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“Poison for a Couple” is Keti Kapanadze's solo exhibition. The title references the artist's 1990 black-and-white photo depicting a pair of old-fashioned perfume bottles. The show features her early series of works. The exhibition includes a fascinating collection of black-and-white conceptual photos from the 1990s. Additionally, it features Anima Ex Machina texts and drawings created with black gouache on paper, which were later transitioned to cardboard. The artist employed a technique akin to automatic writing exercises. The drawings resemble technical diagrams and convey a sense of mystery. The artist believes that blackness represents a space where all information is stored, and her indecipherable drawings emerge from this realm. Some of the works included in the exhibition were originally created in the 1980s, but in 2003-04, the artist remade some of them as part of the lost original works. She also introduced several new compositions, expanding the series. The exhibition will also include Akasha Chronicles painting series (2010), which involves layered canvases with transparent material. Keti Kapanadze began her artistic career in Tbilisi in the mid-1980s. While such artist groups like the 10th Floor and later Marjanishvili Studio artists were active then, Kapanadze was not part of these groups and was seldom invited to exhibit alongside them. She stands out as one of the pioneering feminist artists in Georgia, delving into her identity through conceptual photography. Kapanadze describes her artistic process as capturing objects without showing herself yet conveying her message through these objects, expressing the depth of her identity and experiences. Keti Kapanadze often exhibits in Germany, where she has been living since 2000 when she received Bauman Stiftung's stipend. She was a visiting professor at Johannes Gutenberg University (Mainz, Germany), and later, supervised the diploma projects at VA[A]DS at the Free University of Tbilisi. Host of the exhibition: TBC Concept Marjanishvili #7 Curated by Irena Popiashvili
#Glimpseingallery - “Children in Georgian Painting” is the exhibition dedicated to Children’s Day. It is a retrospective exhibition of paintings and graphic works on the theme of children from the collection of the Shalva Amiranashvili State Museum of Art of Georgia. Keeping pace with the chronicles of human fine art, the history of Georgian art comprises a unique collection of children’s images, created by both Georgian and foreign artists residing in Georgia. Such as Niko Pirosmani, David Kakabadze, Shalva Kikodze, Vasili Shukhaevi, Mose Toidze, Ketevan Maghalashvili and etc. Most of the works are shown for the first time. The exhibition commemorating the International Day of Children’s Protection serves as another reminder to society that children are always important symbols of the world, and the elder generation must provide a secure environment for them. The exhibition organized by the “International Children’s Fund” aims to showcase the evolving public understanding of the unique phenomenon of children and childhood in fine art. Host of the exhibition: The Sighnaghi Museum of History and Ethnography
#Glimpseingallery - Kako Topuria’s work focuses on unified figurative motifs, which draw attention owing to their positioning. His system of hieroglyphic-lettrist images is created through the application of a single formula of abstraction, which transforms the diversity of the characters in such a way that it is impossible to unravel their specific elements. Thanks to their hieratic figurativeness, conditional facial expressions and undifferentiated appearance, these characters resemble archaic idols. These are modern idols that are completely free of any mystical context. Figures with the appearance of "toys' ' are moving in a conventional environment like puppets, demonstrating ironic and childish emotions and parodied bodies. They represent the drama of the modern world – the interpretation of which begins with the death of the gods, and is shown through the neglect of personal differentiation and individual qualities, executed with the help of symbolic and allegorical elements. With colorful frescoes, the palimpsest culture of performance, deformed figurativeness, iconic imagery and the reflection of movement, the artist offers the audience an engaging and original version of the cultural mythology that is precipitated in the vast space of the modern world. Host of the exhibition: Baia Gallery
TBILISI ART FAIR - For the fourth time, the Tbilisi Contemporary Art Fair is back. Already well-known for the art scenes of Europe and Asia, the event was held at the ExpoGeorgia exhibition center. TAF • Tbilisi Art Fair showcases local and international galleries, young and emerging artists’ solo exhibitions, and curated exhibitions. The largest contemporary art fair in the region unites art professionals, curators, critics, collectors, international media, and visitors from all over the world. TAF serves as a platform for performances, workshops, TAF TALKS, TAF KIDS | SOLO KIDS, TAF | SOLO HOBBY, and other activities that aim to promote the integration between contemporary art scenes.
#Glimpseingallery - Kakhaber Tatishvili’s solo exhibition at Vernissage gallery. Kakhaber Tatishvili (b. 1964) is a Georgian artist. In 1984, he graduated from Iakob Nikoladze School of Art. In 1986-1992, studied at the State Art Academy. "Thematically and in terms of performance, I try to be diverse in my work. It mainly reflects my vision and attitude towards this or that subject, event, person or situation. I always wanted these works to be the result of an original, distinctive vision. “That's why the periods of my creativity are different from each other." - KAKHABER TATISHVILI
#Glimpseingallery - Exhibition by photographer Gia Chkhatarashvili is about USHGULI. Caucasus mountain village Ushguli is the highest inhabited village in Europe, dating back two thousand years. The exhibition showed the life of Svanetian people. With the photographs Gia wants to preserve the cultural values he believes should be cherished and remembered. Gia Chkhatarashvili (1959) is a Georgian self-taught photographer. After graduating from Tbilisi State University with a degree in Philosophy, he discovered photography as a primary job. His career began in 1990 and his works have been exhibited in the United States, Germany, Poland, Norway and Switzerland. Host of the exhibition: Baia Gallery
Vakho Bugadze’s exhibition entitled “O, I, II” is presented by ATINATI. The concept for the two-stage exhibition (the ATINATI Cultural Center and at No.104 Public School) stems from an old photo of the school found in the artist's archive. The artist worked on the series for over a year, creating over 100 works. This exhibition will showcase the symbolic path of Bugadze’s progression from school pupil to his becoming an artist. Vakho Bugadze (born on April 18, 1964) is a notable representative of Georgian contemporary art. A sculptor by education, he chose painting as his primary medium. From the 1990s onwards, he has taken part in numerous exhibitions held both in Georgia and abroad. The works presented at the exposition were specially created for this exhibition. Host of the exhibition: ATINATI’S Cultural Center
Artist in focus • Mirian Shvelidze (მირიან შველიძე, 1947-2022) is a key figure in the development of new Georgian scenography. Mirian Shvelidze, a postmodernist artist, played a pivotal role in the creation of The Artist’s Theatre in the 1960s, alongside other Georgian scenographers. This innovative theater emphasized the visual aspect of performances, giving it equal importance to the dramatic action on stage. Shvelidze’s artistic contributions are closely tied to the theater of Robert Sturua. Throughout his life, he served as the main artist of Rustaveli National Theatre, providing scenography for landmark productions such as Richard the Third, King Lear, Hamlet, and Is He a Man a Human?! The Misfortune of Darispan and more. Beyond Rustaveli Theatre, Shvelidze collaborated with directors from Marjanishvili, Gori, Griboedov Russian Drama, and Liberty Theatres, contributing to numerous productions. The conceptual retrospective, which was shown at Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery titled “Miro”, presented three main directions of the artist’s creativity: easel painting, wall painting, and scenography. Host of the exhibition: Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery Curator of the exhibition: Maia Chikvaidze
'Tooth Decay in Paris' is Beso Uznadze’s (1968) solo exhibition. In the works of Beso Uznadze, the relationship between existence and absence is manifested in a deep and complex ontology. The artist creates an expansive psychographic map where various states such as trauma, fear, frustration, alienation, or impurity are described. This creation appears to be mediated and approaches the absurd forms of existence. However, it is actually preceded by a number of complex subtexts and emotional backgrounds that define its creative context. Whether addressing migration, identity issues, or acute political and social backgrounds, the main starting point seems to be freeing oneself from concentrated information all at once. He studied documentary photography in Tbilisi School of Photography Sepia, later he continued his education in photojournalism in London. Since 2000 he has worked in England (London). Similarly to his photos Uznadze manages to have an invisible link with his paintings. The artist manages to project his emotional vulnerability to the canvas, which becomes reachable for the viewer when observing his paintings. He often experiments and creates a visual narrative with the synthesis of mixed painting technique and photo media. Beso Uznadze participates in many international exhibitions, art fairs, international projects and competitions. Host of the exhibition: Gallery Artbeat
Artist in focus • Edmond Kalandadze (ედმონდ კალანდაძე) was born on May 4, 1923, in Guria. Edmond Kalandadze was one of the forerunners of new art trends in Georgia. Mastering the techniques of Pompeian frescoes, and Renaissance and European painting, greatly contributed to the formation of the young artist’s pictorial language. Edmond Kalandadze’s art is based on the artistic embodiment of nature and human passions. The uniqueness of Kalandadze’s artistic language derives from his own perception and comprehension of the world, and of the coexistence of nature and man - the world and the individual. His works almost always create an impression of improvisation and artistic joy.
