CURATOR'S
PORTFOLIO
Welcome to the portfolio of an international curator dedicated to showcasing and promoting contemporary art and cultural projects around the world.
ETERY ORDZHONIKIDZE
About me
My name is Etery Ordzhonikidze. Having inherited Georgian roots, I was born in Moscow, grew up in Paris, traveled and worked around the world. Today I am intentionally not based anywhere specifically, as I believe home is where creativity and friendships are possible.
Work experience in various cultural institutions, including UNESCO, the Heritage Institute, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, the Polytechnic Museum and MMOMA, has taught me not only to come up with different original forms of implementing exhibitions and related events, but also encouraged me to tell captivating stories about this world, about the endless metamorphoses of nature, humanity, and the progress of thought. I firmly believe in the importance of constant learning and evolving within the art industry: finding unique tools for various interpretations of artists' works, improving in creating a comprehensive project, developing new useful skills, finding like-minded people, creating a friendly professional community around projects, and aiming to reach the highest level of quality.
My approach as an international curator is combined with a genuine love for art, desire to support talented artists, developing thought-provoking exhibitions, innovative collaborations, and engaging cultural initiatives that highlight the diversity and creativity of today's artistic practices.
Work experience in various cultural institutions, including UNESCO, the Heritage Institute, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center, the Polytechnic Museum and MMOMA, has taught me not only to come up with different original forms of implementing exhibitions and related events, but also encouraged me to tell captivating stories about this world, about the endless metamorphoses of nature, humanity, and the progress of thought. I firmly believe in the importance of constant learning and evolving within the art industry: finding unique tools for various interpretations of artists' works, improving in creating a comprehensive project, developing new useful skills, finding like-minded people, creating a friendly professional community around projects, and aiming to reach the highest level of quality.
My approach as an international curator is combined with a genuine love for art, desire to support talented artists, developing thought-provoking exhibitions, innovative collaborations, and engaging cultural initiatives that highlight the diversity and creativity of today's artistic practices.
Numbers
Years of curating international projects in cultural, social and diplomatic domains.
Countries covered with personally developed projects.
>10
180
Artists collaborations throughout various projects
>400
Education
MSCA (Moscow School of Contemporary Art), Curatorship Practices
MSU (M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University),
Public Relations
MSU (M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University),
Public Relations
CONCEPT
Creating a concept is a key stage that will influence the entire project. My approach is to generate ideas and assist with consultations and support so the project can be brought to life.
CURATION
Creating meaningful and engaging displays by selecting and organizing artwork and art spaces for exhibitions in museums or galleries. Providing a careful research and finding unique interpretations of art and implementing it to the whole project, including curator's texts, catalogue, supporting articles.
ART MEDIA
- ART-NEWS
- INTERVIEWS
- COLLABORATIONS
- SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
01
PROJECT
The Power of Solidarity: UNESCO x Tolerance Center Global Art Open Call 'Opening Hearts and Minds to Refugees'. The aim of the exhibition was to raise awareness about the rights of refugees and the need to respect and support them. Different artistic expressions were used to promote a culture of living together and international understanding that cherishes diversity. The exhibition took place at the UNESCO headquarters (Paris, France, 2018).
02
PROJECT
The multicultural dialogue focus lead to initiating and organising on behalf of the Tolerance Center an international conference "Changing the narratives about migration: media and social transformations" at UNESCO headquarters (Paris, France, 2018).
03
PROJECT
There is certainly a broad range of challenges inhibiting the attainment of peace and sustainable development in the world. Factors such as rapid urbanization, conflicts and violence, human mobility, climate change and technological revolution have paved the way for increasing urban poverty, inequality, exclusion, and racial discrimination. The exhibition "Visions of Kindness" took place at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center (Moscow, Russia, 2020) during the COVID-19. In this context, the role of art as a driver of reflection, inspiration, innovation and reform has always been incredibly powerful in steering social and personal transformations, both locally and internationally. This project was developed to raise awareness on issues pertaining to cultural dialogue, inspirational exchange, peaceful coexistence, inclusion and sustainability. Ben Walker, Penny Davenport, Mia Risberg, Renato Ordenes, Samantha Guertin, Yasemine Kackar-Demirel, Stephem W. Evans, Amanda C. Millis and many others took part in the project.
