‘წვიმა/Rain’

There are 64 different terms for rain in the Georgian language. Artist David Horvitz worked with Tbilisi-based curator Elene Abashidze to collect these words. The result is an artist book and glossary that describes the subtle differences in how water can fall from the sky. The wealth of expressions for a single natural phenomenon also makes visible what we stand to lose from the effects of the climate crisis, when the variety of expressions for rain no longer apply. 

Rain is a 30 minute performance, based on an artist book and during which curator Elene Abashidze reads 64 (!) different words for rain in Georgian, the public joins in each time to repeat the Georgian words performer Kate McIntosh reads the English translation.

The work was created on the occasion of the exhibition “The Palace of Concrete Poetry” at the Writers' House of Georgia in Tbilisi (September 9 - October 9, 2022). The artist's book “წვიმა Rain” contains the entire glossary and is published by Edition Taube in an edition of 1000 unique copies, and a special edition printed with Georgian rainwater.

The activity is included in the ticket of the Nocturne.