BETWEEN YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW / UNDERGO. THE PARALLELS
Group Show / Public Space Project / Baratashvili Bridge, Tbilisi (25.05. – 02.06.2012)
EN
The two-part project for the underground passage inside the Baratashvili Bridge is based on historical materials from a private architecture archive in Tbilisi. This photographic material is rhythmically mounted on the graffiti-covered walls of the bridge´s pedestrian crossing and thematizes its nearly century-long history in serving an urban function. Connotative memories are invoked, and earlier (mis)perceptions might become evident and either rectified or validated. In any case, it is an invitation to join a trip into the controversial history of this visionary bridge and its varying utilization. The visionary architecture of this structure even includes one exhibition space for art, which was used for this purpose for a short time only.
The second part of the project consists of a single slide installation mounted in the underground passage, which opens up to the current governmental palace and Freedom Square. The slide depicts the former steel Mukhrani Bridge. Metaphorically, the Mukhrani Bridge inside the new bridge construction establishes symbolic ties with the past, present and an intended future.
EN
The two-part project for the underground passage inside the Baratashvili Bridge is based on historical materials from a private architecture archive in Tbilisi. This photographic material is rhythmically mounted on the graffiti-covered walls of the bridge´s pedestrian crossing and thematizes its nearly century-long history in serving an urban function. Connotative memories are invoked, and earlier (mis)perceptions might become evident and either rectified or validated. In any case, it is an invitation to join a trip into the controversial history of this visionary bridge and its varying utilization. The visionary architecture of this structure even includes one exhibition space for art, which was used for this purpose for a short time only.
The second part of the project consists of a single slide installation mounted in the underground passage, which opens up to the current governmental palace and Freedom Square. The slide depicts the former steel Mukhrani Bridge. Metaphorically, the Mukhrani Bridge inside the new bridge construction establishes symbolic ties with the past, present and an intended future.
DE
Das zweiteilige Projekt in die Unterführungen in Baratashvili-Brücke, basierte auf historischen Materialen, welche einem privaten Architekturarchiv entstammen. Diese Bilddokumente rhythmisierten die teils mit Graffitis überzogenen Wände der Fußgängerübergänge und thematisierten die fast hundertjährige Geschichte dieses Ortes. Erinnerungen wurden aktiviert und damals unverstanden Wahrgenommenes wurde sinnfällig: Eine Einladung zu einer Reise also, in die kontroverse, wie wechselvolle Geschichte dieser Anfang der 1960er Jahre durchaus visionären Brückenarchitektur; zu deren Besonderheiten gehörte auch ein Kunstausstellungsraum, der aber nur für eine relative kurze Zeit genutzt wurde.
Der zweite Teil des Projekts bestand aus einer Dia-Installation in der Unterführung, die sich zum heutigen Regierungspalast und Friedensplatz öffnete. Projiziert wurde hier das Motiv der Vorgängerbrücke namens Mukhrani, die zuvor die beiden Stadtteile am gleichen Ort verbunden hat und nun als Lichterscheinung metaphorisch eine Brücke zwischen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und einer geplanten Zukunft schlug.
This project has been carried out in the framework of a curatorial project "undergo. the parallels" by GeoAIRwith the support of the Eastern Partnership Culture Programme funded by the European Union in the framework of the SPACES, a project promoting artistic action in the public space and the recovery of urban public spaces for art, culture and their residents
ARTISTS: Irina Kurtishvili and Andreas M. Kaufmann
CURATOR: Nini Palavandishvili, GeoAIR, Tbilisi
SPACES TV Between Yesterday and Tomorrow (Video Diary #3)
SPACES TV “Red and Blue” – An installation by Vasili Macharadze inside the Baratashvili Bridge
Photographies by W. Kurtishvili
ARCHITECTS:
Wladimir Kurtishvili (1935 – 1996) / Architect, urbanist, designer, teacher / MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL WORKS: Baratashvili Bridge, Tbilisi, 1964 / Village Niya on Baikal-Amur Main-Lane, 1975 / Reconstruction of State Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi, 1985 / Hotel Metekhi Palace, Tbilisi, 1990 / AWARDS / PRIZES / HONORARY TITLES: Honoured Architect of Georgia, 1979 / Prize of Young Communist League of Georgia, 1982 / Prize of Council of Ministers of the USSR, 1983 / Prize of Council of Ministers of Georgia, 1984 / Corresponding Member of the International Academy of Architecture, Moscow Branch, 1992
Shota Kavlashvili (1926 – 1995) / Architect, urbanist, designer, teacher / MAJOR ARCHITECTURAL WORKS: Baratashvili Bridge, Tbilisi, 1964 / Author of reconstruction and renewal of the old part of Tbilisi, 1983 / Hotel Metekhi Palace, Tbilisi, 1990 / AWARDS / PRIZES / HONORARY TITLES: Honoured Architect of Georgia / Chief Architect of Tbilisi, 1980 – 1991 / Honorary Citizen of Tbilisi, 1985 / Shota Rustaveli State Prize of Georgia, 1985 / Prize of Council of Ministers of the USSR / Member of the International Academy of the Architecture of the Oriental Countries
