Opening Of The Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum

For the 10th Anniversary of the Tbilisi Photo Festival, the first Photography & Multimedia Museum (TPMM) opened its doors on September 16 at the Stamba’s Printing House on Kostava Street. City Mayor Kakhaber Kaladze came to the opening of what is surely an important event for the cultural offer and international outreach of Tbilisi, and for the overall development of Georgia.

The museum is indeed the first institution in Georgia that focuses on contemporary images and photography. The museum also launched the Photography Hub for Education and Innovation, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation initiated in 2012. Their program “Art and Culture for Development” pursues an ambitious social and cultural agenda for Georgia and for the region. The Deputy Regional Director for Cooperation Werner Thut reminded the audience that no sustainable development of societies and governments can be achieved without including art and culture. 

“Photography helps us to see things we otherwise struggle to recognize and fail to put into words. It also gives a voice to marginal groups and vulnerable people, to reach out to the powerful, who usually sits in the capital.”

The museum aims at building bridges between social groups and between artists across the South-Caucasus, especially in the conflict-affected regions, through its diverse educational programs, its cultural exchanges and the i-mediatheque.

In an interview, Werner Thut notes that art and culture enable public speaking and so, should be at the core of development strategies. “It is a medium for good governance, as it can create an inclusive and safe space for dialogue.”

For its first event, the museum welcomed the French artist duo Vincent Moon and Priscilla Telmon, “UNUS MUNDUS: Rituals and Trances”. The exhibition explores trance ceremonies and spiritual gatherings in many parts of the world. 

The multi-screen installation is composed of more than 100 films documenting the world of sacred music and rituals. The artist duo gave a live music performance synchronized with the screening and invited the visitors to lay down and meditate. The colorful projection filled up this vast and industrial-looking space with hypnotic sounds and deep rhythms.

The exhibition will last for one month. For more information about the coming event, visit the Tbilisi Photography and Multimedia Museum Website here: https://tpmm.ge/en/

by Lorraine Vaney