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26/11/2023 art

LEILA SHELIA’S ABSTRACT DIARY

In Leila Shelia's artwork, one can discern distinct elements of separation, irreversibility, and irrationality. These elements emanate primarily from the powerful feminine characteristics that stand in contrast to more traditional masculine traits that are often to be found in Georgian art. This contrast is not aggressive, but rather transgressive in nature. The central theme revolves around an unending diary that is crafted with feminine sensibility and intuitive impulses. In the diary, the pages are in the form of painterly canvases, which serve as a unique testament for breaking free from the rigid constraints of the largely male-dominated Georgian art scene.

16/11/2023 architecture

WALL PAINTINGS OF THE CHURCH OF THE ARCHANGELS AT IPRARI

The Church of the Archangels at Iprari is one of the three churches painted and signed by the royal painter Tevdore. The Iprari as well as two other churches: St. Cyricus (Lagurka) and the church of St. George at Nakipari are located in Upper Svaneti (north-west mountainous region of Georgia) not far from each other.

12/11/2023 architecture

ERTATSMINDA

The Church of St. Eustace stands in the middle of the village of Ertatsminda, within a large courtyard that is encircled by a stone wall. The toponym Ertatsminda derives from Estatetsminda, which in Georgian means St. Eustace.

10/11/2023 cinema & theatre

THE SUN - WOMEN OF MODERNIST GEORGIAN THEATRE

The sun forms the foundation of words, names, and idioms, serving as the world's eye and a transcendental archetype of light. It symbolizes radiance, birth, and intuitive thought. Represented by various authors from different eras in Georgian culture, the sun is a symbol of fertility, hope, life, and love. It is also regarded as a symbol of Georgia itself. Referred to as the "visible face of the Lord," it signifies that a human is "part of the sun;" in other words a "part of the Lord." In this world, the sun is omnipresent.

31/10/2023 architecture

THE MURALS OF THE ST. BARBARA CHURCH IN KHE, UPPER SVANETI

A small single-nave church dedicated to St. Barbara (Barbal) is located in the village of Khe in the Kala community, Upper Svaneti. It was built of well-cut stones at the turn of the 11th century. The vault of the church is supported by an arch resting on pilasters that divide the side walls into two compartments, each of which features blind arches.

26/10/2023 art

KARLO GRIGOLIA - THE ANATOMY OF NONCONFORMITY

Karlo Grigolia, a reformer of Georgian sculpture and significant figure in Georgian art history, has only recently been recognized by Georgian society. Three exhibitions featuring his artistic legacy were organized between 2019 and 2023. Among them, the D. Shevardnadze National Gallery of Georgia held Karlo Grigolia's first retrospective exhibition “Forbidden Art” in March 2023, curated by G. Grigolia, and co-cureted by M. Chikvaidze.

19/10/2023 architecture

SAPARA MONASTERY

Sapara Monastery occupies a picturesque location on steep terrain in the mountains of Samtskhe Province, about 10 km south-east of Akhaltsikhe.

10/10/2023 CATALOGUE

CATALOGUE #1 Edition

04/10/2023 art

ELENE AKHVLEDIANI - MAGICIAN OF THE URBAN LANDSCAPE

The emergence of landscape painting as a distinct genre within Georgian fine art can be attributed to the period of Georgian painting that dates back to the 1910s and 1920s. At that time, the landscape evolved into a fully developed artistic phenomenon, which gave rise to the fundamental characteristics of Georgian easel painting. It became a central theme among the artists of that period, and was actively employed by nearly every representative of the new generation.

02/10/2023 COLLECTION

ATINATI COLLECTION

21/09/2023 history

TBILISI - "FANTASTIC CITY"

Cultural Life of the 1910-20s in Tbilisi

14/09/2023 art

ARMAZI SILVER TREASURE

Archeological excavations in Armaziskhevi unearthed numerous artifacts of significant importance characterized by high aesthetic and technical quality that shed light on the art of silversmiths in pre-Christian Kartli (a Kingdom in Eastern Georgia). The silver and golden objects found in the necropolis of local governors (pitiakhshs) bear witness to active cultural exchange between Kartli and various countries of the East and West (e. g. Iran, Rome, etc.). Silver and golden objects have both material and aesthetic value. Due to its physical and technical properties, silver has been highly valued since antiquity. This precious metal was widely used for vessels, tableware, jewelry, and furniture decoration. Excavated artifacts from Armaziskhevi, dating from the first to third centuries CE, once belonging to the local aristocracy demonstrate their luxurious lifestyle and wealth.

29/08/2023 architecture

MANGLISI CATHEDRAL

Manglisi is one of the oldest Christian sites in Eastern Georgia. The first church was built at the location in the fourth century, soon after the Kingdom of Iberia had officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in around 330. As the Georgian compendium The Conversion of Kartli reports, King Mirian asked Constantine the Great to send priests in order to perform baptismal rites, and master builders for the erection of churches in his kingdom. The emperor fulfilled the request and sent Bishop John, who brought the suppedaneum (foot rest) and nails from the True Cross to Georgia. According to Georgian chronicles, Manglisi was the location Bishop John selected for the building of a church that would house the holy relics he had brought from Constantinople.

24/08/2023 architecture

MURALS OF ZARZMA CHURCH

Zarzma Church of the Dormition of the Virgin is located in Samtskhe, a historical southern region of Georgia. The first church was built here in the 9th century. It was founded by the holy monk St. Serapion of Zarzma. The church was reconstructed several times, the most recent being at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries. The church is a cross-in-square building with a tripartite arched gallery to the south. It is built of well-cut ashlars. It is characterized by features common to Georgian architecture from the second half of the 13th and the 14th centuries. Nearby the church is a belfry that dates from the same period.

08/08/2023 architecture

THE MURALS OF BUGEULI CHURCH

The village of Bugeuli is located in Racha, in the highlands of western Georgia, not far from the regional center Ambrolauri. The 15th-16th century single- nave church built of well-hewn stones stands in the center of the village cemetery. Both the building and the murals in the interior suffered greatly from an earthquake in 1991.