Georgian National Museum in Focus of Instagram

The Georgian National Museum has just celebrated its first year on Instagram! On October 27, the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia hosted a photo exhibition which showcased the photos of details taken by amateur photographers anywhere within the Georgian National Museum.

Along with the exhibition, a variety of activities was held in the museum's courtyard. Visitors had the possibility to see the National Treasury – archaeological, numismatic and medieval and Stone Age Georgia exhibitions. National Geographic Georgia and Santa Esperanza were present with their own corner stands and guests were afforded the opportunity to join the ‘Museum Friends’ society.

The event was accompanied by musician Sandro Tediashvili (Macrowelt). The friends of Georgian National Museum on Instagram are: Windfor’s Communication, National Geographic Georgia, GIFme, wine Tamada and Sandro Tediashvili.

In his opening speech, Davit Lordkipanidze, Director General of the Georgian National Museum, expressed his joy at seeing so many new faces. “This is not only one week within which you have come and taken snapshots- it is the creation of a common space. The Georgian National Museum belongs to not only its employees but to each of you. We have a great wish to make this liveliness that your co-participation gives us, constant. I hope this attitude, made with inspiration, humor and creativeness, will go on.”

The award-giving ceremony followed, seeing all top entrants awarded equally for their contributions: Mindia Gabadze, Nino Kankava, Nuka Kopaleishvili and Rezi Gvritishvili.

The special prize was revealed by Levan Butkhuzi, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Georgia: “We are happy that the Georgian National Museum, our major partner, has given us the right to reveal the special prize winner. We think that all the winners were worthy, and we have awards for each – the past 49 editions of National Geographic, but we still have to name the best of the best from our point of view. This is Tata Matskhonashvili, who will receive not only the past but also the next year’s subscription to our magazine.”

GEORGIA TODAY spoke to the lucky winner, who is just 16 years old. “I love taking photos. I had the idea to take this particular photo some time ago. I took Davit Kakabadze’s [editor’s note: great Georgian painter] mirror reflecting all the other pictures around it. I was pretty confident I’d win, as I have a professional camera, and my photo has both the necessary detail and creativity,” Tata told us.

Maka Lomadze