Oleg Timchenko’s exhibition entitled “Diagonal 13” is a project that was specially created for the space of Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery. The central theme revolves around the circus. The tragic destinies of dwarves and clowns, concealed behind the grandeur of royal courts of the past or the enchanting circus arena, have inspired artists throughout history, from Velázquez to Fellini. These masterpieces of creative thought encourage us to ponder not only the fates of individuals but also broader themes of humanism and, simultaneously, human cruelty. In this solo exhibition, Oleg Timchenko portrays the circus theme through various stylistic series that already have become familiar in his career. Consequently, the artist’s new collection for this exhibition appears as a “stylistic retrospective.” Oleg Timchenko (1957) is one of the founders and active members of the avant-garde group, The 10th Floor, in the 1980s and early 1990s. During the Perestroika period, the artists united in the group reexamined postmodern art and reflected it in their own context. Alongside their artistic responses to contemporary issues, Oleg Timchenko’s works consistently incorporate themes from history and literature, romantic-symbolic visions, and fairy-tale series infused with humour. Host of the exhibition: National Gallery
Artist in focus • Solomon Gershov (სოლომონ გერშოვი, 1906 - 1989) was a Jewish artist from the Soviet Union and a representative of nonconformist art. Solomon Gershov’s art was distinctly unique. Neither social realism nor the artistic styles of the 1960s can be discerned in his work. Gershov appeared as a link in the violently broken chain that connected 1960s nonconformist art with the Russian avant-garde. Solomon Gershov enjoyed a particularly close, friendly and creative relationship with Georgia. The artist spent time residing in Tbilisi during the 1960s.
Europalia dedicated an arts festival to Georgia! The starting point for this edition was the country’s fascinating culture and the art scene. One of the most prominent Georgian artists - Andro Wekua exhibited in the Art and history museum with his work called - “Stranger in Paradise”. He expresses on a large bare stage, the full gamut of melancholic and imaginative dimensions he evokes and depicts with his creations. Thea Djordjadze with an exhibition entitled “the ceiling of a courtyard” at WIELS. Thea Djordjadze creates a new body of work, examining and challenging not only the formal and material qualities of the building, but also its institutional context. With these works, the Georgian-German artist continues to elaborate her eloquent vocabulary of sculptural paintings and painterly sculptures. S.M.A.K. organizes the first museum solo exhibition of Georgian artist Karlo Kacharava (1964 – 1994) outside Georgia. The exhibition extensively features Karlo Kacharava’s paintings, works on paper and illustrated diaries. The artist was only 30 years old when he died, Kacharava left behind volumes of poetry, art criticism, and cultural commentary. The exhibition at M HKA features a generous selection of drawings and paintings by Elene Chantladze, in dialogue with display and support structures conceived by Rooms Studio, at times hosting each other, at others remaining autonomous. The exhibition articulates and celebrates the common ground that comes alive through their work. Music by: Natia Todua – Magnolia
#Glimpseingallery - Sophia Cherkezishvili’s (1971) solo exhibition entitled - “When I was born, I decided to live” is on display at ATINATI’S cultural center till 15th March. The majority of the author’s creative works are painted on expansive canvases using vivid, expressive colors. She repeatedly portrays the same character in her art. All of her pieces depict the same image of a woman; but the context, emotions, and expressions vary. In order to achieve this, the author sometimes inscribes the title of the picture directly onto the canvas, occasionally using Georgian script. “Why women? Today I am expressing my emotions through them. What am I creating? I observe, listen, and communicate with those around me. I’m interested in both real and non-existent places.” S. Ch. Sophia Cherkezishvili (born 1971) is a Georgian artist. She graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam, and continued her studies in Holland. She is currently engaged in teaching activities. She regularly takes part in both local and international exhibitions. All exhibited works are part of the ATINATI collection. Host of the exhibition ATINATI’S cultural center
Artist in focus • Vera Pagava / ვერა ფაღავა (1907,Tbilisi – 1988,Paris) was a Georgian painter, graphic artist, decorator and monumentalist who was an important representative of French art in the 1960s and 1970s. The focus of Pagava’s observation is often directed not so much towards an object, but the transparency of glass and liquid; Exaggerated shadows are also a mixture of light. As a whole, colorful sections create a harmonious rhythm and inner dynamics of the composition. Vera Pagava often placed very few geometric figures of different colors on a picture plane. These abstractions present the author as a poetically-minded, highly sophisticated master. In 1966 she represented France at the 33rd Venice Biennale. In 1986 Vera Pagava created stained glass windows and the interior design of the St. Joseph Church in Dijon. Music performed by Ucnobi and Nato Metonidze based on Ishkhneli sisters’s composition “Ar Daijereb” Special thanks for contribution: AC/VP - Association culturelle Vera Pagava TBC Concept Marjanishvili #75hardchallenge
Artist in focus • Merab Gugunashvili (მერაბ გუგუნაშვილი, 1990) was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. He studied at Tbilisi State Academy of Art (TSAA), graduated from the faculty of Design with a master’s degree in Artistic Ceramic. He works in different mediums: ceramics, textiles, painting and installation. His main themes include social stereotypes, gender, identity and sexuality. 4710 was the host of the two solo shows of Merab Gugunashvili.
#Glimpseingallery - Ilia Balavadze’s (1968) show entitled - A PORTAL TO THE UNIVERSE showcasing a small fraction of the works in the course of the past five years. Still, this exposition makes it easy to appreciate the diversity of the artist’s creative quests, interests, artistic images, and plots. A universe diverse and colorful, with myriad attitudes, colors, characters, and meanings. The works by artist Ilia Balavadze are dissimilar enough to mislead even a practiced eye to question their ownership by one author. The stories told in series draw on concrete inspirations that remain with the artist until they exhaust themselves. One is followed by another, and then another, and this is how the artist’s numerous series are created, infinite in terms of style, type, or quantity. “Sometimes a theme may arise inside me, and I am unable to match it with a medium. I pause, wait, knowing that, after a while, a new or temporarily forgotten technique will reawaken this theme, and that’s when I resume working.” - Ilia Balavadze Ilia Balavadze graduated from Tbilisi Apolon Kutateladze State Academy of Art in 1994. Until 2015, he was engaged in church painting. Since 2015, he has been working in secular art, having taken part in numerous group and solo exhibitions and projects. Host of the exhibition: Novo Gallery
#Glimpseingallery - “Dialogue” is the name of the exhibition that presents the works of Sergo Chakhoiants (1926–2009) and Ushangi Khumarashvili (1948–2023). The exhibition is meant to represent a kind of dialogue between the two artists. Abstract artworks dating from different periods are on display at ATINATI’s cultural center. Viewers will detect certain similarities between the two, despite the differences in their styles of execution and attitudes. Sergo Chakhoiants and Ushangi Khumarashvili both helped to create an era in which abstract art became one of the primary languages of expression. Independently, they each conveyed not only their personal perspectives on the world, but also summed up the essence of the era during which they thrived. All the works presented at the exhibition are preserved in the private collection of ATINATI. Host of the exhibition: ATINATI’S Cultural Center
Europalia exhibition - “Georgia: A Story of Encounters”. In the framework of Europalia Georgia, the Art & History Museum will host Georgia: A Story of Encounters, a heritage exhibition focusing on the culture, history and art of Georgia since the Neolithic period. At the crossroads of East and West, traversed by trade routes linked to the Silk Roads, and always the object of ambition of the great powers surrounding it, Georgia has been a place of encounters and exchanges from which it has drawn cultural nourishment. The result is a heritage of unparalleled richness. Wine has been produced in Georgia for at least 8000 years. It accompanies a ritualized art of dining with refined cuisine, an integral part of the country’s heritage. Metalwork – gold and bronze – will also play a central role. From the Bronze Age onwards, Georgian metalworkers produced pieces of unprecedented delicacy and sumptuousness. The myth of the Golden Fleece has its roots in Georgia: the region was known to the Greeks for its wealth in gold. A Christian country since the 4th century, Georgia struggled to assert itself in the midst of the great powers around it. It succeeded brilliantly between the 11th and 13th centuries, the golden age of Georgian unification, which shone economically and culturally throughout the Middle East under the reign of its emblematic sovereign, Queen Tamar. From 4 October 2023, a comprehensive programme, teeming with exhibitions, performances, concerts, films, dance shows, theater pieces and literary encounters, rolled-out across Belgium. Curators: Prof. Bernard Coulie and Prof. Nino Simonishvili, in collaboration with Europalia. 27.10.2023 – 18.02.2024 Music credits: Ensemble Shavnabada • შავნაბადა - ქარი გიმღერის ნანასა/საქართველო ლამაზო
Artist in focus - Levan Kharanauli (ლევან ხარანაული, 1963) is a Georgian artist. Levan Kharanauli’s artistic vision is both very personal and national at the same time. He stands firmly on his own soil, heritage, traditions, and reality around him. With simple objects such as tea-cups or children's shoes, he creates icons of his family’s everyday environment and family history. He finds plenty of inspiration in his homeland. Currently he lives and works in Tianeti. Levan Kharanauli graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in 1986. Since 1983 the artist has been participating in various group and solo exhibitions in both Georgia and abroad. Levan Kharanauli also designs books. The majority of Levan Kharanauli’s works are held in private collections in Georgia and abroad. Music credit: Alexandre Kharanauli
Otar Chkhartishvili (ოთარ ჩხარტიშვილი, 1950) is a Georgian artist. His artworks, created with unusual materials or items, taken out of their usual context, undermined the unshakeable principles of social realism and academic dogmas. Otar Chkhartishvili’s quest pointed out the artist’s goal of finding an artistic method that expressed a modern mood rather than ideology. In this way, he remained steady and truthful until the very end. He devoted his life and art to the pursuit of self-renewal. “From the late 1960s to the 1990s, I bore the cross of the anti-Soviet artist, and that’s why my art became a weapon against totalitarianism and atheism…” – wrote the artist in his autobiography. The conceptual series “Four Seasons: My Yard” (1980–1998) is a highlight of his body of work. When the focus shifts from the aesthetic to the concept, an anti-formalist approach appears for the first time in Georgian art. Otar Chkhartishvili’s artworks are kept in museums and private collections, including the Georgian National Museum and the Zimmerli Art Museum (New Jersey, USA). In 2016, two paintings by Otar Chkhartishvili, “On the Roof” and “Sukhumi,” were sold for auction at Sotheby’s. The exhibition Art Inspired by Freedom, which marks the anniversary of Otar Chkhartishvili’s 85th birthday, is divided into two sections: “Four Seasons. My Yard” and “New Realism.” The exhibition featured up to 60 works by the artist, including paintings, collages, assemblages, and objects created between 1967 and 2002, from the Georgian National Museum and the artist’s family collections. Host of the exhibition Georgian National Museum Curated by Alexandra Matsatso Gabunia and co-curated by Nino Asanidze
Sandro Akhmeteli (სანდრო ახმეტელი, 1886-1937) was a Georgian theater director and one of the founders of modern Georgian theater. His innovative conceptions creating mass scenes profoundly influenced the evolution of Georgian theater. His creativity was distinguished by the fact that he created the so-called “Georgian character” on the stage. He is also the author of the most important essay in Georgian theater history “Is the Georgian theater Georgian?”. Sandro Akhmeteli directed, from 1926 to 1935, the Rustaveli Theater in Tbilisi, Georgia and transformed it into one of the most successful troupes in the Soviet Union. Sandro Akhmeteli established Georgian artists cooperation “Duruji”.
