News

Atinati · October 16, 2026

DIMITRI (DODO) ALEKSIDZE

An artist’s destiny is often extraordinary, fascinating, and strange. It is a path shaped by relentless searching, unexpected twists of fate, upheavals, and dramatic highs and lows. Naturally, every artist, like every other person, follows a unique path, marked by moments of soaring inspiration and profound joy, but also by heartbreak and suffering. In the world of art, while raw talent and professionalism are essential, a measure of good fortune also plays a role. In this respect, one could say that the legendary theater director and teacher Dimitri Aleksidze, known to everyone as Dodo, might be considered blessed with such luck. His creative journey, however, far from being simple, was accompanied by both immense triumphs and profound, undeserved pain.

Atinati · September 23, 2026

THE SETI TRIPTYCH

Triptychs, three-panel icons, constitute a distinct category of Christian devotional images. This type of icon allows the depiction of multiple figures and compositions, conveying complex theological concepts. The Seti triptych, named after the St. George Church in Seti, Mestia, Upper Svaneti, where it was housed, is a striking example of this type of icon.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

AMIR KAKABADZE - ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ARTISTS IN GEORGIA THROUGHOUT THE 1960s AND 1970s

Amir Kakabadze was one of the most notable players on the Georgian art scene throughout the second half of the 20th century. He was born in 1941 to the family of David Kakabadze, a well-known Georgian artist. Eter Andronikashvili-Kakabadze, his mother, was also an artist. As a result, Amir had a natural affinity for drawing at a young age. Following his graduation from the I. Nikoladze Art School in 1961, he was enrolled in the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, where he first studied theatrical painting at the Faculty of Fine Art, in 1967, under the guidance of P. Lapiashvili. He continued his postgraduate studies in 1972.

Atinati · October 9, 2026

OTAR IOSSELIANI - ARCHITECT OF OBSERVATIONAL CINEMA

At a time when images constantly compete for our attention and stories are often built around immediate emotional impact, Otar Iosseliani’s films do the opposite: they ask us to slow down, observe and listen. His cinema finds drama in ordinary life, in a gesture, a silence or a conversation.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

THE JOURNEY OF GEORGIAN WHEAT

“Georgia has always been and must continue to be a country of bread and wine...”

-   Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, 2006

These words were spoken in a significant and historical context in December 2025, when UNESCO added “Georgian Wheat Culture: Traditions and Rituals” to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision to do so was made during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee held in New Delhi.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

DAVID (DUDA) GABASHVILI

In his farewell letter to David (Duda) Gabashvili (1914-1995)- painter, graphic artist, sculptor, teacher, Honored Artist of Georgia, and People’s Artist of Georgia - the art historian and Academician Vakhtang Beridze noted that Gabashvili was an artist of impeccable taste and refinement, possessing the highest artistic culture and professionalism. Art historian Gogi Khoshtaria, meanwhile, argues that David Gabashvili’s art has not received the recognition it deserves. Rather than appealing through superficial effects, it demands a thoughtful and discerning viewer capable of engaging with its deeper artistic and intellectual dimensions.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

TEMO MATCHAVARIANI

In 1970s Soviet Georgia, the pressure of socialist realism propaganda and censorship had lessened significantly, but nonconformist artists were still unable to take advantage of state benefits. Without large orders, they were unable to buy cars, apartments, or country homes with party lists, nor could they hope for a personal exhibition or widespread recognition. Yet, locked in their studios, they retained their creative freedom, refused to praise their leaders, and in doing so, learned to expect, no accolades from them. Half-starved, they continued to produce true art.  

Atinati · August 20, 2026

TSAISHI CATHEDRAL

Tsaishi, located about 10 km southwest of Zugdidi in the Samegrelo province, is the site of one of the oldest episcopal sees in western Georgia. In the register of bishoprics compiled under the name of the early Christian theologian Epiphanius of Salamis—but actually written in the seventh century—the bishop of the Saisins is listed among the hierarchs of Lazica, a reference corresponding to what later became Tsaishi.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

THE DAVID GAREJI DESERT, UDABNO MONASTERY

Opposite the ridge which boasts the oldest monastery in the Gareji Desert - the Lavra of St. David of Gareji, founded in the 6th century, is a rock-hewn monastery commonly known as Udabno (said to have been called Tsamebuli until the 19th century). Emerging at the turn of the 10th- 11th centuries, and active until the 14th century, Udabno comprises several dozen caves that house large and small churches, chapels, hermit cells, and utility chambers.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

MURALS OF THE VIRGIN CHURCH AT NABAKHTEVI

A single -nave church near the village of Nabakhtevi used to be the main church of a big monastery built in the 14th c. in Kartli, the central region of east Georgia. It was a family church of the Amirejibi feudal house built and decorated upon their commission.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

ALEXANDER (SHURA) BANDZELADZE

In the late 1950s, few knew who young Alexander (Shura) Bandzeladze (1927-1992) was. Indeed, they failed to realize that the painting that headed the renowned Galaktioni’s burial procession to the Mtatsminda Pantheon in 1959 was his: he had painted it a few years prior, in 1952.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

GEORGIAN POLYPHONY : History, Significance and Consequences

Before discussing one of the greatest recognitions of Georgian culture, it is worth recalling how a new understanding of cultural heritage emerged globally and evolved within the framework of modernity.

Atinati · May 8, 2026

GEORGIAN WRESTLING: FROM NATIONAL SPORT TO WORLD HERITAGE

In October 2025, Tbilisi hosted the Georgian Wrestling World Championship. One hundred athletes from 25 countries around the world competed for the prestigious wrestling title. The competition featured participants from a diversity of countries, including among them Turkey, Greece, Mongolia, Egypt, Brazil, Japan, Iran, and Estonia. The celebration of this national sport culminated in a fascinating compelling master class, where Georgian wrestlers demonstrated showcased traditional techniques and unique technical aspects moves to the visiting athletes. Behind this achievement lies centuries of experience and a rich cultural heritage.

Atinati · August 20, 2026

REPOUSSE ICONS OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

The veneration of the Mother of God in Georgia spans many centuries. The perception of the Mother of God as the protector of humankind is further deepened by the belief that she is the patron saint of the Georgian land.  

Atinati · August 20, 2026

THE ICONOGRAPHY OF PIROSMANASHVILI'S PAINTINGS AND ITS TIES WITH GEORGIAN ARTISTIC TRADITIONS

The work of the late 19th- to early 20th-century self-taught Georgian artist Niko Pirosmanashvili is among the jewels of Georgian cultural heritage. On one hand, Pirosmanashvili's legacy reflects his unique inborn talent, individual mastery and artistic individuality, while on the other his art is most often considered among the best expressions of the Georgian national aesthetic identity and its continuous artistic traditions.