The hotel “Ritsa” is the most beautiful and romantic hotel in Abkhazia. The “Ritsa” has been a hallmark of Sukhumi since 1914, the year of its founding, preserving the unique atmosphere of the early 20th century after its recent restoration.
In 2014, the hotel celebrates the centenary of its founding. In honor of the anniversary, this year, every month, in the lobby there will be exhibitions of famous Abkhaz photographers and artists. For example, in April there was a photo exhibition called “Modern” by Abkhaz talented photographer Ibrahim Chkadua.
The basis of the photo project was the collection of women's clothing in the style of Art Nouveau by Rusudan Kobyakova. The magnificent photos by Ibrahim Chkadua open incredibly wonderful world of Art Nouveau. In this project, all costumes are made under the influence of the style of the 20s - the era of Art Deco and a little earlier Art Nouveau. The photos were printed not on the photo paper but on the wet silk.
Art Nouveau emerged in the Europe and America in the late 19th and early 29th centuries. In Abkhazia, the appearance of the Art Nouveau style coincided with the fast growth of industry in the Russian Empire and the development of the resort area on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus in the early 20th century. The major exporter of modernism in Abkhazia, of course, first of all, was the Prince of Oldenburg, who is considered to be the founder of the climate station, and later the resort of Gagra. It was on his initiative that the restaurant “Gagripsh” was brought here from Norway. It was brought disassembled and then it was assembled. This restaurant is considered to be an architectural masterpiece of the Art Nouveau style.
In Sukhum there are also some buildings in the same style. Although over a century they have survived through several wars. The modern is perhaps the only art world style presented in the architecture and interiors of Abkhazia, except for the “socialist classicism.”
Rusudan Jamila Kobyakova is a designer of women clothes, including the only one in Moscow Islamic dress, fashion designer and technologist of garment production, a graduate of the “ Zaytsev Fashion Lab” the diploma collection “Al-Maghrib.” The author of numerous collections, the participant of the annual Muslim fashion show in Moscow.
She has her own trade marks RUSIKO (designer of clothes and clothing of the class pret-a-porter de luxe) and RUSIKO by Jamilya (the line of designer clothing for Muslim women).
Ibrahim Chkadua is a photographer who works with several news agencies and newspapers, including Agence France-Presse, Kommersant and others. In addition, he is engaged in advertising and art photography. He has also held 4 solo exhibitions, participated in various exhibitions and competitions.
