We looked for artistic inspirations in urban spaces which until then had not been associated with art – thus the vast majority of our activities will be held outdoors, in the streets, squares and parks of Tbilisi. The result is a big communal action symbolising the things which have united Poles and Georgians for centuries. And there are a lot of things that unite us.

Like the aversion towards systems limiting our freedom, which is reflected in a highly symbolic way in Georgian and Polish movies from the 1970s and 1980s. Georgian and Polish directors like Giorgi Danelia and Stanislaw Bareja (whose work is presented during the festival) were using the same weapon to fight the regime: sophisticated humor, exposing the nonsense of communist reality. That is why we decided to show for the first time in Georgia such renowned movies as ‘Teddy Bear’ and ‘A Trip Down the River’; we’re sure that their expression and aesthetics will be received with a perception sensitive to intellectual plots against boredom, platitudes and the limitation of human autonomy.

We originally planned the Art Zone – Poland / Tbilisi for 2008, but the outbreak of war upset our arrangements. Instead of organising the logistics of the Art Zone, photographer Justyna Mielnikiewicz worked as a war correspondent. For her war pictures, she was awarded a second prize in this year’s World Press Photo competition. An exhibition of Justyna’s photography will be held at the 33a club in Vake Park.

The monumental anti-war performance of ‘The Ark’ by the legendary Teatr Ósmego Dnia, which will be staged twice for the Tbilisi audience in the open air at The Rose Revolution Square, appears to have great significance in the light of last year’s events. It’s the first time that such a show will be presented in Georgia, and it’s worth mentioning that the enormous stage set is being imported from Poland especially for this project.

Another unprecedented event during the Art Zone is the collaborative work of three famous Polish alternative theatres with the Georgian Modzraobis Teatri, which will for one afternoon transform the city centre into a colourful, poetic world, where minimalist forms will play alongside a spectacular show featuring huge puppets, fire, dance and music.

Since the very beginning of Art Zone, we were led by the idea of a mutual exchange of thoughts and artistic experiences, above all in the sphere of modern art, and especially of projects in public spaces. Joanna Warsza, curator and artist, is preparing two actions: one in the revitilised Betlemi district, other in cooperation with Agnieszka Kurant at situated among rocks Laguna Verde swimming pool. Activities realised by Joanna in the urban space aim to create a spontaneous interaction between passers-by and the city. Joanna offers to the inhabitants of Tbilisi a new and distinct look at their beloved city, the art will become a means of changing the perception of every day life.

The final event of the Festival will be a collaborative concert by Niaz Diasamidze and 33a with a Polish musician of Senegalese origin, Mamadou Diouf, and a performance by Psio Crew, a band which brings together hip-hop and folk, with guest participation by the Georgian ethnic choir Chveneburebi. All the groups know each other from previous concerts in Poland, which makes us even happier to present their collaborations to the people of Tbilisi.

We would like to thank to all our sponsors, partners and the people who helped us make the idea of the festival a reality. We have the ambitious hope that the Art Zone will somehow be useful to everybody: the artists who will get to know each other better and exchange their experiences, our capitals which will grow closer through shared projects, but, first of all, the inhabitants of Tbilisi, who – from taxi drivers to ministers – express their friendship towards Poland and Polish culture. Therefore with great pleasure we invite you to the first ever festival of Polish modern culture in Georgia: Art Zone – Poland / Tbilisi.