Project “Market point” was implemented by GeoAIR in collaboration with artellewa (Egypt) in the frame of Tandem Shaml program. GeoAIR hosted Egyptian artist and head of artellewa Hamdy Reda and writer and Film producer Hossam Elouan, who worked on the project together with local artist Mako Kapanadze, social scientist Mariam Shalvashvili and with assistant of the project Ketevan Kett.

 

The project implied the exchange of artists between Georgia and Egypt. It aimed to unite contemporary artists on a common topic: how the development of cities and their transformations influence traditions and culture. Project's main focus was on street markets, their transformations through the surrounding developments of the city and their role in the society. How are these changes influencing urban segments and life of neighborhoods /streets, in which the markets are located?

 

The project questioned the necessity/the need of street markets, which is directly connected with ecology and healthy food, urban issues and city structure, traditions and culture, where all levels of society meet each other (women and men, kids and adults, ethnic minorities and emigrants), who are building the city and are making it diverse.

 

The findings and surroundings in Cairo and Tbilisi were the creative inspiration for this process. The presentation of the first part of the project was shown in Tbilisi (end of September) and the final exhibition took place at the end of the residency in Cairo (middle of February).