Tbilisi architectural display to celebrate German-Georgian ties

A story of two prominent families from Germany and Georgia will mark 200 years of relations between the two countries at Tbilisi’s Karvasla museum venue starting Wednesday.

Exhibiting photographs of architectural creations of the families of Böhm and Kurdiani, the display will trace nearly a century of parallels between them.

The history of generations of architects and their work from the two families will serve as a microcosm of long-running cultural links between the states.

The Cologne Central Mosque, designed by architect Paul Böhm.

Organised by the Goethe Institute Georgia with support from the Georgian National Museum, the exhibition will open at the venue formally known as the Tbilisi History Museum.

Hosts will seek to present "the buildings signifying the eras undergone by the two countries and each of the families in parallel, if independently from one another”, says a preview for the show.

Beside photographs of their creations, the exhibition Dynasties. Parallel Perspectives will also feature family shots themed around events from history.

A photo portrait of some of the Kurdiani family members.

The legacy of the two families marked at the event goes back to the second half of the 19th century, starting with architects Stefan, Peter and Paul Böhm as well as Grigol Kurdiani.

Family figures also involve architects from the two heritages that worked throughout the 20th century and in the current times.

Photo exhibits will be accompanied at Karvasla by public talks and documentary screenings on architectural examples in Germany and Georgia, such as historical Cologne and the Dinamo Arena stadium in Tbilisi.

A mockup of Tbilisi’s Dinamo Stadium, designed by Archil Kurdiani in 1935.

Included in the program, two films will also serve to narrate the story of the Kurdiani and Böhm families, while three members of the German family will be present for a discussion.

The photographic display has been authored and curated by Irina Kurtishvili (Cologne, Germany).

Dynasties. Parallel Perspectives will be open at Karvasla through September 10.