Georgia: “Unique” collection of ceramics, carpets finds new space at Art Palace museum

In Georgia, the director of the Tbilisi-based Art Palace museum, Giorgi Kalandia, revealed on Tuesday, March 29, that a “unique” collection of Georgian carpets and ceramics, formerly kept in inadequate conditions in the museum’s basement, has found a new home in a newly obtained space of the venue.

The additional space was secured as a result of an initiative by Culture Minister Thea Tsulukiani, according to Kalandia, and will be utilized to house the collections from the former Museum of Folk and Applied Arts, according to a social media post.

Moreover, earlier, the artworks were housed at a building on Tbilisi’s Dadiani Street, which had water leaks from broken walls and “collapsing” pillars observed in the neglected space, said Facebook post.

“With the assistance of the Culture Ministry, we were able to renovate the new repositories in the shortest period and acquire museum collection,” Kalandia said, adding that “the Georgian carpets and ceramics are now being housed on ecologically clean bamboo hangers and suitable shelves.”

Furthermore, last year, the Ministry bought a 400-square-meter building nearby to Art Palace with the purpose of keeping collections previously housed in the vaults of the Folk and Applied Arts Museum. The items were handed to Art Palace 2 years ago.

The Art Palace museum, which is located at 6 Ia Kargareteli Street in Tbilisi, joined the Network of European Royal Residences last year. In 2019, it was also nominated for the European Museum of the Year Award, and it was the first Georgian museum to be featured on Google Arts and Culture, an online platform that showcases locations, collections, and biographies from all around the world.