#Glimpseingallery - Ekaterine Totladze (2001) is a student, who won ATINATI’S award. “WHITE NOISE” is the title of her first personal exhibition. The talented artist dedicated four months to crafting the captivating series, “WHITE NOISE” exclusively for this show. Ekaterine Totladze’s new series focuses on the observation of an individual, elevating the subject to an object of scrutiny. A separate wall in the show is dedicated to displaying the artist’s early work. This particular canvas played a pivotal role in determining the contestant’s fate and garnered unanimous approval from the jury. Consequently, the wall housing this significant piece carries a metaphorical load, symbolizing the journey from the victory to the realization of the solo exhibition. The ATINATI Foundation instituted a prize for students at A. Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. Fourth-year fine arts students had the opportunity to enter the open competition by registering within a month. Through a selection process conducted behind closed doors, a panel comprising both local and international jury members identified the top six students. The contestants presented their artworks to a diverse audience in the exhibition hall of the Academy of Arts. Among them, Ekaterine Totladze emerged as the winner. Following the award conditions, the artist received a prize of €5,000. This occasion is marked by the hosting of her personal exhibition at the ATINATI Culture Center.
EUROPALIA 2023 - This autumn, Europalia dedicates an arts festival to Georgia! The starting point for this edition is the country’s fascinating culture and the art scene of its bustling capital, Tbilisi, alongside that of lesser-known cities and regions. Starting 4 October 2023, visitors can enjoy a rich programme of exhibitions, performances, concerts, film, dance and theatre productions and literature across Belgium. Europalia, as a major international art festival, was founded in 1969, initially the goal of the festival was to bring the art and culture of European countries to Belgium, the heart of Europe. Europalia is an immensely important festival from a cultural point of view, as it promotes intercultural and intergenerational exchanges, as well as research, reflection and creativity. Festival is held once every two years to celebrate the cultural heritage of one of the invited countries. The festival’s opening exhibition was, The Avant-Garde in Georgia (1900-1936) at Bozar (Brussels). In the 1910s and 1920s, an artistic scene blossomed in Georgia, centered on taverns and cafes opened and decorated by artists from different backgrounds. These artists blended Georgian traditions with elements from the East and West in a unique art that fell into oblivion due to the repression and censorship of the Soviet regime. The exhibition brings together paintings, drawings, film, photography, poetry and costume and theater designs from this artistic laboratory and gives a voice to these artists, many of whom were persecuted during the Soviet era. Duration of the exhibition: 04.10.2023 – 14.01.2024 Music credits: Anthem of the European Union, Revaz Lagidze “Kuri ugde Sakartvelos” Host of the exhibition: BOZAR, Brussels
#Glimpseingallery - Nina Kintsurashvili (1992) is a Georgian artist. Nina Kintsurashvili’s first solo show - MUTE THINGS consist of recent paintings and an installation with works on paper. Kintsurashvili analytical but, at the same time, intuitive approach towards abstract painting probes the complexities of the medium itself. Her inquiry into the form manifests in diverse imagery and a range of painterly techniques. She works on her canvas separately, each having a particular internal logic and choreography. For Kintsurashvili the diverse approach and inquiry into specific formal questions make an artist a collector of various tools. For her, color, line, materiality of paint, the speed of a brushstroke, humor, the deceptive nature of human memory, and even the concept of time become tools applied to her process of image-making. Nina’s works have been exhibited in Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography (Mestia, Georgia), LC Queisser (Tbilisi, Georgia), E.A. Shared Space (Tbilisi, Georgia), Arco Madrid (Madrid, Spain), PS1 Iowa City, Levitt Gallery UofI (Iowa City, US), Ortega y Gasset Projects (NY,US), Everywoman Biennial (London, UK), Ekru Projects (Kansas City, US).
#Glimpseingallery - Tamaz Varvaridze (1945) is a Georgian artist. Representative of the 1970s, adhered to the principles of aesthetic-conceptualism. He is distinguished with unique style and credited as the founder of the contemporary Georgian school of graphics. He has played a pivotal role in educating numerous generations of graphic designers and holds the prestigious title of Emeritus Professor at the Tbilisi State Academy of Art. During the Soviet times, the artist mostly created works alien to the ideological context of the Soviet totalitarian era. His artistic pursuit is characterized by the aesthetic organization of composition. Despite the autonomy of individual elements, the artist builds the system united through abstract interconnections and with the utmost economy of compositional elements, creates an internal system that determines the trajectory of contemplation on an abstract and generalized plane. Host of the exhibition: Dimitri Shevardnadze national gallery
Niko Pirosmani (1862-1918) at the Fondation Beyeler. As a highlight of the year, the Fondation Beyeler devotes an exhibition to the legendary Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani, as much an enigmatic free spirit as an influential precursor of modern art. Almost fanatically admired by art lovers and celebrated as a national treasure in his home country, Pirosmani is yet to be discovered by a wider Western European audience. Bringing together around 50 key works, the exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler is the most comprehensive international show ever devoted to Pirosmani. While Pirosmani’s art radiates spirituality, it also documents and bears testimony to a country at the intersection of the West and the East, and a city, Tbilisi, at the time celebrated as a “Paris of the East”. Renowned contemporary artists Thea Djordjadze and Andro Wekua have been invited to offer their own contributions to the presentation of Pirosmani’s works in Basel. The exhibition is organized by the Fondation Beyeler and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark. It is a cooperation with the Georgian National Museum and the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth of Georgia, with friendly support of the Infinitart Foundation. Pirosmani’s exhibition will be on show until 28 th January 2024. Music credits: Lili Gegelia “Gamodi”; Shavnabada “Mravaljamier”
#Glimpseingallery - Leila Shelia’s (ლეილა შელია, b. 1953) solo exhibition is open at ATINATI’S Cultural Center. Leila Shelia is one of the foremost Georgian female abstractionist artists of the 20th century. The exhibition is to a certain extent a retrospective of abstract works executed by the artist over the course of 43 years. The works on display cover every stage of Leila Shelia’s creative period – from the 1980s to the present day. As the artist points out, having been originally inspired by her years spent in Abkhazia, she has been drawing ever since she was a young child. Nature itself possessed an infinite, generalized shape, and through her observations of the forest, the sea, plants and celestial bodies, she began thinking in an abstract way, and this new corporeality and subjectivity were subsequently reflected through her paintings. In Leila Sheila’s artworks, scratches, hieroglyphs, rectangular-framed paintings, and brightly colored spots are all brought together to form a complete harmony. Certain works from ATINATI’S private collection will also be on display at the exhibition. Leila Shelia is an outstanding artist whose works form part of significant collections both locally and worldwide. Leila Shelia’s exhibition will be on show at ATANATI’S Culture Center until November 3, 2023.
