Woman with a monkey – Caucasus in short notes and photographs

This work ( which in 2014 was published as a book ) is my story of experiencing life in the Caucasus, by virtue of Georgia, where I live since 2002. It is a testimony to the infectious intensity and beauty of the land and its people, who for a decade have marked my journey with wonder, enlightenment and tears. This is not a compendium of the Caucasus, it is more my collection of explorations in an extraordinary place where no matter how carefully I study it, I end up with more questions than answers.

I have traveled the region and witnessed a momentous decade up close, from revolutions that have brought hope and change to some and misfortune to others, to the perversion of war, which arrived at my door. Life as I experience there was  a voyage to extremes, where even a simple taxi ride could have  turn out to be trip down Alice’s rabbit hole. However, my desire has been to find the deeper nuances of how individuals have managed to withstand the last twenty turbulent years in this region. My quest is by no means complete, as the Caucasus is a life-long phenomenon. Woman With A Monkey is a tribute to a place that has not only become my second homeland, but also a place that I am devoted to understand.