Tamar, Where Are You?

23. September 2026

Deutscher Fotobuchpreis nominiert Tavisupleba

(See below for English Translation)

Das Internationale Festival Fotografischer Bilder in Regensburg präsentiert in jedem Jahr den renommierten Deutschen Fotobuchpreis. „Wir machen den Preis für Euch und für das Kulturgut Fotobuch. … Wir machen den Preis, weil unser Herz für fotografische Bilder schlägt. … Wir machen den Preis für alle, die Fotobücher lieben.“ Das und noch mehr schreiben sie über ihre Motivation, dem Fotobuch eine besondere Plattform zu geben.

Wir haben uns sehr gefreut, dass wir in diesem Jahr mit unserem Buch Tavisupleba I Freiheit in der Kategorie Self-Publishing/Independent Verlage nominiert worden sind, ausgewählt von unabhängigen Jury aus Expertinnen und Experten. Wir warten gespannt auf Anfang November 2026, wenn verkündet wird, welchen Preis wir mit dem Buch gewonnen haben.

Dies ist bereits das zweite Mal, dass wir mit einem unserer Georgien-Bücher die Auszeichnung erhalten haben. Bereits 2018 bekam Tamar, Where Are You? die Bronze Medaille beim Deutschen Fotobuchpreis.

Kombination aus zwei Screenshots von der Webseite des Deutschen Fotobuchpreises, mit der Nominierung von *Tavispleba I Freiheit* / Composite of two screenshots from the Website of German Photobook Award, showing the nomination of *Tavisupleba I Freedom*

Tavisupleba nominated for German Photobook Award

Each year, the International Festival of Photographic Images in Regensburg, Germany, presents the prestigious German Photobook Award. “We make the award for you and for the cultural asset of the photobook. … We make the award because our heart beats for photographic images. … We make the award for all who love photobooks.” This, and more, is how they describe their motivation for providing the photobook with this platform.

We are very happy that this year our book Tavisupleba I Freedom has been nominated for the German Photobook Award in the category Self-Publishing/Independent Publishers, selected by an independent jury of experts. We are now eagerly awaiting the beginning of November 2026, when the winners will be announced.

This is already the second time that one of our books about Georgia has received such recognition. Back in 2018, Tamar, Where Are You? was awarded a bronze medal at the German Photobook Award.

18. September 2026

Tavisupleba going to India

We’re delighted that our book, Tavisupleba | Freedom, has been selected for the photobook exhibition at the Indian Photo Festival 2026.

Together with all the other photobooks selected for the exhibition, it will be on display from November 26, 2026, until January 3, 2027, at the State Art Gallery in Hyderabad, India.

It’s fantastic to know that our documentation of the ongoing protest movement in Georgia will travel all the way to India. The exhibition opens at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 26, so if you’re in the area, come by and have a look!

10. August 2026

Book Review

(Deutsche Version unten)

There’s a very good review of Tavisupleba | Freedom on the Swiss photography news site fotointern.ch (in German though), describing the book as “an impressive example of accomplished and powerful documentary photography, featuring series that say more than the proverbial thousand words.”

If you’re interested, you can find the book here.

Auf fotointern.ch ist am Wochenende eine schöne Rezension von Tavisupleba I Freiheit erschienen, die das Buch als „Weiter ist das Buch ein “ … eindrucksvolles Beispiel gekonnter und aussagestarker Reportagefotografie, mit Serien, die mehr sagen als die berühmten tausend Worte“ beschreibt.

Und hier könnt ihr das Buch finden: https://bt-st.net/produkt/tavisupleba-i-freiheit/

4. August 20264. August 2026

Tavisupleba Preview

For all those, who did not yet have a chance to look at our book Tavisupleba I Freedom, a documentation of the current protest movement in Georgia, here’s a short preview:

Video: Finn Jahnke

The book features photographic works of 15 mostly Georgian photographers, texts (German and English) by renowned German-Georgian author Nino Haratischwili and former member of the Deutsche Bundestag Michael Roth, with 224 pages, paperback with open stitch binding.

Click here to find out more about the book and all participating photographers and writers.

To order: https://bt-st.net/produkt/tavisupleba-i-freiheit/

6. Juli 2026

Has Georgia’s repression plateaued?

As the daily protests in Georgia approach the 600-day mark, there’s an interesting podcast by OC Media editors Robin Fabbro and Mariam Nikuradze. Together with staff writer Mikheil Gvadzabia, they discuss the current state of repression in Georgia under the ruling party, Georgian Dream.

Even if the situation may seem calm on the surface, with no major clashes between protesters and police, and certainly a lack of international media attention, the repression of opposition voices has not loosened its grip … or has it?

Listen to the Caucasus Digest podcast here or on your favorite podcast platform. And don’t forget to support independent media in Georgia, such as OC Media, by becoming a member.

2. Juli 202618. September 2026

Video Documentation

(Deutsche Übersetzung weiter unten)

The works of 15 photographers, 61 photographs – one topic: Tavisupleba I Freedom. There now is a video documentation about our exhibition about the current protest and freedom movement in Georgia at the FREELENS Gallery in Hamburg, which was organised by the Freelens AK Demokratie and curated by Teona Gogichaishvili and myself.

And thanks to FREELENS photographer Finn Jahnke, we also have a video documentation about the exhibition and the accompanying events.

