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Zura Jishkariani: Paolo – The Fall of the City of Poets
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In ‘Paolo – The Fall of the City of Poets’, Zura Jishkariani examines the final year of the First Republic, a time when Tbilisi—home to both resident and visiting artists and poets—was hailed as the ‘City of Poets’ and the ‘Paris of the Caucasus.’ However, this vibrant cultural era was soon overshadowed by the arrival of the Red Army. Through an exploration of the city's poetic legacy, Jishkariani delves into the archaeology of the ‘City of Poets’ and proposes new ways to reinterpret Tbilisi’s identity amid its historical ruins.
Follow the link to read the essay (click here).
Zura Jishkariani
Zura Jishkariani, a writer and self-proclaimed mayor of Sukhumi, was born in 1985 in Sukhumi. He pursued his studies from 2003 to 2006 at Tbilisi State University, focusing on the Faculty of Social Sciences. In 2024 he returned to the academia to complete his degree. His academic interests revolved around language and its boundaries, viewing language as both a tool for communication and a reflection of past human experiences.
Jishkariani first gained public attention through his involvement in the musical project ‘Kung Fu Junkie’. His musical endeavours viewed music as a form of language and he’s been involved with other popular Georgian musical projects. Notably, his exploration of non-verbal communication was showcased at ExpoGeorgia in 2017 with the exhibition 'Who Will Still the Roaring of The Seas?' and at the SOU festival, featuring a suspended ship connected to the Black Sea via sensors, producing sounds corresponding to the sea's waves.
As a writer, Jishkariani stands out in contemporary Georgian literature with his unique narrative and writing style. His debut novel, 'The Chewing Dawns: Sugar Free' received critical acclaim, earning the 'Best Novel of the Year' award from Ilia State University in 2017 and the 'Saba' literary prize for the best debut in 2018.
In addition to his literary pursuits, Jishkariani is actively involved in high-tech projects, including video games and chatbots. Notable examples include 'CyberGalaction', a chatbot based on the poet Galaction Tabidze, and 'Oraculum 0.1', an interactive installation featured at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018. His video games, such as 'My Georgia', 2023 and 'GRANELY', 2024, blend text and technology to engage students and gamers alike.
