Ilya Lindhout . info /
                            . works /


Moitsa, 2026
Carbon-based photographic print on paper
153 x 102 cm
                             <sup>Installation shots of ‘Across Ground’ (solo show), 2026, Tin, Amsterdam, NL

Derived from the ancient tradition of transhumance, Moitsa (Georgian slang for “wait” or “to pause”) reflects on how the quiet pace of mountain life and the slow passage of time gradually shape the landscape, contrasting this sense of permanence with the cyclical movements of migration and the seasons. The work depicts abandoned shepherd huts and sacred shrines scattered along the traces of a pastoral route, unfolding across nine panels that evoke the mythical histories embedded within.  

These prints have been developed in collaboration with Kees Brandenburg in his atelier Polychrome. Tusheti revealed itself to me as a magical and overwhelming place of dark, shimmering rock, freezing air, bright sunlight, and almost otherworldly silences devoid of people. I wanted to capture that experience by using a special photographic printing technique – ‘Zerochrome’ – which utilizes direct carbon pigments to add extra materiality, depth, and layering to an image. The process is characterized by a long, physical and slow creation, built up layer by layer with hand brushed strokes. Every movement is irreversible and adds up to the final result. It creates a beautiful tension between the unpolished movement of the brush and the sharpness and tonality of the photographic image. Reminding me of the long walks in the Georgian mountains.

/        The work is a continuation of the artistic research Walking as an Instrument I’ve started during my residency at Aqtushetii, for which I explored the cultural phenomenon of ‘transhumance’: the centuries-old seasonal migration of livestock and herders between high- and low-altitude areas. AqTushetii is located in Omalo, in the remote mountainous region of Tusheti National Park—a place where landscape, sun, light, clouds, and ritual are inextricably intertwined. In winter, Tusheti is almost completely cut off by snow. Permanent habitation at high altitudes is then impossible. Within this geographical and cultural context, I investigated how their sheep migration functions as carrier of knowledge, tradition, and collective memory shaping the landscape.

Supported by Mondriaan Fonds / Kees Brandenburg (Werkplaats Polychrome)</sup>
                                 . cv /
                                    . contact /


. news /