#Glimpseingallery - Ushangi Khumarashvili’s (1948 - 2023) exhibition “WORKS FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS” . Ushangi Khumarashvili was born in Telavi. He began working at the Telavi Drama Theater. Studied at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts’ Faculty of Fine Arts. Since the 1970s, he has regularly participated in various exhibitions and international biennials. Ushangi Khumarashvili has never developed ideological images. He primarily creates oil paintings, upholding the traditions of the classic avantgarde. These are abstract depictions of locations, individuals, directions, days of the week, or just colors. Host of the exhibition: Licht Gallery Curated by Alexander Florensky
Artist in focus • Badri lomsianidze (ბადრი ლომსიანიძე, Kutaisi, Georgia, 1961) is a Georgian artist. After graduating from Kutaísi School of Fine Arts and then Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design, Badri Lomsianidze continued his career in Spain. He is a multidisciplinary artist who studied fine arts, namely textile design. The flexibility and elasticity of fabrics allow their natural integration into the artist’s canvases and installations, acquiring a significant physical density, full of meaning. Visual and sensory pleasure is a prerequisite for the artist who develops towards more harmonious working forms and materials: a combination of transparencies, a softer color palette and, above all, the visible presence of fabrics, light and delicate. The use of such heterogeneous resources contributes to the creation of a work characterized by its versatility and technique, in addition to its distinctive and recognizable character. “Metamorphosis” is Badri Lomsianidze’s first solo show held at Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery, which is being held in Georgia for the first time. Artists works are preserved in the museums and various collections worldwide: Modern Art Museum, Oklahoma, USA; Zimmerli Art Museum, New Jersey, USA; AC Foundation; Salamanca Museum; National Museum of Engraving of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art of Madrid; Madrid’s community; McKinsey Collection, Christies London, Springer Publishing, Pilar Citoler Collection
Artist in focus • Tamar Nadiradze (1991) is a visual artist who lives and works in Tbilisi. From 2014 to 2016, Tamar Nadiradze worked at the Art Book Center. She was a resident artist at KAIR art residency as a book illustrator (Kosice, Slovakia). The major focus of the artist’s work relates to the following areas: the dialogue between social life and anthropology, mythology, psychology, as well as gender. Nadiradze primarily uses paper and watercolors as her media but she is working on diverse mediums.
”Spectator” is Lali Kutateladze’s solo exhibition. Artworks presented at the exhibition were made in the last two years - from the pandemic to the war (2020-2022). During the pandemic, live contacts got limited, increased the role of virtual communications, and for one reason or another, society became a polarized observer. Artist Lali Kutateladze depicts the transitional reality between virtual and real life in an artistic form, where a person - in the mentioned series - « character, « is perceived as a spectator whose abilities are arguable or questionable. For this reason, a question arises: can virtual life change things? For the viewer, it becomes interesting to perceive and understand the secondary background, where the spectator looks at the « spectator » like a symbolic self.
Nino Kipshidze (1958) is a Georgian artist. Nino Kipshidze’s artworks capture the eye with their extraordinary subtlety, resulting from the artist’s ability to channel the full pictorial potential of the fabrics used and add a peculiar touch of expressiveness to the textile as a medium. Both figurative and abstract compositions follow the principles of easel painting, where appliqués and scraps of various textured and colored fabric resemble brush strokes against the velvet, silk, or linen backgrounds. However, the ultimate source of this rush of emotion lies in the harmonious balance between the decorative tectonics of textiles and the pictorial expressions of landscapes, still lives, and figurative compositions. Host of the exhibition: Baia Gallery
Artist in focus - Karlo Grigolia (1927-2014) was a Georgian nonconformist artist. In spite of considerable pressure, he was able to change the contemporary abstract vision by reintroducing the classical canon of sculpture. Thanks to Karlo Grigolia's contributions, it is now safe to say that the Georgian modern abstract classic has established its place in the country's artistic history. He combined his conceptions of form with the fundamental principles of Egyptian and Greek sculpture so as to create wholly original contemporary abstract sculptures. The inestimable value of Karlo Grigolia's work is manifested in its monumentality, energy and line, formal harmony, movement, plasticity, impulse, and most significantly, in its uniqueness of form. In the 90s, Karlo Grigolia became a member of the International Center of Contemporary Sculpture in Washington, and at the same time, headed the Association of Avant-Gardist artists of Georgia. "Forbidden Art" was the first large-scale exhibition of Karlo Grigolia’s works exhibited in Dimitri Shevardnadze national gallery. The exhibition showcased various works from the artist's sixty years of creativity. Presented by ATINATI’S cultural center.
Mishiko Sulakauri (1996)was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. His work, driven and informed by autoethnography, questions systems of consumption, production, and human interaction. His research focuses on critical issues that transcend histories, borders, power dynamics, and environmental and social struggles. He has developed a personal iconography, which draws on Georgian pre-Christian history and mythology, pictograms and other graphic icons and images. ‘Qujai is no longer it’ is the title of Mishiko Sulakauri’s solo show at CH64 Gallery. The once famed Persian Kurdish steed, Qujai, belonging to King David IV, ’the Builder’, turned on its head, the horse laments the slow fading of its glory and heroism. It is a metaphor for ailing monuments and brittle subterranean layers of history that lie undiscovered and threatened with ruin. Heritage sites that serve as sustenance for the cultural identity of people across the social strata of Georgia, secular and religious, urbanite and rural alike, hold varied meanings, limitations and evolve in a myriad of ways. Engaging with Georgian Orthodox architecture, the exhibition reflects upon power dynamics and the notion of selective acceptance of the ‘new’.
WORKS ON PAPER is Tato Akhalkatsishvili’s solo exhibition at Ria Keburia Foundation. The exhibition presents works on paper, which showcase the fundamental theme of his artistic research - landscape exploration. The artist created these bodies of work during his residency at Ria Keburia Foundation. Tato Akhalkatsishvili (b.1979) is a multimedia artist who lives and works in Tbilisi. From 1996 to 2003, he studied at the Tbilisi State Art Academy, majoring in fine arts. Since early 2000, the artist has actively participated in major international group exhibitions and art fairs: Start Art Fair (Saatchi Gallery, London, 2015), Vienna Contemporary (2017), Art Geneva (2018), and Art Dubai (2018). He was a resident artist among eleven international artists in Dubai in 2018. In 2017, two of Akhalkatsishvili’s works were sold at the Phillips Auction (Off White). Tato Akhalkatsishvili’s works are preserved in Tbilisi Fine Arts Museum, National Gallery, and various private collections.
“Breaking the Silence” is Maka Batiashvili’s solo exhibition. Showcasing her recent paintings and graphic works with the theme of man and his surrounding world. The viewer is introduced to easily familiar artistic narratives with new emotional messages. During the lockdown, when the urban noises ceased and the air cleared, a new reality emerged, with new sensations including suppressed voices. According to the artist, the rhythm of the city stopped, and the loud song of birds was heard in the air. This is how the exhibition’s theme and title came about. Maka Batiashvili studied at the Tbilisi State Art Academy from 1992 to 1997. She has actively participated in local and international exhibitions. The exhibition is supported by the Ria Keburia Foundation Host of the exhibition: Georgian National Museum
Jemal Kukhalashvili (b.1952) is a Georgian artist. He graduated from the Tbilisi Academy of Art in 1978 and began his creative career in the 1980s. His creative work is characterized by a distinct personality. “The picture is clear to me and serves no philosophical purpose. I create in response to what happens around me. I am confident that the audience will attend my session and will both appreciate and despise… I will never know the result, like Noah’s ark, where my irresistible desire for survival and establishment will lead me.” - Jemal Kukhalashvili Host of the exhibition - Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery
Artist in focus - Dachi Mindadze (1985) is a Georgian artist. He is the representative of the millennium generation of artists. His art is distinguished by neo-expressionist works. Mainly paints on large canvases even on nut sacks, uses oil and acrylic paints, and also mixed media. The source of his inspiration and creativity is in everyday working processes and relationships with different people, which can be limited by certain invisible energy fields and are reflected there in color.
