Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi and Jam Project bring us a special project through video and interviews of five creatives based in Tbilisi.

 What is freedom? What is happiness? Is it universal and the vision shared? Some of us are still in self-isolation or confinement and some of us are coming up, but there is a shared feeling that worldwide we are asking ourselves the same questions.

A few years ago the capital’s youth was brought to the forefront shining a progressive light fighting post-Soviet repression following protests against the police raid on the queer-friendly techno club Bassiani. Since then, protests against systemic profiling and repression can be seen around the world today at the same time it is the youth and future generations that carry the burden to fight climate change and wage theft.

The short film and interviews feature creatives from Tbilisi that have influenced the creative boom that the country has seen in recent years or we can see as a reflection on who inspires them.

 

Heroes Film Credits:
PROJECT COORDINATOR / MARIA ILCHENKO
PHOTO ASSISTANT / GEORGE
ASSISTANT / SOFIA MCQUEEN

 

Lado Lomitashvili, Space designer, b. 19 AUG 1994, Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

To be honest, freedom is more related to my profession. Based on my work experience, when creating a project, I notice how free I am. How far can I go in this or that project to the end of what I originally wanted to do? Obstacles may include the customer’s wishes, budget, scale, or other factors. I have fewer restrictions in life, so the issue of freedom does not come up in everyday life.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Happiness, on the other hand, is a big part of everyday life. Family, friends, the city, all these factors determine the quality of my happiness.

When and where were you happiest?

I am happiest when I have a lot of time to spend with loved ones or in an environment where I can find a lot of interesting people. In general, it is very important for me to exchange relationships and information, talk about architecture, art, and design, and share professional experiences.

What is your current state of mind?

At this point, I find it a little difficult to get back to the condition I was in before the pandemic. I was studying at Design Academy Eindhoven but I had to stop because of the virus. Even though I have had a very interesting period so far, to be honest, I don’t know how much I want to find myself in the same condition again. I prefer a new, more interesting and more adventurous, completely new period for me.

I have taken a lot of responsibility during this period. I am working on three big projects, one of which is the renovation project of the museum of the most famous artist Niko Pirosmani in Georgia. So far I have worked on several exhibition design projects and found it to be quite interesting.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Every human being is a hero who does what pleases him and is a person useful to society. It is very difficult to find your true passion in so many professions and to have all the skills you need to do this activity.

What is your motto?

Doing and loving your job so that what other people have to say about it, it doesn’t matter.

Describe yourself in three words.

It’s hard to put myself in three words, so I think it will be easier to choose the three epithets that my friends or other acquaintances use to describe me – tall, hardworking and direct.

 

Sandro Popkhadze / DRO / Skater, Rapper, TAMRA Skateboards, b. 26 FEB 1998, Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

In the past, I always had the impression that freedom must have been something total and full, a thing that you achieve after lots of struggle and work.  By now I have realized that unlike freedom, struggle and work are permanent followers of our lives, whereas freedom stays always temporary.  By calling freedom temporary, I mean that it is (in my opinion) always achievable, but only in short periods of time, but that’s where all of its beauty is hidden.

In my case freedom is the moment when I’m totally focused on landing a trick on a skateboard, or when I’m writing lyrics on new tracks, or even when I’m reading books, cuz those are the moments when the outside world (that we call reality) loses its meaning, and all the problems seem nonexistent.


Freedom for me is a mindset when you’re thinking only about things you like and you want to achieve. It may be gained for simply a minute during a day, a week, or even a month but that will be the most precious minute you will have during that period.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? And when and where were you happiest?

Weird to say but I’m not as social as it may seem on media, even though I have no hard times socializing, I still prefer to be alone within my thoughts and not talk much. That said, paradoxically I’m the happiest when I’m performing gigs in front of hundreds or thousands of people.

Before the gigs I’m usually very very nervous, always thinking that something may go wrong, and I have a super hard time to talk with anyone cuz I’m super stressed, but once I step on the scene with a mic in my hand, my brain kinda switches to another mode: “super confident DRO mode” (which is rare for my usual habits), and that’s when I’m the happiest. It seems as if anything became possible for me and at that moment I enjoy the most communication with the crowd. I could stay on the stage for hours like that.

That said the perfect happiness for me is basically not being me for a couple of hours haha. 

What is your current state of mind?

My current mindset is to “work work work work work” non-stop. The more stuff to do the merrier, time flies faster like that and you get to appreciate it more. I recently started working as a sound editor/designer in a post-production studio Post Red. That makes me feel more intact with the time organization, so I try to be more productive even after the working hours on the stuff that matters as much: songs, the brand, skateboarding

Who are your heroes in real life?

My heroes in real life are my girlfriend, mom and dad, family and all the people who put real input into whatever they’re doing, cuz it’s rare to see something that is truly well done, especially in our country where nobody cares about anything except easy money and fake reactions.

What is your motto?

My motto is მანქანაში საკამოტო (mankanashi Sakamoto)

Describe yourself in three words.

Anti Social Extravert

 

George Keburia, Fashion Designer, b. 06 OCT 1990, Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

I consider that freedom involves equality and law abidance, key elements being that the laws must be the same for everybody.

For me as well as probably for others, achieving freedom is a difficult and very extensive process, which requires a constant protest. Despite everything, I still consider the word freedom somewhat “unreal” because it always needs updating in relation to time.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I think if you want to be truly happy you should set it as a goal, in a way like a profession. And you should work on achieving this happiness. For me, it’s extremely hard to achieve this goal, it comes just a couple of times in a decade and stays with you only for seconds.

