is a site-specific installation comprising three standalone pieces conceptually interwoven through their temporal, spatial and societal significance. The site, with its particular characteristics and the three elements housed within it, all come together to explore the ideas of shared spaces as places of utility, the adaptation of their purpose, and the significance of historical and environmental preservation. The installation invites viewers to reflect upon the juxtaposition of the old, the new and the yet unknown.

The idea of locality is instrumental as the exhibition is rooted in the context of the city of Tbilisi as a place inhabited by people whose lives are directly impacted and moulded by changes in their surroundings. The site chosen for the piece speaks to the continuous adaptation of the city driven by the temporal demands of society and commerce. Visible in some of the earliest cartographic depictions of Tbilisi, Lado Gudiashvili Square has assumed new names and purposes with remarkable flexibility throughout its existence. The underground space lending itself to this installation is located on this centuries-old, continuously utilised public square. Recent rehabilitation works on this location unearthed structures of archaeological significance dated from around the 17th century. The purpose of these structures is ascertained to have been storage of produce and other perishable goods in cool conditions, a sort of a 17th-century refrigerator.

All Because Of Muddy Waters

2022

Collaboration with Mishiko Sulakauri, Sandro Pachuashvili

Text by Salome Papashvili

Supported by CH64 Gallery

Photos By Sandro Sulaberidze, Guram Tsibakhishvili