In addition to Russia and the countries leaders, the Christian Orthodox Church is probably most important political influence in Georgia. The collapse of the Soviet Union has shaped society very nationalistically and conservatively. Homophobia and transphobia are still very present.
The aggressive behavior of the state executive towards the young generation can often seen during demonstrations.
The photographic essay tells the story of Mariam and Dato.
The Drama Bar is located directly in the heart of Tbilisi, Georgia. The party scene and tourists from all over the world are having the first drinks at night before moving on to the major clubs of the capital. A small dance floor on the club's terrace faces the inner courtyard.
Dato is posing for a portrait at noon after a long night with his friends in the flat of Nikos‘s aunt where we used to sleep.
The Gate Club is near to the beach of Batumi. A LGBTQ friendly party is held in the front of the main rooms of the club. In the back room there are lots of decoration accessories scattered around the area, it‘s almost 4am.
It is the last night of the club season at Reflector Club, Kutaisi. At the same time, it is our first stop on our road trip from Tbilisi to Batumi. Mariam, Dato, Niko and I were sitting in the car the whole day driving from Tbilisi to Kutaisi.
”Khidi“ is the second largest club in the capital of Georgia. The club opened in 2016 and is located inside a pier of Vakhushti Bagrationi Bridge. At a long, wide tunnel directly under the bridge‘s roadway visitors find an area for art exhibitions. Huge fans on the staircases are used to ventilate the buildings air. The brutalist architecture has a special relationship with everything what happens in the place.
Mariam had a long working day. In the evening we met for the first time after a few weeks at Meoba Bar. Many friends of Mariam work here.
On the „Zion Sun Set Stage“ of the Echowaves Festival in Anaklia the music techniques are testing the sound for the upcoming DJ sets.
Luka poses for a portrait. He works as a bartender in the first LGBTQ friendly bar in Tbilisi, the Success Bar. Through his outing he lost contact with family members. Frequently he feels discrimination against himself on the streets causing his homosexuality.
In 2018 on may 12th military and police troops stormed the club Bassiani and the Café Gallery during a raid. According to the statements of the Bassiani there were almost sixty arrests of people protesting in front of the Bassiani.
Mariam works as a bartender at ”C‘ mon Be My Lover“ bar which is located at the courtyard of the Fabrika complex. Often she spends the night here after clubbing in town with her friends. We have won the cuddly toy at a shooting stand in a fun parc. Earlier the night Kollektiv Turmstraße played at an open air event close to Lake Lisi.
Dato poses for a portrait. Close to the Rustaveli, Dato lives in an impasse side street. In the apartment he lives with his younger brother. His mother lives in the neighbourhood.
The spotlights of the ”sun“ at Khidi club on the main dance floor opposite the DJ desk are getting brighter and brighter in parallel to the sun rising outside. On the third and top floor Tamuna and her husband Johan, both founders of the club inaugurated the art space exhibition space with a multi-media work by Sven Marquardt, called ”East“.
Mariam poses for a portrait during the open air gig of Kollektiv Turmstraße at the Ciscari site.
Equality Movement, an NGO that represents LGBTQ rights, has founded the ”Horoom Space“ at Bassiani in cooperation with the operators of the club. Here LBGTQ friendly parties take place regularly.
Luka and his boyfriend broke up after a long and beautiful relationship, as he says.In the shared flat of his girlfriend Keti he talks about his sadness.
Sophy poses for a portrait. At Khidi Club she is responsible for public relations. Since 2016 the club exists. ”Khidi“ means bridge and is a non-political place, says Sophy. Not only for the local artists but also for the guests the club offers an international exchange, which should be intensified in the future.
A decoration above the dance floor at ”Drama Bar“.
Since 2011, the Georgian government wants to make more of the cities on the coast to the Black Sea. Besides Batumi, the largest city in this area, the climatic health resort Anaklia is also interesting for a variety of tourists. Anaklia belongs to the so-called special tourism zone, which includes tax savings but also a 5 million lari exemption for a licence fee of a casino with more than 100 beds per hotel. Every year the Echo Waves Festival is held here with renowned Dj‘s from all over the world. In 2019, Nina Kravitz, Ben Klock, Claptone, Tom Trago, John Talabot and local DJ icon from Tbilisi, Gio Shengelia were among the line-up.
Dato suggested a trip to Batumi at lunchtime when we had a coffee at Café Gallery. We went to his house and he immediately started planning everything. Mariam, Dato, Niko and I drove together from Tbilisi via Kutaissi to Batumi.
Mariam poses for a portrait at Daphna Restaurant, where she also works.
It‘s club night at Khidi.
Dato with his friends Niko, Elene and Niko at the beach of Batumi close to the main-station, from which I later left Batumi back to Tbilisi by train.
Niko and Dato at 6 am after the last club night at Reflector Club for this year‘s summer season.