#Glimpseingallery - The exhibition has borrowed its name - “HEKATE” - from Greek mythology: Legend has it that during a shower of shooting stars, when the moon was ringed with coronae, a goddess with unique powers was born. HEKATE, using her mysterious powers, cures the sick with plant potions while murdering the healthy. Georgian artist Sopho Mamaladze (b. 2001) is based in Tbilisi and Berlin. According to the artist’s perception, Hekate’s mystery is reflected as the oneness of an infinite, sun-colored line, while azure blue and insoluble black reveal the transcendent and terrifying nature of this mythical character. The artworks, which are depicted on black baize, evoke the impression of textile, and focus on the unity of color, form and texture through which Hekate’s mysterious and belligerent character is rendered. The artworks on display at ATINATI’S exhibition space were created especially for this show, and bring together different media. Host of the Exhibition: ATINATI’S Cultural Centre Presenter of the Exhibition: The Ria Keburia Foundation Music: Koka Mamaladze
Artist in focus - Misha Shengelia (1959 - 2020) was a Georgian artist. He received no formal art education (he studied geology) but was painting from an early age. Misha Shengelia’s later artistic growth and development were influenced by the atmosphere of free thinking and cross-fertilization of ideas at Rusiko Oat’s New Art Café in the 2000s. Shengelia actively participated in New Art’s life and organized numerous exhibitions and performances. Misha Shengelia’s art works repeatedly depict winter festivals frequently found in Northern Renaissance paintings, gatherings of witches and alchemists, gray cardinals, pacifist generals, mafiosi and dictators, to name but a few. These are frequently stylized images of the characters from famous masterpieces (e.g. The Ugly Duchess by Quentin Matsys, or Federico da Montefeltro by Piero della Francesca). Shengelia’s tragicomic characters are testament to his deep involvement with and artistic response to the social and political events surrounding him. Misha Shengelia’s first solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Georgia covers a 30-year timespan between 1989 and 2019. All works presented at this exhibition are from the private collection of David Mushkudiani. As well as being friends, Shengelia and Mushkudiani shared a like-mindedness. Paintings such as One Day of Mass Media in 1495 and School of the Dictatorship of Proletariat are the result of their collaboration. Misha Shengelia’s works are held in private collections in Georgia, Switzerland, UK, Denmark, Israel, USA, Russia and other countries. Photo copy rights - David Mushkudiani and Guram Tsibakhashvili
#Georgianheroes • Dimitri Shevardnadze (1885 – 1937) was a public figure who was instrumental in determining the cultural life of the country throughout the 1920s and 1930s, and contributed to the establishment of two leading Georgian cultural institutions: the National Gallery of Fine Arts (1920) and the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1922). Between 1906 and 1914 Shevardnadze lived in Munich, where he studied at the Art Academy. Upon his return to Georgia in 1916, he founded and led the Association of Georgian Artists. In 1918, he was commissioned by Professor Ivane Javakhishvili, the rector of Tbilisi State University, to design the coat of arms for the recently founded first higher education institution in Georgia. He also designed banknotes and made sketches of postage stamps for the newly independent country. Dimitri Shevardnadze organized a major scientific and artistic expedition to the historically important southern regions of Georgia. Dimitri Shevardnadze was an artist, curator, and film set designer who was also prolific in the field of scenography.
Alexander Varvaridze’s personal exhibition entitled “The Edge of Infinity”. Alexander Varvaridze is a visual artist best known for his paintings; he uses a distinctive approach in his work consisting of figurative shapes and colors. His portraits show him as an emotional painter rather than a realist giving him room for interpretation. Alexander’s abstract work mobilizes the tensions and harmonies between matte surfaces, natural patterns, textures built with layered surfaces of oil paint, and additional mediums. The exhibition presents the artist’s latest works – 30 paintings featuring figurative and abstract compositions. The exhibition host: Baia gallery
Dimitri Ermakov (1846-1916) was a photographer known for his series of the Caucasian photographs. Ermakov was born in Tiflis/Tbilisi in Georgia. After graduating from the military topographic academy in Ananuri he opened his own photographic studio. As an adult, he operated photographic businesses in Tiflis. By the end of the 1870s he was a renowned photographer. He won awards in Moscow, Italy, Turkey and Persia. Participated in several archaeological expeditions in the Caucasus, leaving a series of unique photographs.
NIKO PIROSMANI – BLACK LIGHT. Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Humlebæk opens a solo exhibition of a master – the Georgian hero of the avant-garde, Niko Pirosmani (1862–1918). There are few clues or sources for the story of Niko Pirosmani as an artist. Even so, his tale has the power and character of myth, and today he is spoken about as the painter of Georgia’s soul, culture and folklore and at the same time as a visual artist with a universal perspective. With Pirosmani, the viewer must above all look at the picture. Pirosmani’s pictures are direct, monumental in their simplicity. They are not private, they are not psychological – they are about the human space in which people encounter animals, people eat together, people are on the move. The appeal of the images is simple, but also sophisticated – because they work. With a few brushstrokes, Pirosmani transformed the ordinary into the extraordinary. His portraits have the intensity of Orthodox icons and the images of his lion, deer and giraffe have something simultaneously compelling and disquieting about them. Their eyes stare back at you. The black base colour glows through the other colours, just like in his portraits. The exhibition has been organized jointly by Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark and Fondation Beyeler, Riehen/Basel, Switzerland. The exhibition has been made possible through collaboration with The Georgian National Museum and The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, and is supported by the Infinitart Foundation. Curator: Poul Erik Tøjner Special thanks to Louisiana museum of modern art and Louisiana channel
Artist in Focus - Irakli Mereli was born in Batumi in 1992. He graduated from Batumi Art School and began studying at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in 2010. In 2018,he continued his MFA studies at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, focusing on painting and graphics. "I WAS ABOUT TO PRAY" is the title of Irakli Mereli's solo exhibition, the main subject of which is poetry and the contemplation of one's soul in an observant manner. Reflecting on his own experience, the author has attempted to create a series of artworks that are metaphorical representations of a comprehensive rethinking. The artworks featured include portraits of gigantic, exaggerated faces, which are worn on a person’s back like the metaphors of unearthly, concealed and invisible matters. This sensation is further enhanced by a vibrant green pigment, which remains at the heart of the narrative and stands out more prominently in the ceramic figures. The host of the exhibition: Gallery 4710
“For Our Safety '' is the exhibition by Rocko Iremashvili (1979). Standpoint of an artist is "intelligent", a cybernetic creature which is created in a laboratory of a fantasy genre film leaves the reins of management and appears as an independent actor - so does a society, shaping and "production" of which is in the mode of "processing" from the earliest stages of history. “...It is sad to realize that one becomes a spiritualized organ of this inanimate body, one of its driving elements that moves under its guidance.” - Rocko Iremashvili Host of the exhibition: Baia gallery
“New Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts”. These are the works of 116 Georgian artists that the Signaghi Museum did not hold or represented insufficiently, or since they might have left the country, it was vital to acquire them as rare cultural heritage examples. The new collection demonstrates an impressive picture of Georgian artistic development: A new collection of graphics by 1950s/1970s artists. Acquired works were limited to artists whose creativity made a significant contribution to the development of Georgian graphic art. The collection also includes works acquired after the first group exhibition of non-conformist artists held in the Sighnaghi. Participant artists: Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikyan, Alexander Berdysheff, Besik Arbolishvili, Dato Sulakauri, David Alexidze, Ekaterine Gelovani, Gela Zautashvili, Gia Khutsishvili, Giorgi Mirzashvili, Kakhaber Tatishvili, Karaman Kutateladze, Ketevan Matabeli, Koka Tskhvediani, Leila Shelia, Levan Chichinadze, Levan Chogoshvili, Levan Kharanauli, Levan Margiani, Malkhaz Datukishvili, Mamuka Mikeladze, Nugzar Natenadze, Tamuna Melikishvili, Tato Akhalkatsishvili, Temur Tatanashvili, Zaza Berdzenishvili, Zura Abkhazi, Zurab Gikashvili.
Artist in Focus • Malkhaz Gorgadze was born in 1941, Tbilisi, to the artist couple-Bidzina and Elene Gorgadze. A ceramist by profession, after graduating from the Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Arts (in 1956) he became passionately involved in the process of decorating the city’s walls. Many of the popular mosaic or relief panoramas located in different districts of Tbilisi are examples of his work. The artist experimented boldly with various forms of expression and materials, both when creating mosaic panoramas and paintings, frequently making his own compositions using textiles as well. The paintings, executed on large format canvases with bold strokes of the artist’s brush, manifest a genuine celebration of color and form. It is of significant interest that the stories unfolding in these exotic landscapes were inspired by biblical parables–a theme that the artist has been exploring in his work for decades.
Tato Akhalkatsishvili(1979) is a Georgian artist. His work unites mystical and surrealistic landscapes with blurred horizons. The artist attempts to reflect his personal transcendent feelings and psychological states that evolve around the internal process of rethinking existential issues, the growth of an individual, and his development in cultural, geopolitical and historical contexts. Solo traveling is a part of Tato’s life and, according to him; it does not happen for inspirational purposes, he travels alone to stay with himself and “listen to silence”. He studied at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1996-2003). Since 2003 Akhalkatsishvili’s works have regularly been shown in Georgia as well as abroad: in Europe, Japan and the USA where he has participated in art fairs, personal and group exhibitions. The exhibited works by Tato Akhalkatsishvili are part of ATINATI’s collection. The exhibition host: ATINATI’S Cultural Center
Artist in focus • Rusudan Gachechiladze (1936) is modernist sculptor and reformer of Georgian portrait sculpture. She is a member of the 1960s generation of artists. Rusudan Gachechiladze belongs to a small group of sculptors who chose an unbiased artistic path in both the Soviet and post-Soviet eras. Sculptor can present a portrait in a manner, regardless of the fact that he/she is a famous writer or a poet, that a viewer is caught by a desire to explore more about a model, to get better acquainted with a model’s personal adventure, in short, to communicate with the character. The series of gypsum portraits vividly show the influences of important moments in the history of fine art, be it portraits of the Middle Egyptian period with inlaid eyes, realistic busts of the Roman period of the Republic, or expressive Fayium iconography.
