29.11—01.12.2024
RUBEZH: DEATH
IV International Instant Exhibition of Émigré Art
About the exhibition
It is the international contemporary art festival that took place in Tbilisi from November 29 to December 1, 2024.
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Psychologists claim that every emigrant experiences the same emotions when moving as when they lose a loved one. Often, the threat of death is the reason for emigration: refugees, oppositionists, deserters, prisoners. Death is a key tool for suppressing citizens in authoritarian countries, and, naturally, people from such countries try to leave more often.
We explored- Death as a transition from one state to another
- The fear of death
- Causes of death
- Government regimes based on death and fear
- Life as the opposite of death
- Death and freedom: accepting death as liberation
- Death as a routine
- Living people, dead inside
- Death and birth: what unites them and what is their complete opposite
- An expert commission selected the exhibition participants: artists from around the world with migrant experience, and citizens of Georgia.
All mediums were accepted: painting, video, digital art, video games, music, sculpture, installations, performances, and others. - 50% of the proceeds we donated to human rights and volunteer organizations, such as Amnesty International, Memorial, and organizations helping Ukrainian refugees: Choose to Help, Emigration for Action, and Tbilisi Volunteers..
You can see the list of organizations we support here.
The remaining funds were used towards setting up the exhibition, renting equipment, and the advertising campaign.
Jury
Who selected the works?
- Alsu GarapovaCurator & FounderBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
born in Tatarstan (Russia) - Andrei MorevCo-ownerBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
raised in Kyrgyzstan - Selma KöranMixed Media ExpertBased in Berlin (Germany)
A Berlin-based artist of German-Turkish descent. Her work challenges the increasing brutality and profit-driven coarseness of society, which she views as reflections of patriarchal structures. - Inka ter HaarVisual Arts ExpertBased in Switzerland,
born in Germany
Studied painting in Germany and moved to Switzerland where she graduated in fine arts from HGK Basel in 2017, mentored by Chus Martinez. She is a lecturer in painting at HKB Bern and Jurymember of the Kulturkomission Bern. The transgenerational transmission of experiences of violence, the underlying psychological mechanisms of trauma are part of her ongoing research. - Juliette DelecourSculpture & Installation ExpertBased in Paris (France)
In 2020, she co-founded the Atelier Ati association and the ArtMéssiamé residency with artist Kokou Ferdinand Makouvia to foster collaboration between artists from Africa and Europe.
Juliette Delecour graduated from the Art and Design school of Saint-Etienne and the Beaux-Arts of Paris. - Oleg Ozerov //
Party of the DeadNecroactionism ExpertArt political project born in Russia,
based worldwide with a faction in Georgia
Party of the Dead is an art political project mimicking a political party and making weird, experimental and critical art (they define it as necroactivism). This party comprises all the dead, that’s why it’s the most big, inclusive and horizontal political party ever. since 2022, a faction of the party is active in Georgia. - David FinesteinArts ExpertBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
born in USA
A writer and founder of Dissolution, a contemporary art gallery in Tbilisi, Georgia. Born in Birmingham, Alabama to Ukrainian parents, he graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts followed by New York University.
He has curated many of the exhibitions at Dissolution, including the gallery’s two appearances at Tbilisi Art Fair and Art Photo Barcelona. - Till LangschiedArts Expert & Mixed Media ArtistBased in Switzerland
My work is generally research based and focusses on the collapse of signifier systems in an age shaped by technology and network structures. I try to trace feelings of disconnectedness from reality, in a time when everything is hyperconnected. Writing and reflecting upon the means of signification within language is an important part of my process. - Arseny BraginskyMusic ExpertBased worldwide,
born in Siberia (Russia)
A musician and music researcher specializing in experimental, traditional, and post-traditional music. Since the beginning of 2022, he has been traveling the world, studying unique but often dying cultures of Africa and the Middle East, while collecting their field recordings. - Olya SharlatArts ExpertBased in Tbilisi (Georgia)
An independent art and photography producer, Licht Gallery collaborator, partner of Sketching Tbilisi project, artist. - Dimitri WasserblajPerformance ExpertBased in Germany,
born in Uzbekistan
From clowning and “crinoline” to immersive and site-specific performances. I am an advocate of free theater as the only true world religion.