Baratashvili Bridge, east side / photography by Andreas M. Kaufmann
At the moment the Baratashvili Bridge (here: west side) with its underground passage is in a deplorable state and urgently needs proper restoration and maintenance Photography by Andreas M. Kaufmann
TOUR AROUND THE BRIDGE:
The project is a step towards presenting – and in this way re-established – historical authenticity of the place. This is also an attempt to return the spaces inside the Bridge its original function as exhibition space. The authentic story of the Bridge and his area is chronologically narrated and represented through the photos by architect / Detail of the new Baratashvili Bridge, 1970
The exhibition spaces were closed during the perestroika. A probable, reason of that might lay in the „hidden character“ of the bridge underpass with its „exhibition contents“, what was possibly a contradiction to some demands of cultural authorities of that time / Photography from the interior of the exhibition hall inside the bridge, 1967
After establishing of the independence, the exhibition space was first reconstructed for some other purposes and later deliberately destroyed / Photography from the interior of the exhibition hall inside the bridge, 1967
Availability of these, both unique and numerous photo-documents provides logical and convincing motivation for revealing the events, which were related to the hundred years long history of this area – from Mukhrani Bridge (build 1911) via Baratashvili Bridge, (build 1966) until 2012 / West side passage
Mukhrani Ferry across the Mtkvari River with a view of the central part of the town (1903). Lather, 1908–1911 Mukhrani Bridge was built on this site / book “Old Tbilisi” by Tamaz Gersamia, Publishing House “Sabtshota sakartvelo”, Tbilisi, 1984
The historical moment: deconstruction of the Mukhrani Bridge and parallel construction of the Baratashvili Bridge, 1965 / Mukhrani Bridge, view from the right embankment, 1960
West side passage with Graffiti-covered wall and the part of light installation at the northern end of the underpass
The exhibition visitors, as well as ordinary passers-by, get into the place through a double entrance of the underground passage where they will see the single slide light installation by Andreas M. Kaufmann. The slide depicts the former steel bridge called Mukhrani
Metaphorically, former Mukhrani Bridge inside the new bridge construction establishes symbolic ties with the Past, Present and an intended future
The bridge architecture provides possibility of free mowing both into the left and right directions to observe the whole area. The tour around the bridge has length of approximately 430 meters
AFTER TWO MONTHS:
Baratashvili Bridge / project drafts for the competition: elevations, 1964
Pages 46-47 / Drawings, plans, and photographs of the bridge, 1964-65 / Project: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow, 2012 / Photos by Nini Palavandishvili
EN
IN SEARCH OF PUBLIC SPACE AGENTS
Art in Underground Public Space. Guided Tour by Stefan Rusu as Part of the Project undergo. the parallels
Excerpt / pages 47–48
“The next destination of our tour under Baratashvili Bridge is significant for its art exhibition space and cafeteria (both of which were later re-developed and destroyed) that functioned in the sixties and seventies. This passage is also notable for its reactivation trough several artistic projects in the framework of the undergo. the parallels project such as presentation of the personal archive of the aforementioned architect Kurtishvili.
The 26 meter wide bridge that hides the underground structure was built between 1965 and 1966, conceived by Shota Kavlashvili and Vladimir Kurtishvili, with an upper level for public transport and a lower level for pedestrians. Beneath one end of the bridge the cafeteria was planned and beneath the other, the exhibition space. The exhibition space, conceived for the Union of Fine Arts of Georgia, opened in 1966. For the next two decades, it hosted many public events organized by the Union. One of the first exhibitions was that of Vladimir Kurtishvili’s graphic works, which he organized together with artist Irakli Ochiauri. This exhibition opened during the inauguration of the bridge.
The project of Baratashvili Bridge later won second prize for its complexity and originality of design in a public contest hosted by the USSR. In the following years, however, the exhibition space was dismantled on the grounds that under a bridge was an inferior place to exhibit art (the status of which was generally elevated in Socialist times). It was then moved to the Union of Fine Arts in a central part of the city. Following such transformations, the passage decidedly became an abandoned territory.
Drawing from her personal archives, Vladimir Kurtishvili’s daughter Irina eventually organized an exhibition of the drawings and plans for the structure beneath the bridge that Vladimir and Shota Kavlashvili had designed. These materials recreated the atmosphere of another time and reminded viewers of the old exhibition space and other functions of and under the bridge, now dismantled."
Stefan Rusu