Queer and Georgian Exhibition
Valletta, Malta, 2022
In 2022, Tbilisi Collective curated Queer and Georgian, a photography exhibition held in Valletta, Malta, that documented the rising drag and queer culture in Georgia. The exhibition showcased portraits of LGBTQ+ community members and drag performers, offering a raw and intimate look into a subculture that continues to grow despite deep-rooted conservatism and systemic homophobia.
The images were sourced from Georgian queer photographers and drag performers themselves, using a methodology rooted in trust, dialogue, and respect. The selection process prioritized emotional honesty and avoided voyeuristic or exploitative narratives. Each photograph offered a visual counter-narrative to mainstream representations, turning private moments into public acts of empowerment.
Being on the border of Europe and Asia, Georgia struggles to identify itself either as European or Asian. Despite eagerness to become a part of the European family, toxic masculinity, blind faith in Church and dogmatic morality give rise to strong homophobia, especially among the members of older generations.
In 2013, Pride Parade in Tbilisi was met with violence from priests who motivated their followers to physically harass organizers and participants of the event. In 2020, a transgender woman set herself on fire during a protest against government negligence in the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2021, Pride Parade had to be canceled due to the violent attack of far-right demonstrators on LGBTQ activists’ headquarters.
The exhibition showcased individuals’ most pure and artistic selves to emphasize that tender masculinity and tough femininity are traits to be celebrated and not suppressed. In other words, exhibited photographs manifested that vulnerability is sexy.
© Masu Mtsariashvili
© George Nazghaidze
See more images from the exhibition on our Instagram: @tbilisi.collective