Metro Rustaveli, Escalator

The primary objective of the open call was to present contemporary art, particularly sound art, in an unconventional manner. The aim was to disrupt the routines of thousands and offer an entirely fresh encounter, transforming the mundane into extraordinary and infusing transient moments with new significance. Each winning project presents distinct creations inspired by the bustling daily life within the metro, interpreting these contexts in different ways.

Nino Davadze presents a profoundly sentimental perspective where nature infiltrates urban chaos. Her work intertwines sound recordings from forests, protected areas, birds, and insects with experimental music. Through this piece, the artist highlights the discrepancy of modern life and nature, aiming to reconnect with organic origins.

Tornike Margvelashvili draws inspiration from Georgian folklore, melding it with electronically processed subway noises. The artist explains that this seemingly contrasting yet symbolic material resonates with various layers of significance within the chosen location, forming a post-modern collage sound sculpture. When played, it transforms the entire space and the individuals passing through into a temporal archi-sculpture.

Nika Japaridze's work delves into experimental music, focusing primarily on exploring the medium's potential. The artist crafts a piece where harmony and melody remain constant, yet the sound evolves without repetition.

Special constructions by the architectural firm 'TIMM’ were installed on the Rustaveli metro escalator to showcase these artworks. Nikoloz Lekveishvili, Liudmila Belashova, and Giorgi Begdarishvili worked on the project. The station's light-loudspeaker design draws inspiration from both the pre-existing lighting and the shape of the original loudspeaker, aiming for minimal visibility. The resulting spherical, airy iron structure seamlessly integrates into the historical context, offering an intriguing perspective from various angles while serving the dual function of lighting and sound dynamics.

Schedule: 

Monday-Tuesday

Nino Davadze 'Forest, Dream'

Wednesday-Thursday

Tornike Margvelashvili 'Sound Sculpture - Possible Worlds'

Friday-Saturday

Nika Japaridze 'Escalator'.

Nino Davadze is a musician, composer of electronic music, producer and author of the radio program City Kidz (Mutant Radio). After receiving classical music education, the musician is engaged in search of new forms of performance and audio art. Since 2020, Nino actively participates in music compilations (Album Dust, 2020), collaborations within the Creative Europe project with the Kalkyl band (2021), cooperates with local radio stations (Community Radio Tbilisi, Mutant Radio, TBC - here, now radio) and local and international experimental platforms such as Europalia (Brussels, Mutant Radio (Tbilisi), CCA (Tbilisi), Vault Festival (London), Found Sound Nation (A. , Interchange Festival (Batumi), Inklingroom Label (London), Dina Venue - (England, Sheffield).

Tornike Margvelashvili is a musician and (sound) artist working between Berlin and Tbilisi. As of July 2022, Tornike holds a Master's degree in Sound Studies and Sonic Arts from the Academy of Arts Berlin (UDK), as well as a Bachelor's degree in Electronic Composition from the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus. His work varies between the disciplines of sound and visual art, often drawing parallels between these two fields, and is distinguished by the creation of abstract self-reflective spaces.

Nika Japaridze, (b.1982) is a Tbilisi-based artist. Since 2000, he has been making electronic music and is a DJ.