Thinking Allowed: Brutalist history

Jakob says Brutalist art comes from the French of 'beton brute' raw concrete. And of course Jakob is right. Still, I can't help but think of the irony of the English brutal within the word when I see the stark grey examples of this form of architecture. I also can't help thinking how fitting it was that this was the preferred style of architecture and art for the USSR. This raw, stark, colourless, imposing art seems to me to have mirroring connotations of life under Soviet rule. The Soviets chose mosaic as their preferred form of art/propaganda because of its hardiness and durability. The USSR, while imposing was less durable and is long gone, but still, we are left with the reminders of their reign all over. There is a big movement to preserve the Soviet mosaic and public art works. I can understand that need to preserve art. There is also a group that hopes to get rid of traces of the brutalist past. I can understand this as well. Even as a tourist I found the imposing stark sculptures on every hill and in every park a jolting reminder of the difficulties the Georgians have had to endure. We visited the Chronicles of Georgia, a hilltop brutalist massive panel that outlines Georgia's history (as decided upon by the Russians). We played ball in the shadow of the structure. Levana tripped near a street dog and was bitten in the arm. It was the first time any of our children had ever been bit by a dog and I can't help but think it was a scene fit for a political novel or a cautionary folk tale.

Tbilisi is a vibrant happening city. It is a melding of modern and past and Europe and Asia. It has always been a city that is on the cusp of numerous empires and that comes across in the architecture and city vibe. It was interesting to be in a spot dotted with Turkish hamams and European style buildings. During our stay in Tbilisi I read The Eighth Life - an epic 1000 page Georgian family saga. It was an agreeable way to get to know all about Georgia, and Tbilisi past. As we spent two weeks wandering through the city and seeing sights the novel helped bring to life not only certain sights but also certain cultural norms. It helped make sense of all the anti-Russian sentiment and graffiti. It brought life to the reasoning behind the current protests in Tbilisi. It gave more meaning to the national day celebrations and the superb performance of the children's Georgian ballet. Georgia is a country lush with fruit and Tbilisi is no exception. We were fortunate to be in the city at the height of mulberry and cherry season and our visit was made all the sweeter by the ready snack at every turn.