Tekla ASLANISHVILI & Giorgi Gago GAGOSHIDZE

Tekla Aslanishvili, b.1988, Georgia & Giorgi Gago Gagoshidze, b.1983, Georgia

Aslanishvili and Gagoshidze are from Georgia and graduated from Berlin University of Arts, New Media class of Hito Steyerl. Aslanishvili now works and lives between Berlin and Tbilisi while Gagoshidze works and lives in Berlin. Besides co-working projects, they both have presented many experimental film/video installations works separately. Aslanishvili’s works explore the shifting fault lines between governments, people, and their land through infrastructure projects. Gagoshidze’s work centers around the political aspects of its production and its sociopolitical contexts.

In the work Stone of Hell they focus on the specific mineral Manganese. Manganese plays an important role in both the modern industrial field and cultural production. It adds strength to steel and makes it stainless. And as a black pigment, it was one of the first mediums for ancient humans to portray their life stories. The film starts with the paintings on the cave walls, mapping the prehistoric scenes of conflicts and survival strategies. Through this initial form of image production, humans have used Manganese in an attempt to convert their overwhelming reality into a livable world. (Z.Y)