Curator's appeal
We care for children.
Some get hamsters, teaching that death is something natural, like rain outside the window.
Others try to instill the idea that only life exists in this world. Death, that ugly thing, should be hidden along with the dust under the rug.
We care for ourselves.
Some eat properly, wake up and go to bed on a schedule, and in between, work according to the Pomodoro method. Get everything done and never die.
Others see death as salvation. They’ve done it all, they’re tired, and they need nothing more. They’ll rest in the grave.
We care for the world.
Some strive for a clean environment and a just state, and in hospices, they tenderly bid farewell to their loved ones.
Others greedily devour life. They offer sacrifices to Death — with repression, bloody despotism, burning forests, and war itself. For them, Death is a corrupt official. Maybe we can strike a deal?
Everyone cares in different ways. Which is yours?
Some get hamsters, teaching that death is something natural, like rain outside the window.
Others try to instill the idea that only life exists in this world. Death, that ugly thing, should be hidden along with the dust under the rug.
We care for ourselves.
Some eat properly, wake up and go to bed on a schedule, and in between, work according to the Pomodoro method. Get everything done and never die.
Others see death as salvation. They’ve done it all, they’re tired, and they need nothing more. They’ll rest in the grave.
We care for the world.
Some strive for a clean environment and a just state, and in hospices, they tenderly bid farewell to their loved ones.
Others greedily devour life. They offer sacrifices to Death — with repression, bloody despotism, burning forests, and war itself. For them, Death is a corrupt official. Maybe we can strike a deal?
Everyone cares in different ways. Which is yours?
All at once, in one location.
- EXHIBIT HALLS
- Photography
- Installations
- Video Games
- Science Art
- Video Art and Animation
- Painting
- LIVE PROGRAM
- Film Screenings
- Theater Performance
- Rave Opera
- Performances
- Experimental Music
- DJs
- LECTORIUM
- Artist Talks
- Lectures
- Workshops
- Support Group
- Laboratory
- Death Cafe
You’ll feel Death in all its forms and witness its beauty.
Absolute darkness and oblivion, rebirth and freedom, radiant hope and retribution.
RUBEZH: DEATH is a major festival of contemporary art, where all the artists are émigrés. These creators, more than anyone, understand the theme of loss and leaving things behind.
RUBEZH: DEATH is a major festival of contemporary art, where all the artists are émigrés. These creators, more than anyone, understand the theme of loss and leaving things behind.
3 DAYS OF FESTIVAL
DENIAL — ANGER — ACCEPTANCE
MUSIC
Mark Velvet
TOYSOP RECORDS
Dmitry Baikov
Monochrome Rainbow
Adaen
flowers in your eyes
Egor Sevastyanov
Merapi
FULL PROGRAM
DAY 1: DENIAL
DENIAL: MAIN STAGE
November, 29 // Friday
Mark Velvet is a synth-rock/retrowave artist based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Inspired by masters of electronic music like GUNSHIP, Carpenter Brut, and Muse, he will take you on a sonic journey through nostalgic retrowave landscapes mixed with the raw energy of synth rock.
Dmitry Baikov's AKA cøff works, inspired by his childhood dreams about space exploration, range from quiet piano pieces to guitar-driven electronic soundscapes, blending melodies and beats with field recordings and elements of musique concrète. As one of the core members of Moscow Laptop Orchestra “CybOrk” played on numerous academic electronic music festivals in Moscow conservatory, Alexandrinsky Theatre, Warsaw, Wroclaw. Currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
«What came first — the chicken or the egg? The mother or her child? And is it even worth seeking the answer if both the mother and the child are destined to die?» «MOTHER» is a story about inevitability and the uncomfortable thoughts we have become accustomed to pushing into the darkest corners of our consciousness.
