Review: The Little Polish Book of Tbilisi, by Brendan Jackson

Brendan Jackson is a British-born artist, photographer and writer who has compiled an extraordinary little book here. Published by the Polish Institute in Tbilisi, it looks at the city through Polish eyes – over a couple of centuries. In one sense, Poland and Georgia could not be more different countries — one on the northern fringes of Europe, with freezing winters and grey skies, the other with a somewhat Mediterranean climate, famous for its wines. What unites the two countries is their history, above all. Both were colonies of an expanding Russian empire two centuries ago, both shed blood in their fights for independence. The fingerprints of Polish architects, artists and writers are everywhere in Georgia’s capital city — and Jackson takes us around on a whirlwind tour of Tbilisi through Polish eyes. Highly recommended for anyone visiting (or living in) the Georgian city — and not only the Polish ones!