Sokhumi Bus

The Adigeni-Sukhumi Bus, which stopped 32 years ago, yet the "Sokhumi" sign was never removed from the vehicle …

This now old, faded, windowless bus - resembling a storage space for spare parts - stands in Adigeni, in the village of Enteli, in the yard of Boris Sheklashvili. The bus's inactivity is somehow masked by the "stencil" that remains on its window … Despite many requests, the owner has not sold the vehicle, as it is a chest of memories and symbols for him.

The story of the bus made a deep impression on me; the bus and the stencil have become a symbol of hope for me - a hope that may not even have a real foundation. With my work, I want to remind people that it is possible to have hope even when there seems to be no reason for it.