Georgian Attractions: Ali and Nino, a Kinetic Statue in Batumi

If you have decided to visit Georgia: visit Batumi to see the iconic Statue of Love on the Black Sea coast of western Georgia. The statue, also known as Ali and Nino, is located at the entrance to Batumi’s harbor, a prominent position in the city.

The installation is based on the widely known regional novel Ali and Nino, first published in 1937, detailing a romantic love affair between the Muslim Azeri Ali and Christian Georgian Nino, and is supposed to symbolize eternal love and understanding between nations. Ali and Nino was first published in 1937 by Azerbaijani author Kurban Said.

The iconic seven meter tall kinetic installation was designed by Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze. The installation shows Ali and Nino moving slowly towards each other until their bodies merge for a short embrace. The emotional performance, in which the characters express their love and pain in the history of mankind, takes 10 minutes in total.

"But just like Ali and Nino, these steel figures can't stay together forever. So the wheel keeps turning and they pass through one another.” states aplus.com website

Nina Ioseliani