MAJOR PROJECTS
Presence Detected (Art Contemporary Fest, Artplay)
The exhibition "Presence Detected" became a space for experimentation and an attempt to capture the ephemeral. The artists presented works imbued with personal reflections and impressions of reality, dreams, and the mind’s endless journeys across time and space. Despite the diverse expressive styles of the creators, the project sought to uncover connections and unity among them in their shared pursuit of life’s mysteries.
Held in a laboratory-like environment, the exhibition staged unconventional experiments to explore the boundary between existence and oblivion, to redefine the meaning of “finding one’s place in the world,” and to question who we are and how we interact with our surroundings and each other.
Every element of this laboratory is a hypothesis tested under conditions of perpetual flux. The objects and installations behind the glass, akin to intricate machines, transport viewers into alternate temporal and spatial contexts. They detect signals, anomalies, and strive to grasp the often elusive phenomenon of presence. Here, the physical, virtual, and spiritual intertwine with memories and visions of the future, all examined through the prism of diverse artistic media.
All objects in this space exist in a mode of capturing moments that may never recur. Under the glow of neon lights and amid sensitive instruments, we become part of someone’s experiment—whether as observers or participants remains uncertain.
Curator: Etery Ordzhonikidze
Artists:
Elli Alekseeva
Anna Epishina
Anastasia Kashuba
Daria Klementieva
Alla Mezentseva
Artemiy Rockkel
Maria Chelnokova
Sound Design: Denis Chelnokov
Held in a laboratory-like environment, the exhibition staged unconventional experiments to explore the boundary between existence and oblivion, to redefine the meaning of “finding one’s place in the world,” and to question who we are and how we interact with our surroundings and each other.
Every element of this laboratory is a hypothesis tested under conditions of perpetual flux. The objects and installations behind the glass, akin to intricate machines, transport viewers into alternate temporal and spatial contexts. They detect signals, anomalies, and strive to grasp the often elusive phenomenon of presence. Here, the physical, virtual, and spiritual intertwine with memories and visions of the future, all examined through the prism of diverse artistic media.
All objects in this space exist in a mode of capturing moments that may never recur. Under the glow of neon lights and amid sensitive instruments, we become part of someone’s experiment—whether as observers or participants remains uncertain.
Curator: Etery Ordzhonikidze
Artists:
Elli Alekseeva
Anna Epishina
Anastasia Kashuba
Daria Klementieva
Alla Mezentseva
Artemiy Rockkel
Maria Chelnokova
Sound Design: Denis Chelnokov
LOCUS AMOENUS (MEMORY PAVILION, GULAG HISTORY MUSEUM)
This group exhibition is dedicated to an artistic exploration of the "method of loci" — a mnemonic technique centered on constructing an imagined "memory palace," a mental space designed to store and retrieve information.
The exhibition "locus amoenus" invites visitors on a contemplative stroll through a "memory palace" created within the Pavilion. The gallery space transforms into a metaphorical sanctuary, safeguarding fragile moments and mythical imagery captured by the artists through diverse mediums.
By reimagining the Pavilion as a repository of collective and personal memory, the exhibition merges ancient mnemonic practices with contemporary artistic expression. Each work acts as a chamber within this imagined palace, preserving ephemeral narratives and symbolic fragments that resonate across time and consciousness.
The exhibition "locus amoenus" invites visitors on a contemplative stroll through a "memory palace" created within the Pavilion. The gallery space transforms into a metaphorical sanctuary, safeguarding fragile moments and mythical imagery captured by the artists through diverse mediums.
By reimagining the Pavilion as a repository of collective and personal memory, the exhibition merges ancient mnemonic practices with contemporary artistic expression. Each work acts as a chamber within this imagined palace, preserving ephemeral narratives and symbolic fragments that resonate across time and consciousness.
Ruarts gallery
Connection Interrupted. Restore. RuArts Gallery
The works of 27 artists reflect the search for ways to cope with traumatic life events and the journey toward regaining the confidence to move forward. The exhibition features installations, objects, video art, sculptures, and paintings.
Spanning two floors of the gallery, the project is divided into five thematic sections
"Turmoil and Uncertainty"
"Search for and Acceptance of Self"
"Attending to the Body. Grounding."
