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 made me striving 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 made me striving 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 developped 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. Etery's 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
"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
Myriads of 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."
Myriads of 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.
REVIEWS