Toysop Records is a label for those who prefer distortion to chord progression, who pick dissonance over harmony, who think out of tune and move out of step, who fail normalcy tests every day, who continue to search.
est. Tbilisi, 2022
est. Tbilisi, 2022
DENIAL: LECTORIUM
November, 29 // Friday
We Are What’s Left of Us: A lecture and workshop exploring how to share your story by focusing on what loss has left behind, not on what you’ve gained. Let’s talk about different kinds of loss—ranging from the more "tangible," like the death of loved ones, to the less "concrete," such as the loss of respect or a sense of purpose. In the second part, we’ll try flipping the usual way we tell our stories about ourselves. Instead of focusing on what we’ve gained, we’ll explore who we are through what and how we’ve lost. Everyone will have the chance to share their experiences and hear the stories of others.
About the speaker: A counseling psychologist specializing in grief and loss. Will die too.
About the speaker: A counseling psychologist specializing in grief and loss. Will die too.
About the speaker: TOYSOP RECORDS co-founder
During the lecture, existential performance and body art will be compared to primitive rites of passage and especially initiation rituals. Particular attention will be paid to their liminal (lat. līmen - border) stage, associated with the experience of symbolic death and their personality-transforming potential. Documentation of performances related to overcoming the fear of death, experiencing loss, and also dedicated to wars will be shown. As examples, both well-known performances (Marina Abramovic, Chris Burden) and rather unique rare performances of the lecturer himself, as well as his colleagues and students will be given.
About the speaker:
Performance artist, researcher and teacher of theory and practice of performance art, author of texts and a dissertation on the psychology of performance art. Author of the practice of performance art therapy and publications about it. Currently lives in Tbilisi.
About the speaker:
Performance artist, researcher and teacher of theory and practice of performance art, author of texts and a dissertation on the psychology of performance art. Author of the practice of performance art therapy and publications about it. Currently lives in Tbilisi.
About the speaker:
I’m Gary Mallard—an artist, event organiser, videographer musician, and chaos enthusiast. Born in London to an Irish family, I’ve spent 40 years in the music and art world and the last 25 years travelling the globe, working on gigs, clubs, and large scale music events. Now based in Tbilisi, I focus on creating immersive art that blends sound, visuals, and performance. My work isn’t about making things pretty—it’s about shaking things up and making you feel.
I’m Gary Mallard—an artist, event organiser, videographer musician, and chaos enthusiast. Born in London to an Irish family, I’ve spent 40 years in the music and art world and the last 25 years travelling the globe, working on gigs, clubs, and large scale music events. Now based in Tbilisi, I focus on creating immersive art that blends sound, visuals, and performance. My work isn’t about making things pretty—it’s about shaking things up and making you feel.
My works consist of repeated symbols reflecting personal and socio-political stressors in a contradictory way, contradictory like political and mass media rhetorics that fuel North American culture, reverting to the safety of child-like imagery with adult-program subject matter. In this talk I will tell stories relating to these obsessive multi-meaning objects, briefly starting with my experience with hoarding, my North-American perspectives coming from an industrial city victim to gentrification and class divide, and how it has shaped my art. In turn the psychological spaces in my paintings are also a reflection of the psychological effects of hyper-capitalism. I will also talk on examples of urban intervention, reinventing spaces for artistic expression when access to built infrastructures around us are based on economic privilege.
About the speaker:
Canadian artist based in Berlin, working primarily with painting but also photography and urban intervention. Coming from an industrial working-class city with punk roots, as well as having an immigrant Polish mother and a school-teacher father, I cherish community and am absorbing how our infrastructures affect us and the stories of the people in them.
About the speaker:
Canadian artist based in Berlin, working primarily with painting but also photography and urban intervention. Coming from an industrial working-class city with punk roots, as well as having an immigrant Polish mother and a school-teacher father, I cherish community and am absorbing how our infrastructures affect us and the stories of the people in them.
The dark night of the soul is a period of profound crisis, where layer by layer, the outer social masks of the self are stripped away. What remains is the true core, which can be reborn through this process of inner dying.
About the speaker:
A practicing psychologist with 8 years of experience. I’m also a musician and songwriter.
About the speaker:
A practicing psychologist with 8 years of experience. I’m also a musician and songwriter.