"Connecting with the External World"
"Connecting with Others"
These sections are united by a central idea: the exploration of selfhood and the world through embodied practices and the strengthening of social bonds. The exhibition acts as a space for reconciling fractured narratives and reimagining pathways to resilience.
Spanning two floors of the gallery, the project is divided into five thematic sections
"Turmoil and Uncertainty"
"Search for and Acceptance of Self"
"Attending to the Body. Grounding."
"Connecting with the External World"
"Connecting with Others"
These sections are united by a central idea: the exploration of selfhood and the world through embodied practices and the strengthening of social bonds. The exhibition acts as a space for reconciling fractured narratives and reimagining pathways to resilience.
"The Flickering", Art & Brut gallery (2024)
A curatorial concept was specifically developed for the Art & Brut gallery. Over 670 artists participated in the Open Call, and 40 of them presented their works created in various media.
A curatorial concept was specifically developed for the Art & Brut gallery. Over 670 artists participated in the Open Call, and 40 of them presented their works created in various media.
- Concept and implementation of the exhibition
- Curating the Open Call
- Installation
- Curatorial support
Сurator's text
Myriad celestial bodies, iridescence of milky opal, disappearing eras, neon shudders, mysterious underwater glows, the light of a green beacon from the other shore, flowers enveloped in cool morning dew, eyes sparkling with laughter — how to hold on to these moments, if not with one's hands, then at least keeping it in memory? How to drink up to the last drop the brilliance of a passing comet, doomed to disappear and discover the source of this inexplicable longing for something that seems to have never existed?
Is the flicker of moments an optical illusion or true meaning?
We are looking of an answer.
Flickers reside in the works of Japanese haiku poets, reflecting the transience of the moment and the fleeting beauty of nature, in the richness of metaphors on the pages of Boris Vian's "Froth on the Daydream," and in the elusive dream of Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The motif of vulnerability and transience of life is also traced in the poetry of symbolists: in the verses of Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, and Stephane Mallarme. In their compositions, flickering is associated with mystery, the theme of time and spiritual transformation and the unattainability of "higher realities."
Myriad celestial bodies, iridescence of milky opal, disappearing eras, neon shudders, mysterious underwater glows, the light of a green beacon from the other shore, flowers enveloped in cool morning dew, eyes sparkling with laughter — how to hold on to these moments, if not with one's hands, then at least keeping it in memory? How to drink up to the last drop the brilliance of a passing comet, doomed to disappear and discover the source of this inexplicable longing for something that seems to have never existed?
Is the flicker of moments an optical illusion or true meaning?
We are looking of an answer.
Flickers reside in the works of Japanese haiku poets, reflecting the transience of the moment and the fleeting beauty of nature, in the richness of metaphors on the pages of Boris Vian's "Froth on the Daydream," and in the elusive dream of Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The motif of vulnerability and transience of life is also traced in the poetry of symbolists: in the verses of Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, and Stephane Mallarme. In their compositions, flickering is associated with mystery, the theme of time and spiritual transformation and the unattainability of "higher realities."
In philosophy, this phenomenon is a metaphor for the constantly changing nature of existence. Martin Heidegger called the concept of "co-being" an "inner flickering region," in which human and being touch in their essence and reach their true nature, freeing themselves from the conditioning imposed on them by metaphysics. "To think Event as Co-being means to bring to the structure the kingdom that flickers within itself."
The idea of the existence of a constant flickering process, as well as inevitable changes in human life and society, is also reflected in the concept of "panta rhei" (Gr. "everything flows, everything changes") in the philosophy of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus.
Flickering overcomes any spaces and intervals of time, arising in a variety of forms in nature and cosmos, in the play of sunlight on the water's surface, in the flickering lights of the northern lights. Everything flickers, and we along with it. Each at his appointed hour - sometimes, perhaps only once in a lifetime, we are illuminated by light and gradually we fade away.
The idea of the existence of a constant flickering process, as well as inevitable changes in human life and society, is also reflected in the concept of "panta rhei" (Gr. "everything flows, everything changes") in the philosophy of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus.
