Andropov's Ears

This arch building, also known as Andropov’s Ears, was built in 1983 in Tbilisi as a place for Soviet parades and commemorative practices by the Soviet Government. The building was named after Yuri Andropov - the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party during the Soviet regime. Aside from its main purposes, the Soviet podium served as a symbol of repression and represented the idea – “Big Brother is Watching You” (or listening to you).

The building was demolished in 2005 and was later rebuilt as a multifunctional event space –  “Republic”, hosting 3 different venues, including a concert hall and an upscale restaurant. Interestingly, the restaurant inherited the initial name of the place and was named – “Andropov’s Ears."

These photos portray not only the changes in the building but also changes in the social reality in Georgia. While the same spot was used to be a place of commemorating rituals and parades, it is still used as a space of gathering, but with completely different purposes. Other than that, this central spot in the city bears different memories for different generations. By retelling their stories associated with the building, they recreate the major events that have been happening around Andropov's Ears.