Artist in focus • Irakli Gamrekeli (1894 - 1943) was a Georgian theater and film painter, a futurist and constructivist artist, also one of the founders of Georgian stage design. Irakli Gamrekeli’s turning point occurred during one such exhibition, when Kote Marjanishvili noticed his illustrations of Oscar Wilde’s “Salome”, and invited the artist to the Rustaveli Theater. He also worked in film production, as well as the creation of decorations for the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theater. Irakli Gamrekeli formed an innovative tandem with reformist director Sandro Akhmeteli at the Rustaveli Theatre. Irakli Gamrekeli illustrated the only published edition of the Futurist magazine H2S04. Works are protected in Rustaveli Theatre, Kote Marjanishvili Theatre, Art Palace museum, Gamrekeli Gallery
#GlimpseinGallery - MOTUS. This exhibition brings together the works of three artists: Levan Kharanauli, Zeinab Barnovi, and Theo Moukhigouli. The showcased artworks, as is expressed in the event’s title (Latin: "MOTUS" meaning moving or moved), are independently linked to the notion of movement, through which the transformation of space-time relations, humankind, and the object itself becomes possible. Theo Mouxigouli’s series of mixed media objects "A Heart for Every Fate", conveys various visual forms from the artist's memory through dynamism, rhythmicity, comprehensive construction of the compositions, and the expressive movements embodied in the objects. The series of self-portraits by artist Levan Kharanauli consists of three works, in which the impact of events on an individual's life path can clearly be read. The self-portraits, which are connected with Levan Kharanauli's return to the creative process, reflect three stages of the artist's life (childhood, youth, and the present day) and are generally related to the path of personality change that brings about unexpected transformation in a person due to the power of circumstance. Artist Zeinab Barnovi created the project “Heroes Square1990-2022”, which visually describes one of the main areas of Tbilisi's urban development in the contexts of culture and architecture - the formation of Heroes Square - while at the same time chronicling individuals and society, their lives and daily routines, as well as the political events taking place around them. Host of the exhibition: Hermit space Curator of the exhibition: Salome Eristavi
‘An Ocean Standing’ is a group show by Ketuta Alexi-Meskhishvili, Kenneth Bergfeld, Bekhbaatar Enkhtur, Nina Kintsurashvili, Anna Zemánková The works presented in “An Ocean Standing” investigate seemingly paradoxical timescale that is both slowed down and intensified, prolonged and charged, organic and synthetic. In histories of performance, strategies of slowing down or stalling activity have been used to call attention to the time of the performance itself. While the artists featured here work with sculpture, painting, drawing and photography, they each address their chosen medium’s relationship to time through similar methods, bringing process and the timescale of making artwork into the room along the way. Michael Marder’s philosophical and existential writing about Clarice Lispector’s essay is the basis of the exhibition. Host of the exhibition Gallery: LC Queisser , Tbilisi
Artist in focus • Anton Balanchivadze (b. 1978) is a Georgian artist who graduated from Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, specializing in Painting and Graphic Arts. The artist creates a model of his universe, where dramatic elements are connected with the world of fantasy. His works are housed in private collections in the USA, Japan and Europe. Seen at the Bridge is a joint exhibition of works by father and son Balanchivadze, bringing together up to 60 paintings by Jarji Balanchivadze and more than 40 canvases by Anton Balanchivadze. Installations created especially for this project were also exhibited. The host of the exhibition is National Gallery
ARTIST IN RESIDENCY - group show presented by Ria Keburia Foundationunites five Georgian visual artists who have successfully completed a residency program in painting, sculpture and installation. Participant artists: Mari Aqubardia, Giorgi Vardiashvili, Lado Lomitashvili, Nika Koplatadze, Musya Qeburia. Curator Nino Asanidze
Artist in focus • Mariana Chkonia (b. 1969) is a Georgian artist living and working in Tbilisi and Nukriani – a village in Kakheti Region, Georgia. Based on traditional Georgian and South Caucasian fabric techniques such as dry and wet felting and the use of natural pigments, Chkonia’s work revives ancient traditions that have almost died out in Georgia, thus developing her own unique artistic language. Rooted in her architectural background, Chkonia’s work is spacious: assembling abstract geometrical forms into architectonic arrangements, while adding sculptural elements to the two-dimensional textile work. The Night of the Wolf-Headed King was the name of her solo show that was hosted by E.A. Shared Space. Based on a poem of the same title by experimental filmmaker, artist and poet Gogita Chkonia (1950-2009) her father, the exhibition brings together Chkonia’s recent body of work. which was especially produced for the occasion.
“Between two worlds” is the name of the exhibition by Rusudan Petviashvili and Dima Petviashvili. Rusudan Petviashvili (1968) is a Georgian artist. Her paintings were exhibited with his brother’s sculptures. Surreal characters are often depicted in Rusudan’s works, and they represent celestial bodies. She depicts a unified world in Indian ink or ink, then moves on to the narration of characters and their adventures; the line is continuous, and it is difficult to discern where she ends up in the knot of symbolic weaving. Exhibition is dedicated to Rusudan Petviashvili’s husband. Host of the exhibition Art Gallery Noblesse
#GlimpseinGallery - The Field of Unforgotten Memories is a group show by three Georgian artists – Tamar Nadiradze, Julieta Robakidze and Tornike Robaqidze. Tamar Nadiradze and Tornike Robakidze are young Georgian artists. They have taken part in several group exhibitions both locally and abroad. Their works are housed in private collections in Europe and the USA. Julieta Robakidze is a 94-year-old artist, and she began painting 7 months ago at the age of 94. She is Tornike Robakidze’s grandmother. This exhibition is presenting her artworks to the public for the first time. Host of the exhibition Gallery 4710
The Zimmerli Art Museum presents selections from the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union. It is the first major exhibition in the United States that focuses on Georgian artists. It features more than 60 objects, primarily mixed media collages and works on paper, that were created from the 1960s through the 1990s. Otar Chkhartishvili, Amir Kakabadze, Levan Magalashvili, Sergei Parajanov and Avto Varazi are among the featured artists. Organized by Sopio Gagoshidze, a Dodge Fellow at the Zimmerli Art Museum and a PhD candidate in Art History at Rutgers University, in consultation with Jane A. Sharp, PhD, Professor and Research Curator for Soviet Nonconformist Art. The exhibition and brochure are made possible by the Avenir Foundation Endowment Fund and the Dodge Charitable Trust–Nancy Ruyle Dodge, Trustee. Music by Irakli Charkviani (1961-2006)
Artist in focus • Rita Khachaturian (born 1982) is a Georgian artist, whose new project Serengeti is a most attractive combination of tradition and innovation. For Rita Khachaturian, Serengeti is symbolic of the interaction and constant rotation between life and death. It is the endless field of life that people visit only temporarily before departing. Rita’s works are easily recognizable owing to her uncompromising style and due to the severity that was already obvious in her earlier series: Fear, Morphology, and Batonebi (Lords). The exhibition, which is curated by the Vanda Art Gallery is the culmination of almost three years of Rita’s work. The exhibition host: Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery
Rita Khachaturian (born 1982) is a Georgian artist, whose new project Serengeti is a most attractive combination of tradition and innovation. For Rita Khachaturian, Serengeti is symbolic of the interaction and constant rotation between life and death. It is the endless field of life that people visit only temporarily before departing. Rita’s works are easily recognizable owing to her uncompromising style and due to the severity that was already obvious in her earlier series: Fear, Morphology, and Batonebi (Lords). The exhibition, which is curated by the Vanda Art Gallery is the culmination of almost three years of Rita’s work. The exhibition host: Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery
Avto Varazi (1926-1977) was a Georgian artist. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at Georgian Technical University. In 1948, he enrolled on a doctoral program at the Institute of Art History in Tbilisi. For many years he worked as a designer of museum exhibitions. As a pioneer of the 1960s nonconformist movement, he explored the principles of early Western Modernism. Avto Varazi’s universe is easily recognizable with its emotiveness, distinctive vision, and unique compositional structure, and also for the prevailing melancholy of existential solitude. His works are kept at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Non-Conformist Art Collection of the Zimmerli Art Museum (USA), as well as at various museums in France and Greece and in private collections. “I remember how my first ever exhibition failed. I had chosen one of the works from my colored pencil drawings and hung it on the wall before the guests arrived. The visitors came and left without even noticing my work. I was heartbroken, and in doubt about whether I could draw at all. I was five years old at the time.” (A. Varazi, Memoirs) The host of the exhibition: Tsinandali Museum Music by Erekle Getsadze
Artist in focus • Giorgi Kobiashvili is a young artist whose paintings reflect the visions, world perceptions, and searches characteristic of the new generation. His pictures depict a technologically advanced dystopian universe with apocalyptic themes that is tense and mysterious, where time and space are conditional. This artist’s « voice » is already audible in the current of contemporary Georgian art, and it is manifested through personal ties with the history of painting, free variants of iconographic models, and escalating vitality.