FULL PROGRAM
DAY 2: ANGER
ANGER: MAIN STAGE
November, 30 // Saturday
Adaen is a progressive rock three piece project which reunited here in Tbilisi in 2023. The band has more than 10 years of history, along with the unchanged anti military position. In the 2010s the band performed in many tours in Ukraine, China and Europe. We decided that we have to continue playing as we have to say something on the topic again. The reunited band debuted at Human fest twice, on the rock stage and the closing show.
Monochrome Rainbow is an electronic and audiovisual project inspired by analog technologies and lo-fi electronic music. As if being collected from sounds lost in time, the project creates its own warm, although disturbing world, filled with complex emotions from destructiveness.
Dmitry Baikov's AKA cøff works, inspired by his childhood dreams about space exploration, range from quiet piano pieces to guitar-driven electronic soundscapes, blending melodies and beats with field recordings and elements of musique concrète. As one of the core members of Moscow Laptop Orchestra “CybOrk” played on numerous academic electronic music festivals in Moscow conservatory, Alexandrinsky Theatre, Warsaw, Wroclaw. Currently based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Giorgi Katsitadze, the mastermind behind SEÑOR , hails from Georgia and is on a unique musical journey. He began his music exploration at the Khidi Academy in 2021, and since then, he's been charting his own course in the world of Italo disco, Dark disco, and EBM. Also He plays progressive melodies and trance music Giorgi is not just a DJ; he's a multi-instrumentalist who once dreamt of joining a band but soon realised his passion for playing multiple instruments simultaneously.
His sets are characterised by driving rhythms, emotional melodies, and a captivating blend of Italo body, disco, and EBM rhythms, also progressive house, trance music making each performance an irresistible experience. SEÑ0R's music is a bridge to connect with others, and Giorgi Katsitadze invites you on a melodic journey that transcends boundaries and resonates with the essence of sound.
His sets are characterised by driving rhythms, emotional melodies, and a captivating blend of Italo body, disco, and EBM rhythms, also progressive house, trance music making each performance an irresistible experience. SEÑ0R's music is a bridge to connect with others, and Giorgi Katsitadze invites you on a melodic journey that transcends boundaries and resonates with the essence of sound.
My music is a captivating fusion of groove and hypnotic energy, driven by powerful rhythms and layered with deep, textured soundscapes. It’s designed to draw listeners into a dynamic, immersive journey that keeps them moving and engaged.
ANGER: LECTORIUM
November, 30 // Saturday
About the speaker:
Giorgi is not just a DJ; he's a multi-instrumentalist who once dreamt of joining a band but soon realised his passion for playing multiple instruments simultaneously. His sets are characterised by driving rhythms, emotional melodies, and a captivating blend of Progresive trance and progresive house rhythms, trance music
Giorgi is not just a DJ; he's a multi-instrumentalist who once dreamt of joining a band but soon realised his passion for playing multiple instruments simultaneously. His sets are characterised by driving rhythms, emotional melodies, and a captivating blend of Progresive trance and progresive house rhythms, trance music
We will explore theater as an active act, an event that directly influences reality, and apply techniques and methods essential for creating our own relevant performative work. In conclusion, participants will come together to create an artistic action.
The program includes:
- Protest Theater
- Reflective Theater
- Actionism
- Physical Theater
- And much more
About the speaker:
Victoria Naraxsa — director, artist and activist.
Victoria is renowned for her internationally provocative theatrical productions and projects. She works with a variety of performative matter, defining her genre as ritual 4D art. Her work centres on anti-war, queer and feminist themes, as well as the defence of human rights. Founder of Queer Studio Team.
The program includes:
- Protest Theater
- Reflective Theater
- Actionism
- Physical Theater
- And much more
About the speaker:
Victoria Naraxsa — director, artist and activist.
Victoria is renowned for her internationally provocative theatrical productions and projects. She works with a variety of performative matter, defining her genre as ritual 4D art. Her work centres on anti-war, queer and feminist themes, as well as the defence of human rights. Founder of Queer Studio Team.
The meaning of the mode of death, deformation and pain in my work. Historical and personal background. Methods of implementation in the form of musical improvisation and experimental bodily practices.
