FELIX VARLAMISHVILI (aka VARLA)

Felix Varlamishvili - aka Varla (1903-1986) (ფელიქს ვარლამიშვილი) is a Georgian painter, who was born in Kutaisi in 1903. From 1922 to 1927 he studied at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, and in 1928 he left Georgia, arriving in Paris in 1929. Between 1948 and 1952 he lived in Buenos Aires, and he died in Paris in 1986. The unique artistic style that makes his paintings immediately recognizable was formed after his arrival in France. The compositions were born from the artist’s inner mood, and reveal a humanistic attitude towards nature and humans, with deep feelings of nostalgia. Varla used colors and lines to create works deeply associated with poems or musical sketches. In 1945, Varlamishvili became a member of the Salon d'Automne, and was awarded the right to exhibit his works at the salon without participating in competitions. He was later elected as a member of the jury. In 1947, the state purchased his works.