Jemal Japaridze (born 1932) is a Georgian sculptor. His works are made of marble, wood and metal, and cover a wide range of genres from monumental and public art to portraiture. The predominant motifs and themes in Jemal Japaridze’s art are motherhood, family, mythological characters, and portraits of women. King Tamar, Warrior Women, The Archer Woman, and the portrait of Lali Tevzadze were exhibited at the D. Shevardnadze National Gallery.
“The Caucasian Orangery” - is a conditional title of Vakho Bugadze’s solo exhibition. It is a curatorial position regarding the name of the solo show, which the artist also agreed. The geographical localization offers an allusion to the place of Georgians’ physical existence: the theme of our roots and our uprooting from them. These elements become particularly relevant with globalization, war, and constant displacement – the inherent problems of the Caucasus, a territory which is constantly subject to the pressure of geopolitical threats. The exhibition was organized within the framework of the Baia Gallery -project “Garden Model”.
Tbilisi MURAL Fest- It has been four years now since Tbilisi became the host of this internationally acclaimed festival. The festival brings together widely recognized artists from all over the world, including Georgia. The artist line-up is changed annually, and this year Tbilisi Mural Fest welcomed Fintan Magee, Vesod, Sasha Korban, David Machavariani, Luis Gomez de Teran, Artez, Kera, Mohamed Lghacham, and Chertova Tina. The artists are free to choose their own subject matter and what their murals will look like. However, this year was exceptional. With more than forty murals now in existence, the festival has transformed the city’s appearance, turning it into an open-air exhibition of urban art. These huge artworks have made Tbilisi one of the best locations, as well as a popular travel destination for visitors from all over the world who are interested in urban art.
XVII CENTURY FRIDGE, 2022 is a site-specific installation comprising three standalone pieces conceptually interwoven through their temporal, spatial and societal significance. Created by three Tbilisi based artists, Tiko Imnadze, Sandro Pachuashvili and Mishiko Sulakauri. The site, with its particular characteristics and the three elements housed within it, all come together to explore the ideas of shared spaces as places of utility, the adaptation of their purpose, and the significance of historical and environmental preservation. The installation invites viewers to reflect upon the juxtaposition of the old, the new and the yet unknown. The show was on view at Gudiashvili Square 7/2. Tiko Imnadze Sandro Pachuashvili Mishiko Sulakauri
Personal Structures - is a biennial contemporary art exhibition organized and hosted by European Cultural Centre in Venice, Italy. Georgian artist Rocko Iremashvili (1979) was the guest of 2022’s edition. The idea of exhibition was reflections, which embodies the dual meaning of a visible episode perceived by the eyes and a mental deed stemming from the action of thinking and pondering with the mind. In Rocko Iremashvili’s art-works, regardless of format and material – be it stainless steel, three-dimentional sculpture, multimedia art, video or, large-scale painting behind ignoring the esthetic rules visitors found a magnetic synthesis of social protest, political sarcasm, vanity and compassion. At the same time it is not rare to see modern rethinks of ancient and religious scenes beside global and eternity thematic in his works. The artist was presented by the Georgian National Museum.
The 3rd edition of TAF - Tbilisi Art Fair 2022 - showcased international galleries, solo exhibitions of young and emerging artists, and curated exhibitions. Being the largest art fair in the region, it brought together art professionals, curators, critics, collectors, international media representatives, and visitors from all over the world. During TAF Week, various performances, workshops, talks and other events were held. TAF aims to explore and support the contemporary art scene, as well as culture in general. The host of the event was Expo Georgia Exhibition Center.
“Noise of Stones” - Zura Apkhazi’s multimedia exhibition is a collection of his best works created in recent years. Long-term searches helped to form individual vision of the artist. Further deepening his interests resulted in bold, impressive images defining the style of Zura Abkhazi. He creates black and white images of the cosmos that are as mysterious as the cosmos itself. Zura Apkhazi (Apkhazashvili) was born in 1968. After graduating from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1996), he has been teaching art at Uplistsikhe school for years, and at the same time, he participated in various exhibitions. His oeuvre is greatly influenced by the brutality of New German Expressionism, displayed through big textural canvases, which developed into an original variety of large-scale series, where his individuality revealed. The project is presented by Dédicace Gallery. The Exhibition is curated by Khatuna Khabuliani, co-curated by Ana Jvania, the video piece is created by Aleksi Soselia and Ucha Tsotseria, and the sound by Dima Dadiani.
Artist in focus - Giorgi Khaniashvili (1982) is a visual artist and sculptor. He is a versatile contemporary artist, both in terms of form and material. Despite his painterly education, the artist mainly produces three-dimensional wooden works, as well as ceramic reliefs. He works in series. The main motifs of Khaniashvili's works focus on the issues of religion and the legacy of the post Soviet era. The artist’s works are preserved in the Public Collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow (MOCAK). He has participated in group exhibitions in Poland, Slovenia, and Georgia (the Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery, Tbilisi).
Roland Shalamberidze’s retrospective exhibition showcases his creative path. His art has developed in different directions: the fine arts, music, performance art, literature, and video art. Roland Shalamberidze was born in 1958 in Kutaisi, Georgia. In 1982, he and Merab Amaglobeli founded the non-conformist creative group of artists and poets “White Wings” in Kutaisi. Shalamberidze has lived and worked in St. Petersburg since 1988. He works as an abstractionist, a conceptual artist, a performance artist, an installation artist, and a sound and video artist. From 1996 to 2001 he lived in Germany, and then in New York. In 2002 he returned to St. Petersburg. It is worth mentioning that the artist creates his own musical instruments. Shalamberidze is founder of the UPPERGROUND movement, and his works are exhibited in various museums throughout the world. He currently works at the St. Petersburg Art Center “Pushkinskaya-10” and at his own workshop in Tbilisi. The exhibition is curated by Khvicha Doghonadze. D. Shevardnadze National Gallery
In the group exhibition titled „Moon Necklace“ features five artists from different generations and showcases their recent works in a variety of mediums. "Moon Necklece" responds to a new order of the world, that has changed dramatically. The exhibition presents both figurative and abstract works and only blurs the line between the last surreal and the real as a metaphorical form of loss. Participating artists: Leila Shelia, Nino Kvrivishvili, Salome Chigilashvili, Tornike Robaqidze, Theimuraz Eristavi Gallery 4710
Artist in focus • Gogi Chagelishvili (Chagela) born in 1945, Tbilisi, Georgia. Gogi Chagelishvili creates artworks in a variety of genres and styles, including portraits, landscapes, still lives, multi-figure scenes, and abstraction, amongst others. Each painting has its own dramaturgy, which is not unexpected given that the artist is also the author of several literary works (in 2015, Gogi Chagelishvili became laureate of the literary prize "Saba"). Chagelishvili's compositions are frequently horizontally extended and have a panoramic character. They also bring to mind cinematic shots. The artist's large-scale private exhibition entitled “From sots art to now” was held at the Georgian National Museum. Curator - Maka Bejuashvili Co-curator - Leila kiknadze
Exhibition dedicated to Dimitri Khahutashvili’s 95th birthday. Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery presents the work and legacy of Dimitry Khakhutashvili. The exhibition presents 80 works by the artist of different periods from private collections and one canvas from the collection of Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts. Dimitri Khakhutashvili is a bright representative of the 50s generation, who, despite a successful career at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, abandoned all that and prefered to stay in the shadows as an artist. Dozens of paintings, graphic works, book illustrations, sketches - were almost unknown to the public. The graphic and structural originality of his compositions, the complex vision in creating battle scenes, the daring and open emotional style - represent an exceptionally thoughtful artist with a refined taste and technique, involved with constant searches and experiments, whose works acquire even greater charm over time. The curator of the exhibition: Lela Tsitsuashvili Designer: Davit Janiashvili
Artist in focus - Gia Gugushvili is a painter and graphic artist, born in 1952 in Tbilisi. His works are housed in the Georgian National Museum / საქართველოს ეროვნული მუზეუმი (Tbilisi), the Adjara Art Museum (Batumi), the State Museum of Oriental Art (Moscow), the Christoph Merian Foundation (Basel), and the Norton Dodge Museum (Philadelphia), as well as in other galleries and private collections both in Georgia and overseas. The majority of the artist's paintings from the last 30 years are large-format abstract canvases, which attract the viewer’s eye with their mixed and matched spectrum of colors and expressiveness. In Gia Gugushvili's compositions, an object or a figure is so conventional that it may only be perceived as an allusion. It might be a familiar household item, or a geometric figure that bears a symbolic load – for instance, a wheel, a circle, small crosses or luminous objects. Music by Erekle Getsadze