About the speaker:
"Darja Kazimira" is a project of the experimental improviser, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and artist Darja-Kazimira Zimina, of Latvian origin based at the moment in Tbilisi (Georgia). The ideological core of the project is based on the idea of a regular search for a dynamic object-center of the ritual, through the construction and study of the principles of sacred space erection. The search is carried out through self-initiated rites of burial, funeral, sacred violence, fertility (cults of the ground), as the embodiment of the idea of transformation and its irreversibility. For this, the author also uses bodily practices, many of which are of an authentic masochistic nature.
About the speaker:
"Darja Kazimira" is a project of the experimental improviser, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and artist Darja-Kazimira Zimina, of Latvian origin based at the moment in Tbilisi (Georgia). The ideological core of the project is based on the idea of a regular search for a dynamic object-center of the ritual, through the construction and study of the principles of sacred space erection. The search is carried out through self-initiated rites of burial, funeral, sacred violence, fertility (cults of the ground), as the embodiment of the idea of transformation and its irreversibility. For this, the author also uses bodily practices, many of which are of an authentic masochistic nature.
About the speaker:
French and Nigerian arist based in Paris (France) and Ibadan (Nigeria), works on themes of sacrality, bothany and decolonial theories. Works with instalation and paintings.
French and Nigerian arist based in Paris (France) and Ibadan (Nigeria), works on themes of sacrality, bothany and decolonial theories. Works with instalation and paintings.
FULL PROGRAM
DAY 3: ACCEPTANCE
ACCEPTANCE: MAIN STAGE
Deсember, 1 // Sunday
flowers in your eyes is a dream-pop/shoegaze musical band, we perform grungegaze/stonergaze music, exploring topics of loneliness, fear of death and feeling lost in life.
Victoria Naraxsa — director, artist and activist.
Victoria is renowned for her internationally provocative theatrical productions and projects. She works with a variety of performative matter, defining her genre as ritual 4D art. Her work centres on anti-war, queer and feminist themes, as well as the defence of human rights. Founder of Queer Studio Team.
Victoria is renowned for her internationally provocative theatrical productions and projects. She works with a variety of performative matter, defining her genre as ritual 4D art. Her work centres on anti-war, queer and feminist themes, as well as the defence of human rights. Founder of Queer Studio Team.
Merapi is an atmospheric set blending indie rock, experimental electronic music, and elements of world music. The soulful vocals and immersive soundscapes weave stories where deep emotions and meditative moods shift into explosive energy.
Participants: Ksenia Filonenko, Konstantin Filonenko
Participants: Ksenia Filonenko, Konstantin Filonenko
Minimal Documentary Music
ACCEPTANCE: LECTORIUM
Deсember, 1 // Sunday
About the speaker:
Death doula, grief counselor, therapist, clown, musician
Death doula, grief counselor, therapist, clown, musician
Death Cafe is an open discussion about death and everything related to it. Topics will emerge naturally during the conversation.
About the speaker:
Death doula, grief counselor, therapist, clown, musician
About the speaker:
Death doula, grief counselor, therapist, clown, musician
About the speaker:
Co-founder of Object Community, digital designer
Co-founder of Object Community, digital designer
How can we find strength in fear? Lena Bedareva shares her personal journey of transforming emotions into art. In her mixed-media project, silicone forms and digital animation bring fears to life, turning them into something beautiful and inspiring.
About the speaker:
Lena Bedareva is a new media artist who explores fear as a source for transformation. She combines traditional techniques with generative animation to create spaces where the frightening becomes a source of strength and inspiration.
About the speaker:
Lena Bedareva is a new media artist who explores fear as a source for transformation. She combines traditional techniques with generative animation to create spaces where the frightening becomes a source of strength and inspiration.
This is an attempt to explore how the theme of death is portrayed in Russian-language comedy. It's not a research study, but rather a snapshot that highlights the main key features.
About the speaker:
For the past year, I've been doing stand-up comedy. I've performed over 50 times in different cities, recorded a solo special, and recently started teaching comedy workshops for the queer community.
