A dance between fragility and resilience: The art of Chubika
Nino Chubinishvili, known in the art world as Chubika, has always walked the fine line between the poetic and the political. Her latest exhibition, “What would it mean to tiptoe out of the dance? Maybe I should remain a butterfly in war?”, hosted by TBC Concept in collaboration with the David Kakabadze Foundation, presents a visual and emotional journey that invites viewers to reflect on the tension between beauty and conflict, fragility and strength. Spanning two contrasting but complementary floors, this exhibition is not only an exploration of the artist’s mind, but also a mirror of our own existential struggles.
From haute couture to sculptural narratives: Chubika’s evolution
Chubika's journey from costume design to contemporary art is important to understanding the complexity of her work. Chubika trained at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts and later at the prestigious Institut Français de la Mode in Paris. Her early career was marked by collaborations with fashion icons such as Kenzo and Pierre Cardin. But her artistic instinct always pushed her beyond the boundaries of fashion. In her hands, costumes became more than just garments; they were narratives - stories woven into fabric and texture that reached into the soul of the characters they adorned.
This fashion background is unmistakable in the sculptural installations on the first floor of the exhibition. The precision, attention to detail and tactile nature of these pieces are reminiscent of the world of haute couture, but go beyond it. Chubika's sculptures here are not static objects; they are filled with a life of their own, capturing moments of intense emotion and history. Each sculpture poses a question to the viewer, an invitation to delve deeper into the layers of meaning that Chubika has so carefully crafted.
A fragmentary story: The handmade book for Elene
As we ascend to the second floor, the tone of the exhibition changes dramatically. Here we are introduced to To Elene, a handmade book that Chubika created in 1998 and dedicated to her daughter. This book is not just a personal keepsake; it is a fundamental piece in Chubika's artistic legacy. Composed of a series of graphic sketches, the book tells a fragmentary story in which the protagonists - Elene and her doll Ingrid - move through a world not bound by a linear narrative. The sketches, drawn in an imaginary visual language, speak of things that words could never fully express, preserving truths that are pure, unfiltered and free from interpretation.
In presenting this book, Chubika offers a glimpse into the intimacy of motherhood, where the lines between artist and mother blur. Creating this book was an act of preservation - an attempt to capture and convey the unspeakable for her child. Yet in presenting it to the public, it becomes a universal experience, a story about love, memory, and the complexities of parenthood.
Navigating the spaces of war and peace
The title of the exhibition raises two poignant questions: What would it mean to give up dancing on tiptoes? and Maybe I should remain a butterfly at war? These questions are more than mere thematic elements; they are existential questions that resonate deeply in today's world. The first question can be seen as a reflection on the role of the artist in society - whether to remain in a state of delicate creation, removed from the harsh realities of the world, or to confront those realities head-on. For Chubika, who has lived and worked in the borderlands between fashion and art, this question is particularly relevant. Her work is a dance not only of grace and beauty, but also of negotiation - balancing the need for expression with the demands of a world in conflict.
The second question, "Perhaps I should remain a butterfly in war?" introduces a stark contrast. The butterfly, a symbol of fleeting beauty and transformability, is juxtaposed with the violence and chaos of war. This image is both haunting and defiant, suggesting that beauty and fragility can be powerful forms of resistance. In a world where destruction seems inevitable, Chubika's butterfly does not flee but remains with its wings spread, embodying the paradox of survival in the face of annihilation.
The Ghosts of Goslab: Memory, Identity and Art
To properly appreciate Chubika's work, one must consider her involvement with Goslab, the informal multimedia art collective that emerged in Tbilisi in the turbulent 1990s. Goslab was more than just an artist group; it was a response to the sociopolitical upheavals in post-Soviet Georgia. For Chubika, the collective was a melting pot in which ideas of memory, identity and transformation were explored through radical experimentation.
Goslab's influence is evident throughout the exhibition, particularly in the way Chubika engages with themes of memory and identity. To Elene can be seen as a continuation of Goslab's legacy - a deeply personal work that captures the universal experience of navigating a changing world. The sculptures and installations on the first floor evoke the sense of lostness and uncertainty that characterized the post-Soviet experience, but also provide space for reflection, reconciliation with the past, and imagining the future.
The endless dance of interpretation
What would it mean to dance on tiptoe? Maybe I should remain a butterfly at war? is an exhibition that defies easy categorization. It is a work that demands engagement, asking the viewer to grapple with the complex questions it raises. Chubika's art is not about providing answers, but about opening spaces for reflection and dialogue. In this sense, the exhibition is not just a collection of works, but a living conversation between the artist, the viewer and the world in which they both live.
As we move through the exhibition spaces, from the sculptural narratives on the first floor to the intimate pages of To Elene, we are invited to reflect on our own position in the dance of life. Do we remain on tiptoes, delicately balancing in a world of uncertainty? Or do we spread our wings and face the chaos head-on, embracing the fragility and beauty of our existence in the midst of war? This is the power of Chubika's art - it is a dance that never ends, a dance that evolves as we move through it, leaving us with more questions than answers and a deep sense of the complexity of being.
By Ivan Nechaev
