TOLIA ASTAKHISHVILI

By Magnus Edensvard

Tolia Astakhishvili (b. 1974, Tbilisi, Georgia) works and lives between Berlin and Tbilisi. Over the past two decades, she has steadily carved out a practice that is as sensitive in its approach as it is monumental in scale. Her work often unfolds like an investigative journey, akin to a geologist meticulously uncovering layers of meaning. By examining the history and original uses of the spaces she inhabits, along with traces of their previous dwellers, the artist’s installations take on a commanding presence as she prescribes acupuncture if not an entire rehaul of the preexisting architecture. Her process frequently involves inviting collaborators, artists, curators, and family members into her conceptual framework, allowing the space itself to become a living, evolving narrative.

Having just participated in an exhibition at MACRO titled Post Scriptum. A museum forgotten by heart, Tolia talked a little about her upcoming trajectory—a solo show at LC Queisser, Tbilisi, followed by a group show at MoMA PS1 in New York—whilst also referring back to her recent groundbreaking exhibition between father and mother at SculptureCenter, New York, this year. These exhibitions, interconnected by both personal and spatial explorations, form the basis of the conversation that follows.

MAGNUS EDENSVARD: I’d love to hear more about your next projects.

TOLIA ASTAKHISHVILI: Right now, I’m focused on a few things. In November, I’ll be working on a solo show at the gallery LC Queisser in Georgia. It’s a space I’ve shown work in before, but this will be my first solo exhibition there. My plan for this show is different from what I’ve done in the past—my initial idea was to focus more on painting, but somehow the spatial aspect always takes over. Space is really important to me, and it becomes a part of the work itself. For this show, I’ve prepared canvases that cover the walls entirely in a segmented puzzle-like fashion, almost repeating the architecture. Even though I wanted it to be more about painting, it’s turning into something more installation-based, as always.

ME: What are the underlying themes and references for your show at LC Queisser?

TA: I’m interested in the idea of fragmentation—how each part becomes its own universe. I’m experimenting with how these pieces come together through the process of creating the installation. It’s a bit more experimental, more risk-taking, than what I’ve done before.

ME: Will this show include collaborations or is it a solo effort?

TA: It’s a solo show, but I’m including my mother’s work. She’s also an artist but has never exhibited before because she’s always felt it wasn’t “perfect enough.” I’ve been encouraging her for a while, and now she’s agreed to let me include a few of her pieces. I took some of her small works, framed them, and will be presenting them in a very classical way. It’s a way for her to see her work in a different context, and I’m curious to see what will come of it.

ME: That’s fascinating—it almost reverses the traditional parent-child dynamic. How are you approaching this curatorial role with your mother’s work?

TA: It’s definitely a shift, especially since she’s always been so critical of her own work. So I’ve taken the initiative and will present the works the way I think they should be shown. It’s an experiment for both of us—seeing her work through my perspective, while still giving her the freedom to change things later if she wants.

ME: You’ve mentioned a more experimental approach for your upcoming show. Is that a path you plan to continue for your other projects?

TA: Yes, I’ve been trying to embrace more process-based work lately, planning less and making more. I’m also doing a show at MoMA PS1, where I’ll be working with some materials left over from my previous installation at SculptureCenter. There’s one element from that show, a long chute that people could stand underneath and look up through. I’m planning to transform it into a horizontal tunnel on the floor. It’s a work in progress.

ME: You’ve shown your work internationally, and now you’re returning to New York for another exhibition. How has that shaped your practice?

TV: It’s been great, especially getting to work more deeply with spaces like SculptureCenter and PS1. I joke with the team at PS1 that I now have my own personal storage space there because of all the materials left from the first show. It feels like each exhibition builds on the previous one, creating this ongoing relationship with both the space and the city.

ME: How do you balance planning versus spontaneity in your work?

TA: I’ve had periods of intense planning, where I’d meticulously execute my ideas. But now, I’m more interested in spontaneity—letting the process unfold naturally. It feels like each stage of my work is a different life. Right now, I’m in a phase where I want to embrace the unknown and let the work evolve as I go along.