Midnight Illusion
Tbilisi Georgia 2014 – 2016
Being away from my hometown led me to an idea of the new photojournalistic project. The idea stroked me after returning, when i looked at Tbilisi with new breath, with the fresh eye. It took almost two years to search for, and take images of the homeless people with the different experiences of living in the streets, either because of the personal drama or mostly because of the consequences of the civil war and Russian occupation with in in common: mo living place at all, I reckon that, after a while, time may erase even the unbearable state of the poverty, but I consider that, without acknowledgment of the problem, even time cannot cure the traumatic experiences of the past. In addiotion, my awareness motiveted me to capture the unseen parts of the city at night to reach the goal and evoke the memory of the people who chose to forget past. My choice was to fight the ingorance and use the best weapon, camera. Also, this project helped me to understand homelles people in a better way. ( Mamuka, 49 years old. He has been working on Station Square as a luggage carrier for 20 years. These 20 years he lives on the same cart, he makes living with. He is single, homeless person. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2014. ) ⓒ G,Shengelia
One can meet such a scene frequently in Tbilisi squares and streets, especially during nights. There is no statistics on homeless persons in Georgia. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2014.
Tevdore Mgvdeli St. 01:00. 45-60 years old men. This place is the most comfortable for homeless persons, because on the other side there is a café, where they can find some food. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Vitaliy Mgebrishvili is 46 years old. He travels from Gurjaani to Tbilisi time-to-time. He is not married, he has mother. According to him, he got used to alcohol from the age of 20. Since then, he mainly lives his life under alcohol intoxication. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
A stranger, 45-60 years old. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Lali, 30 years old. She lives with her sister, in Tbilisi; however, she escapes sometimes and prefers to wander in streets, she does not go back, even for night. She lives like this for 8 years already. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Temuri, 56 years old. According to him, he’d better lives in the street, rather than in the family, because his children do not feed him, with his own earned food. There is tensed situation in his home, for 7 years already. He is obliged to be a vagabond and find a place from night to night. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Beso 33 years old. Works as transporter in Samgori Market. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2016.
Guram, 60 years old. Lives in Kaspi. Time-by-time he arrives to Tbilisi for work. He either rents a room, or stays in the street. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
On the right – Tamaz, 53 years old. He works on the territory of Bazaar for 13 years already. According to his daily income, he either stays in the street, or rents a room for night. He has wife and three children, who live in the village. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Levan, 51 years old. Internally displaced person from Abkhazia. His parent were killed during the war. He has been working as a carrier, since his arrival to Tbilisi. He drinks frequently, because of poverty and life challenges. He is single homeless person. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Tsereteli Avenua. Late night, near Bazaar. People buy alcohol here. One can frequently find a homeless alcoholic person sleeping on the stairs. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Givi, 55 years old homeless person. He is single, works on station square, as a luggage carrier. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Aleko, 59 years old. He arrived to Tbilisi 18 years ago, because of poverty. He has wife and a child in a village. He has been working a luggage carrier for 16 years. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Stranger. 40-60 year old man. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Galya Saplinko, born on 1965. She was working in the garment factory, in Tbilisi. After collapse of USSR and internal conflicts in Georgia, she left to Russia, then, returned to Georgia after the war. In strange circumstances she was kicked out from her house. Since then, she has been living in the street for 19 years already. She lives in one of the entrances of the building, she used to have a home. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Stranger. 40-60 year old man. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Stranger. 40-60 year old man. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015.
Mamuka, 46 years old. He died on December 2015. He has been living and working in the street for 20 years. Tbilisi, Georgia. 2015.
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