When and where were you happiest?

For me, happiness is associated with my brand as I put all my energy, both physical and emotional, into it. 2-3 years ago I experienced those happy moments when I achieved a specific dream. I haven’t experienced that feeling again so far. That feeling is unimaginable for me if I’m not focused on a big idea and I do not reach that goal. I can’t find happiness in relationships, at this point, it’s not interesting for me.

What is your current state of mind?

I try to be as much mentally-stable as possible. I am working on strengthening my mind.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Serena Williams and Nicolas Ghesquière. I list several more people, but those are the ones from whom I’ve been learning for a while.

What is your motto?

I don’t have one.

Describe yourself in three words.

I have been asked this question many times and it takes me the longest time to answer. Whatever I respond to, it usually doesn’t seem authentic to me. That’s why it’s hard for me to describe myself even in 1 word.

 

Atu Gelovani, Artist & Designer, b. 19 SEP 1994, Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

To be able to do anything I want without any kind of boundaries or even in case of obstacles, overcoming it and staying true to me is the feeling which I would call freedom. Expressing myself fully and honestly is the most important for me.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Doing what I love and having the people who I love around me is the major.

When and where were you happiest?

I can’t recall only one event. There have been so many memorable happenings in my life connected to my friends, family, and things I do. I feel very blessed having those moments, which sometimes just happen in everyday life. Meeting new people, working on different collaborations, getting new offers, simply just having fun, getting drunk, or spending amazing days and nights with my friends – all that really excite and inspire me.

What is your current state of mind?

I feel really mixed, to be honest. In the beginning, I felt chill instead of this pandemic craziness and now I guess I am exhausted, overwhelmed, and a bit confused. But slowly things are coming back to normal and I feel more motivated. In general, I do believe this year can be for major changes no matter how bad it is or feels.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Each person trying to change this world for a better place is a hero for me.

What is your motto?

‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.’ – Samuel Beckett

Trying not to have a fear of failure and moreover, by taking it as a big part of your life, I do believe failure contains seeds for success and self-development. Not taking risks and staying in the comfort zone, doesn’t bring changes.

Describe yourself in three words.

Honest, caring, and supportive I guess?

 

Giorgi Qochiashvili, Artist, b. 05 MAY 1992, Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

It means a lot of things, but in a short way, I would say, if all of the persons despite man or woman, LGBT or black people, will be respected and untouched by their own choice.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Wake up as early as possible.

When and where were you happiest?

It’s a really long list.

What is your current state of mind?

Too analytical, on the border of overthinking.

Who are your heroes in real life?

Self-made people, a lot of them.

What is your motto?

My goals.

Describe yourself in three words.

Big Book darling.

 

Grigor Devejiev, Visual artist / Editor, b.14 MAR 1984 in Sokhumi, Georgia, current location Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

Freedom is completely the result of a fight. Real freedom is when you don’t have to fight with yourself.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

For me, happiness is feeling, which is connected to your inner comfort and also the environment. So, I’m doing my maximum to have contact only with people who I really want, to do things, which I really love. I think that happiness is easy to obtain, if you have an exact strategy because, for me, happiness is achieved as a result.

When and where were you happiest?

In Tbilisi, at home, and at work.

What is your current state of mind?

Now I’m happy and excited because I’m with people, with whom I had to go through a very difficult period. I mean my team. For us, restrictions and crises weren’t new. War, civil war, economic crisis, political mess, instability weren’t strange for us, but this turned out to be complete surrealism. We decided that it was the norm. We have invented and agreed that there is no other world and there will be none. We created alternative reality and at that moment we saw our opportunities. We understood who we are and what we have to do.

Who are your heroes in real life?

In general, for me, the meaning of hero doesn’t exist, but heroism – yes. I think Hero is granted status by people. So, everyone can become a hero, but if we are talking about my real-life heroes, for me my own hero is – mother.

What is your motto?

Respect yourself. If you are respecting yourself, you’re taking care of yourself, you’re in love with yourself and you’re accepting yourself. So, you’re becoming productive for everyone.

Describe yourself in three words.

I think it is incorrect and impossible. If I try I have to lie, so I don’t want.)

 

Merab Chumburidze, Visual Artist, b. 10  JUL  1994 in Terjola, Georgia,  current location Tbilisi

What is the meaning of freedom for you?

For me, sincerity is freedom. The more sincere you are, the freer you are. 

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Happiness is an unconscious satisfaction for me. Second when you can’t understand why you are happy, but after you’ll realize.

When and where were you happiest?

The moment, when I like things around me but actually don’t know what. That’s when I feel myself, my body, that I’m Merab Chumburidze, living now and here, feel my strength and energy. This comes very seldom when I walk alone in the street… Maybe this is the best uncertainty.

What is your current state of mind?

I never knew exactly what I wanted to do and what I should do. To be honest, I didn’t want to identify with one profession. Of course, it bothered me on my growth. Now I exactly know that I’m where I have to be today. With my team I can do different things, visual experiments, play with different aesthetics, subjects. This gives me the opportunity to see myself in different ways, in different places.

Who are your heroes in real life?

I don’t like the word ‘hero’. This word throws me far from them but there are so many quite near.

What is your motto?

Don’t say one joke twice.

Describe yourself in three words.

I don’t want to describe myself in three words.