Fest I Nova: Contemporary art exhibited in 19th Century Georgian chateau

Contemporary art enthusiasts are counting down to September 19 where works by Georgian and foreign artists will be exhibited at a 19th Century chateau nestled in a small town in central Georgia.

Next Saturday the 15th annual Fest I Nova international festival will launch in the little Georgian village of Garikula. 

The month-long festival – hosted by Art Villa Garikula since 2009 – will feature individual artists from Georgia, the United States, Europe and western Asia as well as artists from all contemporary art institutions in Tbilisi.

The 2015 edition of the art festival will celebrate the legacy of the Zdanevich brothers – Georgian avant-garde artists who worked in contemporary art genres throughout the 20th Century.

The venue for the event – Art Villa Garikula – encompasses a special art commune in Garikula village, near the central Georgian town of Kaspi. It’s a renovated contemporary art space situated in the middle of a 2,400m2 area of vineyards and farmland.

The Fest I Nova is being held in a late 19th Century chateau. Photo by Art Villa Garikula/Facebook.

Built as a summer family residence by Polish engineer Vasili Bolgarsky in 1885, the chateau was taken over by Soviet authorities after the takeover of Georgia and handed over initially to a kindergarten and then to the State Academy of Arts.

In 2000 an initiative by Georgian painter Karaman Kutateladze saw the residence became an art commune venue and since then it has housed a variety of gatherings of Georgian and foreign creative artists. Photos of their creative work can be viewed on the official Instagram profile of the festival.

Foreign artists visiting the art space are sharing their impressions of their experience in Georgia. Photo by Art Villa Garikula/Facebook.

The historic chateau has left many foreign artists and visitors with a positive impression.  

"The second I arrived I felt very relaxed. It’s a magical spot. I think this is the best place to work because everyone’s doing their own thing, have nice dinner together and then everyone is going back to their work,” Marie Alice Brandner-Wolfszahn told commune organisers via the People in Garikula photo project.

Meanwhile Merlin MonLé said: "This is an amazing place that helps you escape city life and have some peaceful thoughts of your mind.”

The 2015 Fest I Nova international art festival will take place from September 19 to October 19.

Read about the 2015 festival’s artistic concept, history and more at the official website: www.garikula.com