Eight years ago, Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze stunned the world when she created the Ali and Nino statue. The striking 9-meter tall kinetic sculpture is installed at the harbor of Batumi, Georgia. There, spectators can witness its never-ending tribute to the one of the most tragic love stories ever written. The project’s initial name was Man and Woman in 2007. It took over three years to finish the sculpture. By the time of it was installed, Tamara had renamed it to Ali and Nino. These moving sculptures will have you going on a feels trip in less than ten minutes.
Kurban Said’s 1937 novel of the same name inspired the moving statue. It tells of a love affair between a Muslim Azerbaijani man named Ali, and Nino, a Christian Georgian princess during the First World War. The lovers overcame religious and cultural differences.
However, Soviet Russia’s invasion tore them apart. When Ali had to choose between his family or the country, Ali chose to die bravely for his own country. It’s still debated whether the story was actually based from real events. But real or not, the story remains to be one of the most romantic stories ever written. If you want to get to know more about the lovers’ story, a movie based from it was released in 2016. You can also grab a copy of the novel on Amazon.
It’s one of the most romantic monuments in the world.
Coincidentally, the Ali and Nino statue was included in the Top 10 Most Romantic Monuments list published in the same year of the movie’s debut. The kinetic sculpture joins other romantic monuments from all over the world. Other sculptures include the statue of Romeo and Juliet in New York and the Wall of Love in Paris.
The Ali and Nino Statue represents eternal love.
Every night at 7pm, the two figures begin to move towards one another until they collide and for a brief moment, become one. After uniting, Ali and Nino move away from one another. Lights accompany their nightly, infinite dance. Th statues are sure to move you and make your heart beat faster in anticipation. Tamara Kvesitadze‘s statue is not just a celebration of Ali and Nino. It’s a reflection of real life and the way love touches our lives. It’s a very big reminder to cherish one’s loved ones.
Ali and Nino have toured the world since their debut.
Tamara Kvesitadze brought her heartwarming kinetic sculptures to other romantic locations after gaining worldwide fame. In 2011, she brought a 2-meter version of the star-crossed lovers to the Four Seasons Hotel in Terre Blanche, France. Then, in 2013, a 3-meter version of the statue went on display at a museum in China. Currently, an 8.5-meter recreation of the famous statue can be found at Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Witness the lovers’ bittersweet dance here: