Eliminate all Traces
Sandro Pachuashvili
25/02- 22/03/2023
The Why Not Gallery is glad to present first solo exhibition of Tbilisi-based young artist Sandro Pachuashvili ‘Eliminate All Traces’.
The exhibition invites viewers to contemplate the cyclical nature of time and the role of materiality in shaping our understanding of the world, with a specific focus on the cultural and historical context of Georgia. The use of black traditional Georgian felt as a medium for the walls and floor creates a sense of timelessness and universality, evoking a sense of mourning and loss for not just the discarded objects, but also for the cultural heritage, the traditional practices and the way of life of the country. The felt, as a traditional and symbolic material, serves as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and death, and of the way in which all things are ultimately connected to the land, its history and the people.
The miniature sculptures of burned garbage bins further emphasize this connection and the destructive nature of human waste. They also serve as a powerful reminder of the consequences of our disposable culture, the way we are exploiting the earth's resources, and the effect it is having on the environment, and how it contrasts with the Georgian traditional values of respect for the land and nature, and the cyclical connection between the human and the land. The sculptures draw attention to the urgent need to address the issue of waste management, the overconsumption and the consequences of our actions on the planet, the culture and the heritage.
The small Victorian painting in a wooden frame serves as a counterpoint to the sculptures, highlighting the way in which our perceptions and values shape the way we see the world, and the way we see ourselves in relation to the world. The presence of the garbage bins in this painting subverts the traditional hierarchy of subject matter in art; elevating the mundane and discarded to a position of importance. The painting prompts us to question what we consider to be worthy of representation and preservation, and how our judgments of value are shaped by cultural and societal norms, and how it reflects our understanding of the self and the world.
The exhibition, by putting the materiality of felt in the forefront, and the garbage in the background, encourages viewers to reflect on their own relationship to time, materiality, culture, heritage and the self. It challenges us to rethink our perceptions, values and the way we see the world and our place in it, and to consider the ways in which we, as individuals and as a society, can take responsibility for our impact on the planet, on the culture and the heritage, and be mindful of the cyclical nature of life, time, resources, culture and self.
Sandro Pachuashvili (b.1995, Tbilisi) is a young self-taught artist who studied at the University of Virginia, Faculty of Political Science, 2013-2017. Upon returning to Georgia, he got interested in street art and after that, the artist started working on the canvas. The artist experiments a lot in materials, techniques and through these explorations, shapes his own visual language. Sandro’s creative process is nurtured by popular culture, be it fashion industry, legendary artists, or widely used slang. Humor plays a big role in Sandro’s work, often he uses an ironic tone to discuss highly sensitive issues or painful topics.