OTARI OLIVA BUADZE

otarioliva@gmail.com

      What is in my mind, what is my practice about, and how to engage with art practice in a meaningful way given the actual social, economic, political, and humanitarian crisis?

      I regard here upon two core principles. The first one of these principles responds to material production (relation of production) and exchange (markets) and it is key for understanding the basic frame for the ideas that shape our lives. The second principle would be related to the whole concept of the "individual," as it has been presented within the context of Western culture. I believe that the individual, deformed in the sense of extreme individualism, makes part of a cultural logic that enables issues like exploitation, oppression, and alienation of large segments of society.

      My process of answering these questions and topics focus on the use of the ephemeral and the utilitarian. Ephemeral in the sense of "reduced" materiality of the art object, a way to address its production. Utilitarian in the sense of potential immediate use -emphasizing use-value over exchange-value. To better articulate these principles, I'm exploring what I call "intentional collaborative cultural production." I see intentional collaborative cultural production as fluid, adaptable, and open to new circumstances while driving away from the tradition of "art groups" and "art collectives," and avoiding the non-profit complex attached to social practice. In this sense, intentional collaborative cultural production is about envisioning autonomy at the center of a radical and revolutionary social process.