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The News in Brief

Monday, December 9
By Lizi Zurabiani



Georgian artist eats $ 120,000 worth banana at art exhibition

A New York-based performance artist ate the $ 120,000 worth banana at Art Basel exhibition in Miami Beach on Saturday.

"I respect Mauricio, but this is a performance by a 'hungry artist,'" said David-Datuna, a Georgian artist living in America, and ate a $ 120-thousand installation of a banana at the Art Basel Exhibition in Miami, authored by Maurizio Catelania and the work by a comedian.

According to the New York Times, Galerie Perrotin, who represents Cattelan at Miami Art Basel, is not going to sue David-Datuna. Gallery officials replaced the bananas, and a new banana is now hanging on the wall, guarded by Miami police.

"The artwork has not been destroyed because banana is just an idea," a gallery spokesman said.

There are three versions of this installation. Two have already been sold, with a starting price of $ 120,000, and sold at a Miami auction for $150,000. For the last 15 years, this is the first work Mauritius Cattelan has put up for auction.

David-Datuna is a Tbilisi-born and New York-based performance artist. One of his paintings, a Georgian flag made of glasses, was donated to the President of Georgia in 2014.



Film director Zaza Urushadze has passed away

Director Zaza Urushadze died at the age of 54. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation was launched under article 115 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies leading to suicide. Zaza Urushadze was the Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Georgian Film Company in 1999-2000; 2002-2004 Director of the Georgian National Film Center.

Zaza Urushadze is the director of the films "For Those Who Were Left by Their Father" (1989), "Here Comes The Dawn" (1998), "Three Houses" (2008), "Stay With Me" (2011), "The Last Walk" (2012), " Tangerines "(2013); Filmed in" I Come "(1981).

His Estonian-Georgian production of "Tangerines" was nominated for the Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film Tangerines won Urushadze the Best Director Award in the International Competition and the Audience Poll at the 29th Warsaw Film Festival.



Georgian pair won gold medal in figure skating

Giorgi Revia and Maria Kazakova won a gold medal at the figure skating tournament among juniors in Turin, Italy. They won the first place against American pair by 0.16 points.

This is the first gold medal for Georgia in the Grand Prix Final.

Six of the world's best duos competed in the Grand Prix final.



Rustavi residents protest factory construction near their settlement

Part of the population of Rustavi protested against the planned construction of a secondary technical oil processing plant at 28 Gareji Street, Rustavi, at the site of the construction. "Factories far from settlements!"- demanded the protesters, most of whom were residents of Gareji and Rustaveli streets. According to the rally participants, the already bad ecological situation will worsen their health. According to them, there are many unoccupied areas in Rustavi industrial zone where new enterprises can be built.

The Rustavi City Council authorized Eco Oil Company to build a secondary technical oil company on the basis of an EIA report, as well as a report from the Minister of Environment and Agriculture. The rally participants said that the council could ignore the minister's order, as the minimum distance of 470 meters, set out in the EIA report, is not true and is much smaller.



Kakha Kukava met with MEP Thierry Mariani

Leader of Free Georgia party Kakha Kukava met with European Parliament MP Thierry Marianne, who is an aide to Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front. Thierry Marian is attending Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi.

Kakha Kukava and the MEP talked about the development of bilateral relations between Free Georgia and the National Front, as well as the political crisis in Georgia. Kukava informed the French guest about the gangs formed by the Georgian Dream who use violence in the streets of Tbilisi and personally support Bidzina Ivanishvili. The foreign guest was also provided with relevant photos and video material.

As a result of the agreement of the parties, the dialogue will continue intensively and the relevant information will be made public soon.