Flickering overcomes any spaces and intervals of time, arising in a variety of forms in nature and cosmos, in the play of sunlight on the water's surface, in the flickering lights of the northern lights. Everything flickers, and we along with it. Each at his appointed hour - sometimes, perhaps only once in a lifetime, we are illuminated by light and gradually we fade away.
CATALOG ART FAIR | ART & BRUT GALLERY STAND
CATALOG STAND CONCEPT
Shedding a dozen layers of winter clothing, Art&Brut gallery decided to welcome spring by donning a colourful mantle of absurdity and unimaginable combinations — without any rules! We wanted something "completely different" and "flying circus-like," reminiscent of the madness and dandies from Monty Python.
This time, we selected works by artists distinguished by a very unconventional sense of humor, an innovative approach to creating art objects, subversion of stereotypes, and unexpected cultural references, characteristic of the amazing and short-lived period of creativity of London artists in the late 1960s.
We were inspired by the collages of Heinz Edelmann's "Eleanor Rigby" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," the iconic satirical animations of Terry Gilliam, the early poignant experiments of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, the laconic and multilayered film "Blow Up" by Michelangelo Antonioni, and we clearly see how they still shine brightly to this day. Spring is surprisingly fleeting, just like this colorful burst of all intense innovation that has had a significant impact on world art.
Artists Sasha Broulov, Ilya Brezinsky, Elena Zaytsman, Alina Zolotykh, Anton Levin, Asya Motina, Elizaveta Nesterova/sobachia kartoha, Ekaterina Pugacheva, and Yakov Khomich also inspire us every day to see the world in new shades, embrace light madness, find humor in the mundane, and continue on this truly strange and unpredictable path on Earth.
This time, we selected works by artists distinguished by a very unconventional sense of humor, an innovative approach to creating art objects, subversion of stereotypes, and unexpected cultural references, characteristic of the amazing and short-lived period of creativity of London artists in the late 1960s.
We were inspired by the collages of Heinz Edelmann's "Eleanor Rigby" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," the iconic satirical animations of Terry Gilliam, the early poignant experiments of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, the laconic and multilayered film "Blow Up" by Michelangelo Antonioni, and we clearly see how they still shine brightly to this day. Spring is surprisingly fleeting, just like this colorful burst of all intense innovation that has had a significant impact on world art.
Artists Sasha Broulov, Ilya Brezinsky, Elena Zaytsman, Alina Zolotykh, Anton Levin, Asya Motina, Elizaveta Nesterova/sobachia kartoha, Ekaterina Pugacheva, and Yakov Khomich also inspire us every day to see the world in new shades, embrace light madness, find humor in the mundane, and continue on this truly strange and unpredictable path on Earth.
As part of the "Night at the Museum 2021," the Tolerance Center invited visitors to walk through a specially designed "anthropological" route. We discussed the unfathomable paths of history - its upheavals, tragedies, and victories - analyzing endless experiments and attempts to reinvent humanity and society.
In addition to the carefully planned exhibition route that we called "We are on the same path", the curatorial concept also included a neon art object in the form of the Tree of Life, specially created by artist Anya Mokhova. Anya works with installation, performance art, and sculpture, presenting her interpretation of the "Tree of Life" - a common mythological symbol in many cultures.
In addition to the carefully planned exhibition route that we called "We are on the same path", the curatorial concept also included a neon art object in the form of the Tree of Life, specially created by artist Anya Mokhova. Anya works with installation, performance art, and sculpture, presenting her interpretation of the "Tree of Life" - a common mythological symbol in many cultures.
Procrastination as a Premonition of Grandeur (TIKHO gallery)
Procrastination is often seen as a negative habit, but what if we reframe it as an encounter with an old, slightly tedious friend who never quite knows when to leave? This friend arrives uninvited, dragging along impractical urges: to binge-watch Parajanov’s entire filmography, attempt the most elaborate recipe from a cookbook, deep-clean the apartment, or listen to Wagner’s 8-hour Ring Cycle — all before finally tackling the “important” task at hand.
This exhibition embraces procrastination as a paradoxical gateway to the extraordinary. Through painting, sculpture, and multimedia works, the artists explore how delaying the inevitable can unexpectedly ignite creativity, unearth forgotten passions, or reveal hidden layers of meaning. Here, procrastination is not a flaw but a ritual — a dance with time that occasionally stumbles into brilliance.
