Born and raised in Tbilisi, Mariam Giunashvili, also known as Mzesu, is a 27 years old photographer specialising in documentary photography with an experimental multidisciplinary core. Equipped with previous academic experiences in psychology and media studies from Tbilisi State University, Mariam utilised her social scientific knowledge to further understand her subjects, which are mainly mundane people in different walks of life.
Her interest in documenting the under-exposed crowd in Tbilisi bloomed during her work as a bartender in major venues in Tbilisi, where she witnessed the way people behave outside the “normal” societal environment. She was intrigued by the freedom of self-expression among the younger generation of Georgians and how their subversive attitude towards previously established structure has modified the modern lifestyle in the country.
Mariam’s work has been exhibited in Strasbourg and on top of that, chosen as one of the 25 top photographer candidate in Canon Visa Pour L’Image workshop, where she advanced her professional photography skills. In 2021, she won the first prize in amateur photographer in KIU Photo Contest. In 2022, she won a grant for female multidisciplinary artist from the South Caucasus funded by the Prince Claus Fund in partnership with Tbilisi Photo Festival and also became a fellow of multimedia platform called- Chaikhana. Having reached new level of career success, Mzesu remains in tune and true to self as she continuous to present memories of ephemeral moments of the organic daily life.