An Unusual Exhibition

An Unusual Exhibition

1968. USSR. Directed by Eldar Shengelaia. With Guram Lortkipanidze, Dodo Abashidze, Valentina Telichkina, Vasil Chkheidze. Shengelaia’s reflective, provocative tragi-comedy introduces a sculptor who, in order to feed his family, develops a niche specializing in carving monument tombstones bearing the likeness of the departed. The wry tone of this work hits home in several sensitive areas—art practice, socialist realism, and social conventions—which initially caused ripples in the official Soviet cinema establishment and ultimately established Shengelaia as an independent voice. Film historian Peter Rollberg noted the peculiar parallels to his brother Giorgi Shengelaia’s Pirosmani, saying both are “reflections on the conditions of artistic creativity, juxtaposing the needs of the family and society at large to the demands of pure artistry.” In Russian; English subtitles. 96 min.