‘Saudade’ by Alexei Maridashvili
About this activity.
From September 1 to 30, 2026, Alexei Maridashvili, a photographer from Groningen, is exhibiting a photo from the series ‘Alone’ at window gallery ‘De Prachtvink’ at the Vinkhuizen shopping center, Platinalaan 505a, 9743 GZ Groningen.
‘Saudade’ is a black-and-white photograph. It shows the storefront and entrance of restaurant Ke Kou on the Grote Markt (north side) in Groningen. The image creates a sense of alienation by revealing only a small section of the facade. The bustling market, the city's living room, now seems miles away. Very likely it is not a sunny day. A person in a long raincoat holding an open umbrella above her or his head is waiting, but for what? In front of her or him stands an empty chair, which also appears to have been empty for a very long time.
The photo was taken in May 2024 and is part of the photo series ‘Alone’, an ongoing exploration of loneliness within the crowd and the silent distance between people and the city they inhabit.
Saudade is the untranslatable Portuguese word meaning something like homesickness or melancholy. In Groningen, we may not be able to utter an English synonym to ‘saudade’, but we can certainly visualize it, as Maridashvili’s photo demonstrates.
Alexei Maridashvili is a freelance photographer and musician based in the Netherlands, but with roots in Georgia, Tbilisi in particular. He specializes in street photography and portraits. He started with film in the 1980s and transitioned to digital in 2018. In every photo he shoots, his background in coding and music is evident. Alexei is searching for what he calls ‘quiet presence’ and ‘silent understanding’ between people and places. His work can be seen on various social media platforms and photo platforms. Some of his photos have been used for newspapers and magazines.
The window gallery is an exhibition space that can only be viewed from the outside, but 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The gallery is illuminated until 11:00 PM. Every month, a new artwork by an artist is exhibited.
Raamgalerie De Prachtvink.
Raamgalerie De Prachtvink is een 24-uurs galerie aan Platinalaan 505a bij Winkelcentrum Vinkhuizen. De galerie heeft als specialiteit internationale mail art.
Location.
Raamgalerie De Prachtvink
Platinalaan 505
9743GZ Groningen
tel 050-2302991
prachtvink.blogspot.com/