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Artist: Luka Gotsiridze | May 2023

Collaborators: Center for Human Rights & the Arts; Georgian Polyphonic Choir at Bard College; Achi Tsitsishvili, Aya Rebai, Ciko Sidzumo, Giorgi Matitashvili, Immanuel J. Williams, Jina Rishmawi, Ketato Tsurtsumia, Laila Sharif, Nanuka Tsurtsumia, Nina Bakhtadze, Nuka Chirakadze, Saba Kvinikadze, Tim Voell.

Photography: Anastasia Dzutstsati, Nour Annan

The Suminski Innski Hotel / Tivoli, New York

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Baby Luka Has Finally Realized is a dinner-performance, based on traditional Georgian feast, called Supra. The piece, as the Georgian tradition goes, incorporates an abundance of food, drinks and polyphonic singing.

The artist’s interest is an exploration of cultural identity through Supra – a gendered and a heteronormative tradition that perpetuates totalitarian features, but also illustrates an act of cultural resistance against imperial & colonial influences. The performance engages the audience in the process of reflection and redefinition of cultural symbolisms and frameworks through collective singing, listening, and feasting.

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Great writing: humorous, deceptively simple. The Georgian Choir- Wow. The songs are all making me cry. The extraordinary beauty in such a humble setting. This makes me think of being young and traveling, having nowhere to go to get warm and stumbling into churches- hearing music, feeling welcome, regardless of anything… the welcoming beauty here is staggering and, I’m sure, deeply meaningful to many people. I cannot wait to see what you do next, the warmth, love, collaboration and complexity in this piece was incredible. I feel lucky to have been there- I left immediately aware you’d created an important memory for my son, and me.

Brent Green \ Visiting Artist in Residence, Department of Film & Electronic Arts at Bard College

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