Gallery Artbeat is presenting Maia Naverian’s solo exhibition: ‘New Wave Tourist’.
‘The tourist – an image of a leisurely traveler, a curious adventurer and a wanderer always appealed to me and often occurred in many of my works. And now, locked up in isolation, with no possibility of travel, the term ‘tourism’ has become even more intriguing and inspired me to work with new texts. The sudden and dramatic change of normality, caused by the pandemic, and the insecurities brought by this shock have destabilized every system – psychological, cultural, social and political.
But the fear of the unknown and this contemporary, fragile chaos have provoked the excitement of a possible new journey – the opportunity of new wave tourism. This interlude gives us the chance to revisit well-known sites, leaving old sentiments and history behind in anticipation of finding unpredictable twists and configurations of a new future that feels more transparent and ethereal’ – Maia Naveriani.
– Did this global pandemic affect you art and how was it reflected in the exhibited pieces?
– The pandemic, of course, affected us all and affected us in the most different ways. So I think the works of this period have become lighter and more transparent. It probably happened subconsciously, because whenever something big and sharp catastrophe happens, along with fear and shock, there is a sense of some irrational optimism. It is as if I see a chance in this chaos for the emergence of a new and cleaner, consciousness unburdened by history.
– What are the recent inspirations or topics you’d like to delve deeper into your work?
– Everyday topics, even the most banal ones that allow for a variety of interpretations can be a source of inspiration. For example, the title of my exhibition, which I took from one of the series of paintings New Wave Tourist, revolves around the deconstruction of the image of a tourist. Tourist – a type who travels for the sake of curiosity or for no purpose at all, is introduced to unfamiliar spaces and does not belong to any territory.
The exhibition will run from March 12 to April 25.
You can see additional information: Gallery Artbeat
