Malý Berlín is preparing another Open Studio: This time with the artist Sopiko

In the art studio at Nádvorie, we recently hosted Georgian artist Sopiko. This Thursday, November 21st, at 7:00 p.m., she will present her work to the public. Learn more about Sopiko, her journey, and what to expect at Open Studio in our interview.

Sopiko, what impressions will you take away from your residency in Malý Berlín?

I’m truly grateful for the chance to be an artist resident at Malý Berlín. Having the space, time, and a peaceful environment to focus on creating and connecting with others was such a gift. It was inspiring to work in a new place, experience a new country, and collaborate with a cultural space like this. This residency gave me a deeper understanding of my work and practice while opening up opportunities for meaningful conversations with the community. It also encouraged me to try new approaches and see my ideas in a different light. This experience will stay with me and continue to shape my future projects.

What has the residency brought to your life and what lessons has it taught you?

Residencies are such an important part of an artist’s life. Whether they’re short or long, they challenge you, shape your perspective, and push your practice in new directions. My two months at Malý Berlín were a complex, diverse, and deeply interesting experience. Working on my project within this set timeframe was both challenging and incredibly fulfilling — it taught me how to use time and space more intentionally. Beyond the work itself, interacting with the local community added so much depth to the experience. Getting to know the culture, art scene, and daily life in Slovakia was a significant and inspiring addition that will stay with me.

Were you afraid when you went to Slovakia? What were you most afraid of?

I don’t think I ever feel afraid of going to a new country and exploring it, whether it’s for work or personal reasons. So, no, I wasn’t afraid to come to Slovakia for this residency. Of course, there are always things to consider when you’re spending months in a new place. I thought about finding a safe space where I could feel comfortable, being able to express myself openly with people, and having the chance to fully experience life both through my work and as a person. Those were my main thoughts, but fear was never part of it—just curiosity and excitement.

How long did you stay in the residency at Nádvorie?

The residency lasted for two months, starting in late September and ending in late November.

What exactly did you work on?

During the residency, I worked on a project that explored various approaches through different mediums and concepts. The project was based on the idea of city scoring and urban planning, studying spaces through noise and understanding them as both a language and an act. I created a two-channel video: one channel captures the decibel levels in the city using an app on my phone, presenting the image alongside the data, while the other features text-based research written during the residency and footage of writing under a microscope. This visualizes the process of mapping and framing space through language and noise. I also developed a photo series by screenshotting spaces in Trnava, capturing only the transitions between points of movement. This created a kind of scoring of the city, devoid of a concrete narrative. Lastly, I composed a sound piece using a Georgian word that refers to both a space and a person, adding a linguistic and cultural layer to the work.

What was the most challenging part of the work?

There are always challenges when developing work, and I believe creation should be challenging. Being in an unfamiliar space was one of those challenges, but my curiosity and approach helped make the process easier. Of course, there were also challenges in deciding how the work would develop, how to connect all the information, and how it would be understood by others.

The open studio is coming up, what can visitors expect from this event?

At the open studios, I will present the project I developed during the residency. Visitors can expect to see a sound installation, a two-channel video, photographs, and texts. The exhibition will be a complete reflection of the topics and concepts I explored during my stay, offering an insight into both the process and the final outcome. It will be interesting, I believe, for visitors to see how a foreign artist reflects on their space and develops work in a different country.

Interdisciplinary artist based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She earned her BA in Visual Arts from the School of Visual Arts, Architecture, and Design at the Free University of Tbilisi. Through her research-based practice, Sopiko Sheitnishvili explores the intricate relationships between the Georgian language, urban noise, voice, and visual representations of sound. Her work examines how these elements shape and transform the experience of public spaces and investigates how language itself is continuously reshaped and oppressed through technological influences in modern environments, presented through a diverse range of media, including installations, sound works, writing, photography.

Ján Janočko

Photo: Lívia Martvoňová