Tel Aviv - the White City revisited

Ebm7: fond memories of a jam session...

Jennifer and Tim: all the best for your life together

What a pity

Isn't it a pity
Now, isn't it a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity

Some things take so long
But how do I explain
When not too many people
Can see we're all the same
And because of all their tears
Their eyes can't hope to see
The beauty that surrounds them
Isn't it a pity

Isn't it a pity
Isn't is a shame
How we break each other's hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other's love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity

Forgetting to give back
Isn't it a pity
Forgetting to give back
Now, isn't it a pity

[George Harrison]

In loving memory...

Jen, you'll be thoroughly missed...

Exhibition Opening in Tbilisi

Tonight was the opening of my exhibition of my series on Georgian IDPs at the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Tbilisi. I am very pleased with the opening night… We had quite a good turnout of people coming to the exhibition and public debate (even Georgian TV was there and did a short interview with me, along with two other film crews – it felt a bit strange and unfamiliar to give interviews about my work), the Georgian deputy minister for IDP affairs, Julia Kharashvili, was present and sparked a lively debate, and there might be a (much larger) follow on exhibition coming out of this… but I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch…

The debate focused – heated at times - on the main issues that IDPs face and which I have blogged on before: unresolved territorial issues, financial assistance issues/issues of compensation and the safety of those returning to their native regions… plenty of “meat” for a follow on project…

Back in Georgia

I am back in Georgia now… For one thing for my exhibition opening that will take place tomorrow at the Heinrich Boell Foundation here in Tbilisi… The exhibition opening tomorrow night of my series on Georgian IDPs (internally displaced people) will be coupled with a public debate on the situation of the IDPs in Georgia almost one year after the war with Russia… Especially the fate of the IDPs from Abkhazia and South Ossetia is still very much an open issue – or a foregone one - depending on your point of view given the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent by Russia…

I am hoping for a good turnout tomorrow… at least the Georgian minister for IDPs is expected to attend… so should be a good event to listen and learn…

For another thing, I am also back to do some research on a follow on project I would like to undertake in August with the working title “one year after the war”… I would like to explore the situation in Georgia, one year after the five day conflict with Russia last year… I am still sketching out the details of what I would like to focus on…

To that extent I visited one of the IDP camps in Tbilisi today which still houses quite a few of the Abkhazian IDPs from almost one year ago… on a first glance, it looked as if nothing had changed during the last 11 months… I invited the people there to the exhibition/debate tomorrow and residents were helpful to put up the press release in the main hall… I hope that some of those affected will attend to be able to voice their views…

"My" Pavillion

Schizophrenic Cherries and Other Tales