Project ArtBeat gallery and TBC Status are pleased to present an exhibition of John Riepenhoff, prominent American painter and 9 Georgian artists of different generations, Ketuta Alexi-Meskhishvili, Levan Chogoshvili, Mamuka Japharidze, Tamo Jugeli, Nino Kvrivishvili, Sergei Parajanov (presented by Gamrekeli gallery, from Khatuna Melikishvili’s private collection), Ninutsa Shatberashvili, Leila Shelia and Zura Tsofurashvili (presented by Center for Contemporary Arts Georgia), who have been invited by the artist to collaborate with him on the exhibition. Riepenhoff whose artistic and curatorial practice’s main focus is creating a platform to show work by others and collaborating will be exhibiting his Handler series for the first time in Georgia.

Handler series act as illusionary sculptural easels that hold other artists’ work. They use the form of the lower half of Riepenhoff's body as portrait of the unseen support of art handlers, gallerists, patrons, friends, family, and employees of institutions. This project is the embodiment of the support structure for artists and the presence of the artist/curator occupying the role of both. The Handler series uses sculpture as a platform to promote and reframe artwork, exposes the unseen supports built into art systems, suggests a visual metaphor for transport and object circulation, and critically refocuses the values of production and authorship.