Theses on Paata Shamugia`s poetry

Giorgi Khasaia   |   September 3, 2024

#. Paata Shamugia's Poetry is a flower in the post-Soviet Georgia’s trash. The trash which, according to the rules, only used for construction materials. Paata's poetry has nothing to do with ecology, and the rubbish is represented here as the unity of forms of dominant sensitivity, that absorb everything like black holes. The poetic project of Paata Shamugia does not mean garbage cleaning works. He aims to gradually transform trash into something else. Hence, his project is radical.

# Paata Shamugia addresses his writing practice to linguistic disobedience. Unlike the majority of Georgian poets, Paata Shamugia does not intend to continue the tradition of Georgian poetry. In his texts we see the type of poetic expression that captures different linguistic materials. He constantly switches between images (Poet-Expert, Poet-Tribune, Poet-Prayer, Poet-God...), plays with religious topics, political commentaries and poems about daily themes.

#. Paata Shamugia's interest in social and political themes is not a banal postmodern populism. It is true that he is ironic and his irony is being directed against everything that perceives itself seriously. But this is a "fierce irony" that is linked to the tradition of neo-kinism.

(c) Literary magazine Hot Chocolate