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Contemporary Art Archive - Tbilisi

Archive of Academic Writings

2021 Edition of the Project is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia

The Day Galaktioni Died, My Father Was Born

Installation,Object

Qeu Meparishvili

textile, sculpture, installation
2019
Art and Innovation Hub, Tbilisi, Georgia

Beloved place, where you were born, were you observed birds and dreamed about flying, sat on your mother’s knees and felt safe. System that gives you charge to fight, always observes you from a comfortable armchair. But what will happen if I cease to fight and prefer peace? A protest is a social phenomenon, and attending the protest - a political act, which causes exaltation in an individual; exhilarating, instant adrenaline, which unites people around one idea and lasts till the idea does not triumph; or dissipates quickly when hopelessness takes over and one sees individuality as a primary power again. In one word, what is patriotism? Love of the homeland? Self-sacrifice? Who creates the idea of patriotism? Power and fear are phenomenons that are capable of taking possession of “sacred ideas or ideals”, do with it whatever he prefers, sews satin shirt of blood, sculpts a patriot from a murderer. Patriotism may become a dangerous superstition, for the homeland! For society! Because it should be like that, that’s how things work, patriotism is a sacred notion, indefinable postulate, which can easily become a manipulative tool for those in power. It is an idea, that can cause an uprising, while itself will observe silently from a comfortable armchair.