The owner of Georgia's first independently run gallery, Baia Tsikoridze, speaks about the state of art in the former soviet republic.

I met Baia, the owner of Georgia's first independently run gallery, in London at the opening of the At the Crossroads exhibition organised by Sotheby's in March 2013. The famous auction house was showcasing contemporary art from the Caucasus and Central Asia. Baia had several exhibits on display and was eagerly awaiting first results from the sales when we met.  Showing artworks at Sotheby's marked the success and a great achievement for the Georgian gallery. Baia Tsikoridze first opened Tbilisi's first commercial gallery back in 1992 after 'The House of an Artist', a state run art establishment, was burnt down during the civil war in the early 90s. Left without a job, she and a couple of her friends decided to open the Orient gallery (later renamed Baia Gallery) in the old city center of Tbilisi.  Looking back, the gallery's owner recalls, it was the only space where Georgia's myriad artists could host their exhibitions. Often the exhibitions ran without indoor lighting due to the electricity shortages then common in the capital. The shows regularly passed by without any photographic documentation and for a long time the gallery didn't have a clear curatorial strategy. 'We just focused on high quality art' said the very charismatic and extremely knowledgeable art dealer from Georgia.  The lack of initiative from the state run institutions led the gallery focus on exhibiting the well established and widely recognised works of artists, likes of David Kakabadze, Lado Gudiashvili, and Sergo Kobuladze. In a curious way, the Baia Gallery has combined the function of national institutions in itself. Baia started publishing catalogues and periodicals, and consequently incorporated contemporary artists in her rooster.   Due to the confusion associated with the transitional period she believes that the art is still handled as an ordinary commercial commodity by the state, hence offering no incentives to those trying to enliven Georgia's once vibrant art scene. The complicated tax system and a lack of financial incentives make it difficult for art organisations to evolve. "If the Georgian government changed its policy, legislation and tax system it would enhance art business. We need more support to push this market. Even though art market has been present for centuries, in Georgia we are still the beginners and we need support' said Baia optimistically.  Despite the constant financial instability, the Georgian art market grew slowly over the past 20 years. It is with independent galleries' tireless efforts that contemporary artists get showcased in Georgia. Currently, the key component of a developing art market - an active national gallery for contemporary art is missing. Notwithstanding a common belief that there is no need for a mediator between an artist and a buyer, the collectors still need an institution/an authority to publicly accredit the artists. Having no contemporary art museum, no publication, no critique, and no common ground to set prices, the galleries struggle to distinguish themselves from souvenir shops.  The Sotheby's exhibition might be this push that the galleries in Georgia currently need- A credible institution offering fame and prosperity. To visit Baia Gallery's website click here http://www.baiagallery.ge/