Mind the Gap
Giorgi Maghradze
textolite, iron
2016
(h) 165 cm.
Exhibition // Illegal Kosmonavtika, organized by Apex Art - Venue: The Institute of Space Structures, Saguramo, Georgia
"As a sculptor, Giorgi Maghradze is interested in how a variation of materials can produce meaning. Mind the Gap is an installation comprised of a number of signs affixed to iron poles. The space created by the poles, placed in a cross-like shape in the exhibition hall, can host other works of the project. The signs invented by the artist are mostly abstract, or to some degree related to restrictions and commands enclosed in the Illegal Kosmonavtika concept, targeting various state and corporate entities that own exclusive rights to space research or other kinds of provocative activities. The work also alludes to the significance of the universal language of signs and symbols, which are crucial to navigating modern life. The signs are produced in a DIY mode in the artistís house. He uses textolite, which is a basic material in printed circuit boards (PCB) production. The signs, drawn by the textolite onto a surface, are then processed by special chemicals. According to Maghradze, the handmade PCBs with changed meanings reflect the element of ìillegalityî in the project."
Press-release, Exhibition // Illegal Kosmonavtika, organized by Apex Art - Venue: The Institute of Space Structures