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The Tbilisi Art Fair (TAF) will run from 17 – 20 May at the EXPOGEORGIA Exhibition Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. .ART’s partners and friends at TAF have arranged a contemporary visual arts fair with a difference.

Like many fairs, TAF is designed to facilitate collaborations and to match buyers with artists and institutions. Unlike many art fairs, TAF has fought to establish ongoing relationships with the various artists that they have chosen from the under-tapped market in the countries which border the Black, Caspian and Baltic Seas and to ensure that the fair champions an intimate feel and a focus on the SLOW principle – a change of pace which promotes a more emotional and fulfilling experience.

TAF will house exhibits from 30 galleries, as well as a section known as The Hive – which will showcase the works of 40 unrepresented artists. A number of disruptive performance art displays have been promised by TAF, on top of a number of “TAF Talks”. Some of the notable inclusions are: uta Bekaia’s cyclical-universe inspired installation featuring performances, sculptural costumes, and video, the retrospective “In and Out of Reality” Georgian photography exhibit, twelve women gone missing – an exhibition showcasing the works of Georgian women who left Georgia at various stages throughout Georgia’s turbulent past. All in all, it’s safe to say that TAF is shaping up to be an exciting event worthy of the hype surrounding it.

Tbilisi itself is an emerging cultural destination that has skyrocketed onto many recent “must-see destination” lists. The city itself is a patchwork that illustrates the city’s history and the culture is underpinned by markers of Soviet and Persian influence. That said, Tbilisi is known as a burgeoning hotspot for art lovers, hipsters, and foodies. The (often vegetarian) cuisine is renowned and wine fanatics have long been familiar with the varietals from Georgian vineyards.

If we’ve piqued your interest, you can find out more at http://tbilisiartfair.art/