Featured Artists:
Yan Tikhonenko, Oksana Afanasyeva, Marina Cherkasova, Anastasia Uspenskaya, Alexander Volkov, Radmila Migulina, Veronika Kudashova, Anya Mokhova, Maria Stadnik, Anya Grositskaya, Yulia Zhivichina, Varvara Grankova.
This exhibition embraces procrastination as a paradoxical gateway to the extraordinary. Through painting, sculpture, and multimedia works, the artists explore how delaying the inevitable can unexpectedly ignite creativity, unearth forgotten passions, or reveal hidden layers of meaning. Here, procrastination is not a flaw but a ritual — a dance with time that occasionally stumbles into brilliance.
Featured Artists:
Yan Tikhonenko, Oksana Afanasyeva, Marina Cherkasova, Anastasia Uspenskaya, Alexander Volkov, Radmila Migulina, Veronika Kudashova, Anya Mokhova, Maria Stadnik, Anya Grositskaya, Yulia Zhivichina, Varvara Grankova.
Green Ray (ArBuzz gallery)
The Green Ray is not merely a fleeting optical phenomenon but also a mysterious symbol that permeates literature and cinema. Glowing in the final seconds of sunset, it embodies moments where reality and dreams intersect, where hope and light pierce through encroaching darkness. This rare natural effect serves as a metaphor for the search for meaning, inspiration, and inner transformation.
Artists:
Alexey Apish, Olga Apryshko, Andrey Kovyazin, Ksenia Esina / Aknoneska, Veronika Fedortsova, Ekaterina Vishnyakova, Marina Goryacheva, Ksenia Grandjean, Maxim Korolkov, Inna Makaganchuk, Asya Motina, Daria Klementieva, Maria Kostareva, Vera Kulikova, Elena Kurochko, Maria Pich, Radmila Migulina, Olya Leontyeva, Olya Makhno, Olga Rikun, Varvara Silanteva, Sonya Kozlova, Yulia Zhivichina, Gavin Watson.
Artists:
Alexey Apish, Olga Apryshko, Andrey Kovyazin, Ksenia Esina / Aknoneska, Veronika Fedortsova, Ekaterina Vishnyakova, Marina Goryacheva, Ksenia Grandjean, Maxim Korolkov, Inna Makaganchuk, Asya Motina, Daria Klementieva, Maria Kostareva, Vera Kulikova, Elena Kurochko, Maria Pich, Radmila Migulina, Olya Leontyeva, Olya Makhno, Olga Rikun, Varvara Silanteva, Sonya Kozlova, Yulia Zhivichina, Gavin Watson.
This Happened Today (ART&BRUT gallery)
Asya Motina solo exhibition.
The exhibition’s concept revolves around the act of strolling through a familiar neighborhood where, at first glance, nothing seems to occur. For an entire week—stuck in a loop of Tuesdays—the same people and routes repeat, yet Asya senses something mysterious lurking just around the corner: in the urban pond, the archways between apartment blocks, or the reflections in office windows. Light filtering through elms, a rusty lock on a forgotten warehouse door, an eerie glow from a trash bin—every detail of this walk brims with hidden stories that could spark a fantastical tale.
Asya Motina’s works explore these moments, capturing the magic of the everyday and transforming mundane objects into vessels of new meaning. Her art invites viewers to pause, peer closer, and discover the extraordinary woven into the fabric of the ordinary.
The exhibition’s concept revolves around the act of strolling through a familiar neighborhood where, at first glance, nothing seems to occur. For an entire week—stuck in a loop of Tuesdays—the same people and routes repeat, yet Asya senses something mysterious lurking just around the corner: in the urban pond, the archways between apartment blocks, or the reflections in office windows. Light filtering through elms, a rusty lock on a forgotten warehouse door, an eerie glow from a trash bin—every detail of this walk brims with hidden stories that could spark a fantastical tale.
Asya Motina’s works explore these moments, capturing the magic of the everyday and transforming mundane objects into vessels of new meaning. Her art invites viewers to pause, peer closer, and discover the extraordinary woven into the fabric of the ordinary.
REVIEWS
