As The Sun Rises, the Tale Of The Night Disappears

In the early years following Georgia’s independence from the 200 year-long occupation under the Soviet Union (1990s), we suffered from unprecedented political and cultural turmoil, which took its toll on everyone in the country. Evolving into different directions and taking on various forms, the damage affected several generations. Embedded in a variety of contexts from history to traditions, religion and uncertain future, the clubbing scene and techno culture came as a liberation. Developed mainly in Tbilisi of the 2000s it soon grew into a subculture, which embodied more than music, dance or nightlife. Among others it became instrumental in creating grounds for a dialogue among the youth or between generations. It became a symbol of united youth in an otherwise conservative and divided society.

The photo project is an interplay between the three major themes: ravers, techno clubs, and the city. As a form of collaboration and true dialogue, I asked the people featured in the book to create a personal narrative describing what raving and clubbing means for them, and to write it out by hand on their own photo. These handwritten notes are deeply personal thoughts, penned by the ravers from all walks of life, who describe their experiences and connection with raving, clubs and electronic music.