About the speaker:
For the past year, I've been doing stand-up comedy. I've performed over 50 times in different cities, recorded a solo special, and recently started teaching comedy workshops for the queer community.
About the speaker:
Author of the anti-war channel «Сердитая Чувашия»
Author of the anti-war channel «Сердитая Чувашия»
Jury
Who selected the works?
- Alsu GarapovaCurator & FounderBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
born in Tatarstan (Russia) - Andrei MorevCo-ownerBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
raised in Kyrgyzstan - Selma KöranMixed Media ExpertBased in Berlin (Germany)
A Berlin-based artist of German-Turkish descent. Her work challenges the increasing brutality and profit-driven coarseness of society, which she views as reflections of patriarchal structures. - Inka ter HaarVisual Arts ExpertBased in Switzerland,
born in Germany
Studied painting in Germany and moved to Switzerland where she graduated in fine arts from HGK Basel in 2017, mentored by Chus Martinez. She is a lecturer in painting at HKB Bern and Jurymember of the Kulturkomission Bern. The transgenerational transmission of experiences of violence, the underlying psychological mechanisms of trauma are part of her ongoing research. - Juliette DelecourSculpture & Installation ExpertBased in Paris (France)
In 2020, she co-founded the Atelier Ati association and the ArtMéssiamé residency with artist Kokou Ferdinand Makouvia to foster collaboration between artists from Africa and Europe.
Juliette Delecour graduated from the Art and Design school of Saint-Etienne and the Beaux-Arts of Paris. - Oleg Ozerov //
Party of the DeadNecroactionism ExpertArt political project born in Russia,
based worldwide with a faction in Georgia
Party of the Dead is an art political project mimicking a political party and making weird, experimental and critical art (they define it as necroactivism). This party comprises all the dead, that’s why it’s the most big, inclusive and horizontal political party ever. since 2022, a faction of the party is active in Georgia. - David FinesteinArts ExpertBased in Tbilisi (Georgia),
born in USA
A writer and founder of Dissolution, a contemporary art gallery in Tbilisi, Georgia. Born in Birmingham, Alabama to Ukrainian parents, he graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts followed by New York University.
He has curated many of the exhibitions at Dissolution, including the gallery’s two appearances at Tbilisi Art Fair and Art Photo Barcelona. - Till LangschiedArts Expert & Mixed Media ArtistBased in Switzerland
My work is generally research based and focusses on the collapse of signifier systems in an age shaped by technology and network structures. I try to trace feelings of disconnectedness from reality, in a time when everything is hyperconnected. Writing and reflecting upon the means of signification within language is an important part of my process. - Arseny BraginskyMusic ExpertBased worldwide,
born in Siberia (Russia)
A musician and music researcher specializing in experimental, traditional, and post-traditional music. Since the beginning of 2022, he has been traveling the world, studying unique but often dying cultures of Africa and the Middle East, while collecting their field recordings. - Olya SharlatArts ExpertBased in Tbilisi (Georgia)
An independent art and photography producer, Licht Gallery collaborator, partner of Sketching Tbilisi project, artist. - Dimitri WasserblajPerformance ExpertBased in Germany,
born in Uzbekistan
From clowning and “crinoline” to immersive and site-specific performances. I am an advocate of free theater as the only true world religion.
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We are RUBEZH.
We bring together émigré artists.
We believe that every artist deserves a home.
We bring together émigré artists.
We believe that every artist deserves a home.
- WE ARE RUBEZH
An international diaspora of émigré artists. Among us are citizens from 10 countries, living in 18 different locations around the world. Our base is currently in Tbilisi.
Our goal is to help immigrant artists adapt to new conditions, integrate into the local context, and, of course, continue creating art. We organize exhibitions, create shelters and communes, and hold educational and entertainment events.
Learn more about us - INSTANT EXHIBITIONS OF ÉMIGRÉ ART RUBEZH
Several times a year, we hold large international exhibition festivals. Our past exhibitions took place in Bishkek and featured over 150 art projects in total.
Each exhibition is dedicated to reflecting on fundamental ideas and concepts that are close to everyone but in the context of migration. After all, every immigrant goes through a similar journey, regardless of where they moved from or to.
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