A seasonal school “The History and Heritage of Tao-Klarjeti: Movable and Immovable Monuments” dedicated to Dimitri Tumanishvili and financed by The Shota Rustaveli Georgian National Scientific Centre was started on September 8, 2019 at The George Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation. The seasonal school was started by the project supervisor Dr. Ekaterine Gedevanishvili who informed the present society about the working format of the school – the main goal is to represent this heritage in a wide historic context, which means examining the monuments not only on Turkish territory, but researching movable or immovable monuments directly connected with the heritage (Manglisi, Kumurdo, muvable objects preserved in museums, manuscripts, etc.).
The speech of the project co-supervisor Dr. Irine Giviashvili was dedicated to revealing of Tao-Klarjeti historic significance. The director of the Centre Dr. Tamar Belashvili spoke about the importance of international projects and defined such kind of events as the main strategic trend of The Centre development. Starting of the school was attended by the general director of The Rustaveli Scientific Foundation Zviad Gabisonia and the deputy director Jaba Samushia. Zviad Gabisonia spoke about the national and scientific significance of Tao-Klarjeti project sponsored by The Foundation. He wished successes to the seasonal school and expressed his hope that such kind of collaboration will continue in the future as well.
The director of Florence the Max Planck Institute of Art History Prof. Gerhard Wolf, Prof. Dr. Michele Bacci Fribourg University (Switzerland) and other foreign colleges spoke about the of seasonal school activity format, marked the relevance of field work and drew up plans of future scientific collaboration.
The photo exhibition of The Center collague Tamaz Dvali was opened in the frames of the seasonal school. Besides, there was organized a bibliographic exhibition where there was represented an important contribution of The Chubinashvili Centre in the research of Tao-Klarjeti heritage. The lecture “Ishkhani Wall Painting” of the professor of Basel University Barbara Shcellewald was planned in the frames of the school.
The seasonal school will work in Georgia as well as in North-East Turkey. The program will end in Tbilisi on September 16. From September 18 the school will continue its work in Bern on the international forum of the middle ages art, which is organized by the project participators of the Fribourg University. Georgian and European participants of the summer school will make speeches on the forum. The main theme will be Tao-Klarjeti heritage.
Researchers working for doctor’s degree and young scientists from Georgia (The Chubinashvili Centre, Tbilisi State University, The Academy of Art) as well as from leading world universities take part in the project.
