THE LAND OF GIFTS (1991)
/ Vardzia, Georgia 1991
History
On April 9, 1991, Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union, before the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991.
The borders were opened between East and West and we were at a time when the idea of openness and dialogue was a realistic perspective.
A greeting about peace
I was invited because I work with Peace Sculpture 1995 – candles and a greeting about peace. We were to work directly opposite Vardzia, which was created in the 13th century, and in that valley they had communicated via light, as part of the old Silk Road between east and west or the Christian road.
Work
Video.
Collaboration
Det Danske Videoværksted, Haderslev.
The Land of Gifts
Georgia seemed to be the Land of Gifts – the Georgian Minister of Culture playing the piano for us, I sat on the bed of a jeep out in the mountains, where we all work with the material that was on the site, it was a journey that sits deep inside me and the video The Land of Gifts is a testament to an unforgettable journey of earthquakes, art, Georgian wine, hospitable and poetic people.
The Danish Video Workshop had given me a large camera and at that time I had never worked with a professional camera or edited a video.