Die Arbeiten von 15 Fotograf:innen, 61 Fotografien – ein Thema: Tavisupleba | Freiheit. Ab sofort gibt es eine Videodokumentation unserer Ausstellung über die aktuelle Protest- und Freiheitsbewegung in Georgien, die in der FREELENS Gallery in Hamburg stattfand. Die Ausstellung wurde vom Freelens AK Demokratie organisiert und von Teona Gogichaishvili und mir kuratiert.

Dank des FREELENS-Fotografen Finn Jahnke haben wir nun auch eine Videodokumentation der Ausstellung und der begleitenden Veranstaltungen.

15. Mai 2026

Tavisupleba I Freiheit

(Deutsche Übersetzung weiter unten)

Thank you to everyone who visited our exhibition and book launch, Tavisupleba I Freiheit, at the FREELENS Gallery in Hamburg in April. It was truly meaningful to experience such strong interest in seeing and hearing about what is happening in Georgia, and to discuss its relevance for us in Germany and across Europe.

And once again, thank you to all the participating Georgian photographers for entrusting us with their work so that we could help spread the word. Thanks also to the entire team who worked with me to organise and curate this exhibition.

But the work does not stop here, because the march for freedom in Georgia continues every day — in Tbilisi and throughout the country. Look at these people. Look at this country.

Some impressions from the exhibition opening on April 9th, 2026 (photos by Finn Jahnke & Gustavo Alàbiso):

Left to right: Teona Gogichaishvili, Dato Koridze, Andreas Oetker-Kast, Bastian Fischer, Mariam Nikuradze, Gustavo Alàbiso, Tako Robakidze

Vielen Dank an alle, die unsere Ausstellung und Buchpräsentation Tavisupleba I Freiheit im April in der FREELENS Gallery in Hamburg besucht haben. Es war großartig zu erleben, auf welch großes Interesse das Geschehen in Georgien gestoßen ist – zu sehen, zu hören und über seine Relevanz für uns in Deutschland und in ganz Europa zu sprechen.

Und noch einmal vielen Dank an alle beteiligten georgischen Fotograf:innen, die uns ihre Arbeiten anvertraut haben, damit wir auf die Ereignisse aufmerksam machen können. Ebenso danke ich dem gesamten Team, das mit mir zusammen diese Ausstellung organisiert und kuratiert hat.

Doch die Arbeit endet hier nicht, denn der Kampf um die Freiheit in Georgien geht jeden Tag weiter – in Tiflis und im ganzen Land. Schaut auf diese Menschen. Schaut auf dieses Land.

Fotos der Ausstellungseröffnung vom 9. April 2026 von Finn Jahnke und Gustavo Alàbiso.

3. April 20263. April 2026

Tavisupleba I Freedom – coming soon

At last, the time has come:
We are publishing the book Tavisupleba I Freedom, about the pro-democracy movement in Georgia, on April 9, 2026, as part of the exhibition opening at the FREELENS Gallery in Hamburg.
Come join us if you’re in Hamburg, we’d love to see you.

Endlich ist es soweit:
Wir veröffentlichen das Buch Tavisupleba I Freiheit über die pro-demokratische Bewegung in Georgien am 9. April 2026 im Rahmen der Ausstellungseröffnung in der FREELENS Galerie in Hamburg.
Kommt vorbei, wenn ihr in Hamburg seid – wir würden uns sehr freuen, euch zu sehen.

2. Januar 2026

Welcome to 2026

So here we are in the new year. Yet, as much as we had hoped otherwise, not much has changed on the Georgian home front. The platform Civil.ge describes 2025 in Georgia as a year of descent and endurance, noting that “Georgian Dream has yet to achieve full consolidation of authoritarian rule, and the battle is still on.”

All the more, we owe respect to those who continue to demonstrate—fighting the odds and the threat of detention—for 400 days and counting. The same respect is due to those tirelessly covering the demonstrations: the photographers and writers who keep us informed about what is happening.

It is challenging work in a tough environment. Those who do it need support so they can continue their much-needed efforts. That is why they created Sinatle / The Lights Must Stay On, a platform that supports independent media in Georgia. If you can, take a look.

And let us hope that the lights will shine even brighter as we move into this year.

Demonstrating for freedom in 2024 — the words she wrote then still resonate today. Tbilisi, May 2024

5. Oktober 20256. Oktober 2025

Show of Strength with no Direction

Last years protests against the results of the parliamentary elections, November 4th, 2024.

The October 4th elections came and went. As expected, a large crowd took to the streets in protest—tens of thousands once again gathered in Tbilisi, with many even traveling from distant parts of the country, to express their discontent with the nation’s current direction. Some clashed with law enforcement in front of the presidential palace, but interestingly, while those confrontations unfolded, the majority of protesters remained in front of the parliament on Rustaveli Avenue.

Hans Gutbrod, a German-born academic, policy research consultant, and professor at Tbilisi’s Ilia State University, offered a first reflection on the events: „What to make of the day? Overall a show of strength—but not one of direction. That strength after months of repression remains impressive, but it won’t be enough to get the country back on track, without a clearer, concerted strategy.“

With a record-low voter turn out, no one can seriously claim the election results to be a confirmation of the course set by the self-proclaimed government. And while all five organizers of the demonstrations were later that night arrested „on charges of calling for the violent overthrow of state authorities and attempting to change the constitutional order through violence, as well as organizing, leading, and participating in group violence“ (civil.ge), one can’t help but wonder what would have been possible if there had been a united opposition.

You can also read a write up of how the day unfolded in the 64 project posts.