Seoul to host month-long display on Georgian winemaking
The display is part of an effort by the National Wine Agency of Georgia to capitalise on the popularity of Georgian wine in South Korea and contribute to cultural exchange between the two nations. Photo via exhibition organisers.
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A month-long display introducing the history of wine and winemaking in Georgia to residents of Seoul will open in both physical and digital form on Wednesday.
With the occasion, photographs and a video installation created to present the story of viticulture on the territory of modern Georgia for over 8,000 years around the world will make its next stop in the South Korean capital.
At KF Gallery of the city, the Asian leg of the worldwide journey of the exhibition Georgia - The Cradle of Viticulture will be continued following disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic. The display was launched in Bordeaux in 2017, with a subsequent exposition in Tokyo in 2019.
Glad to ???? that w/collaboration @KFCultureCenter @MuseumGNM @Georgian_wine long awaited photo exhibition on #Georgian Winemaking History “The Cradle of Viticulture” is launching from 3/3-1/4, 2021 at #Seoul city’s most prestigious KF gallery ????????????????????, @MOFAkr_eng @MFAgovge pic.twitter.com/gGZCxMFzfw
— Otar Berdzenishvili (@OtariB) March 2, 2021
Hosted by the Korea Foundation and the Embassy of Georgia in the country, Georgia - The Cradle of Viticulture will introduce unique elements of winemaking in Georgia, such as the method of storing wine in qvevri clay vessels buried underground.
By exploring [the display], audiences are able to witness the most critical moments of the history and traditions of wine through photos by prominent photographer Dimitri Ermakov and experience a holy hour with Last Supper, a video installation"
- organisers' preview for the display
Wine cellars called marani - which, combined with the qvevri, was selected for a spot on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013 - and the wider social and cultural effects of the winemaking culture in Georgia are also part of the introduction.
The National Wine Agency of Georgia has called South Korea a "priority market" for the Georgian wine produce, with up to 90,000 bottles exported in 2020 according to the organisation. The agency now aims to further promote the product in the country.
The exhibition is set to run between March 3-April 1, with further details available on the Korea Foundation website.