After the invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians fled to Tbilisi. But the graffiti that has sprung up across the city suggests not everyone is pleased to see them
Dima Belysh stood in the empty park amphitheatre in his orange hoodie and dirty white sneakers. It was November in Tbilisi, Georgia, and he was in the middle of a 24-hour performance art piece dedicated to his hasty flight to the Georgian capital from his home in St Petersburg, Russia. When I showed up I was the only spectator, so he had plenty of time to talk.
“It’s ironic,” Belysh told me. “I went from a place I didn’t feel at home to a place that is not welcoming me.”