Zurab PICO Nizharadze’s (1928-2021) solo exhibition is being held in the House Museum of Alexander Chavchavadze at the Tsinandali Estate. Zurab Nizharadze was one of Georgia's foremost contemporary artists. The artist was still very young when his friends nicknamed him Pico. This would seem to be a reference to Picasso because of Nizharadze’s particular interest in the color blue in his early paintings, or his artistic vision and creative freedom. It is on the basis of this freedom, talent, and exceptional intellect that Zurab Nizharadze, together with other representatives of the 1950s Georgian art scene, restored a sense of creative freedom and originality during the country’s era of socialism. The artistic faces created by Zurab Nizharadze are lyrical and romantic, at times melancholic, at others even grotesque. Yet they express the artist's love and warmth towards life – which is why Nizharadze's world in its entirety brings viewers joy and happiness. Curated by Mariam Kakabadze
XX-XXI centuries Georgian art from private collections" - Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery presents an exhibition one of the curatorial versions of the history of the development of contemporary Georgian art. The exhibition united works by famous Georgian artists from Georgia and the West from the 20th century to the present, those who have been housed in various private collections over the past 6 years. Among them are: works of Alexandre (Shura) Bandzeladze, Vera Paghava, Karlo Katcharava, Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Lia Shvelidze, Tea Jorjadze, Tea Gvetadze, Salome Machaidze, Dato Meskhi and other outstanding artists. It is noteworthy that for the first time to the general public will be on display those works whose purchase and return from Europe has only recently taken place. The exposition presents works from different mediums, ideologies or historical contexts. "Archivarius", "10th Floor", "Marjanishvili Theater Artists' Group", the works by local and west art scene Georgian artists tell the recent history of Georgia. Curator: Lika Chkuaseli
Street Lights - Solo exhibition by Giorgi Gagoshidze (Gagosh) presents artworks made in different mediums. They are movables, and relief. Street Lights represent a systematic model of governance. They allow or prohibit us from taking specific actions, or simply make us wait without answering. According to the system, Humans may belong to three categories: First, those who abide by street light rules. Second, those who set the rules, and third, those who do not obey systemic orders. The latter can interact with the system, suddenly change their decisions and create their own rules. The presented series allows spectators to define to which category they belong. The exhibition of Gagosh was presented in Dédicace Gallery
Georgian Modernism and Tbilisi Avant-Garde (1910-1932) - The exhibition presents Georgian Modernism and the Tbilisi Avant-Garde of 1910–1932. The curators Nana Kipiani and Nana Shervashidze decided to prioritize exhibiting the artworks in order to show as many works as possible — well-known and unknown, or familiar but not in the general modernist context, as well as to demonstrate the artistic diversity of the period. Documentary material revealing these decades' historical, social, cultural, and political contexts is underrepresented. This was conditioned by the presence of a permanent exhibition of Niko Pirosmani's paintings in one of the museum halls. Nevertheless, this made it possible to intervene in the permanent exhibition, just as Iliazd did in his album dedicated to Melnikova, but only for the duration of this exhibition. As such, the curators of the exhibition decided to intervene in the Pirosmani exhibition space with works by those representatives of the Tbilisi Avant-Garde who had discovered Niko Pirosmani, and who managed to preserve his works for future generations. As a result of their art being banned since the 1930s, their names have gradually been erased from memory and forgotten for over 70 years. Curators: Nana Kipiani, Nana Shervashidze Co-Curator: Mariam Dvali
Artist in focus • Levan Lagidze (1958) - paints the imaginary city and its labyrinths. However, just as Macondo is based on its prototype Aracataca, Lagidze's cities originate from his native city. This is also confirmed by the fact that his early landscapes show houses suspended over the Mtkvari river in Tbilisi. Later they disappear and sink into a new geometric system with numerous brush strokes. A combination of rectangles, squares, geometric abstractions, also the orderly rhythmic repetition of forms, all these elements create his unique and accurate language.
The 59th International Art Exhibition “La Biennale di Venezia” is running from 23rd April to 27th November 2022, and is curated by Cecilia Alemani. This year's Biennale is entitled “The Milk of Dreams,” which is the title of a book by Surrealist artist Leonora Carrington (1917–2011), in which she describes a magical world where life is constantly re-envisioned through the prism of the imagination. It is a world where everyone can change, be transformed, and become something or someone else. The Exhibition “The Milk of Dreams” takes Leonora Carrington’s otherworldly creatures along with other figures of transformation as companions on an imaginary journey through metamorphoses of bodies and definitions of the human. The Exhibition is taking place in the Central Pavilion (Giardini) and in the Arsenale, and includes 213 artists from 58 countries with 1,433 works and objects on display. The Georgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2022 is presented by Mariam Natroshvili and Detu Jincharadze with a project entitled “I Pity the Garden.” It is a VR experience with auto-generated real-time simulation. “La Biennale di Venezia” has for over 120 years been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. Established in 1895, today the Biennale is attended by over 500,000 visitors to the Art Exhibition Commissioner: Magda Guruli Curators: In-between Conditions - Giorgi Spanderashvili, Khatia Tchokhonelidze, Vato Urushadze
Tato Akhalkatsishvili’s exposition “Eccentric Traveler” was shown at Georgian National Museum / საქართველოს ეროვნული მუზეუმი. The exhibition wanders through the past and the future, beyond time, into Javakheti, the Gareja desert, an airfield, and spirit-inhabited forests, abandoned buildings and endless trails, to the Marshall Islands and alien rituals, into his own and another’s dreams. Tato Akhalkatsishvili is an eccentric traveler who invites the audience to enter paintings that have neither door nor key. Tato Akhalkatsishvili's solo exhibition has been organized by the Cultural Center ATINATI'S and launched in collaboration with the Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery. Tato Akhalkatsishvili (1979) was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. He studied at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1996-2003). Since 2003 Akhalkatsishvili’s works have regularly been shown in Georgia as well as abroad: in Europe, Japan and the USA where he has participated in art fairs, personal and group exhibitions.
The exhibition entitled "Artist and Epoch" on show at the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia is dedicated to the 145th anniversary of Shalom Koboshvili's birth. Shalom Koboshvili (1876-1941) is the foremost Jewish painter in Georgia. His work is connected with the Jewish Historic-Ethnographic Museum, where he worked as a watchman in the latter years of his life. The exhibition represents the epoch spanning the years of the artist's life (1876-1941), and includes up to 150 exhibits. Apart from Shalom Koboshvili's artworks, the exhibition also features thematic paintings and graphic works by David Gvelesiani; the diverse collection of the Georgian National Museum; 19th and early 20th-century Jewish garments, textiles, religious, ritual or everyday items; photographs preserved in the archives of the David Baazov Museum of History of the Jews of Georgia and Georgian-Jewish Relations; Dimitri Ermakov's photo archives; as well as documentary and archival materials provided by the National Archives of Georgia and the National Library. The exhibition has been enhanced with multimedia components and a short documentary film "The Guardian of Memories," created for the media platform Chai Khana as part of the project "The legacy of Georgia's once-vibrant Jewish communities," which is supported by the Embassy of Israel in Georgia. Curator: Lela Tsitsuashvili Designer: David Janiashvili Exhibition duration: December 22nd, 2021 - May 5th, 2022
The exhibition “Buffer Intervals’’ offered by Rocko Iremashvili is a logical continuation of the artist's creative vision. It is a process-metaphor created by multimedia accents, which always brings forth new sacramental images. According to Parmenides it is like a sphere within which everything is equally distanced from the center and nothing exists beside this sphere. If we imagine this sphere of being as an area of freedom of art and transform it into the inspiration of the conception of the exhibition, it will be understood that “being” for artist is a synonym of freedom, and it fully agrees with the relations between an artist and art. Curated by Nino Gujabidze Co-curated by Ana Zhvania Georgian National Museum
Exhibition "Freedom-Inspired Art" of Non-conformist Artists The non-conformist movement in Georgia was featured fragmentary and spontaneous. The position of artists rejecting the official ideology established in the art field at that time caused outrage among the Soviet authorities. Therefore, they used all means to control and suppress the tendencies unfavorable to the regime in the arts: publications, exhibitions, reprimanding the authors, arresting and carrying out punitive operations against them. In such an atmosphere, the artist as a person had to choose among membership in the unions of the Communist Party, artists or academic oligarchy, creativity in the spirit of social realism, the service of the ruling ideology and creative freedom, identity and personal responsibility to the world. When the artist made a choice in favor of creative freedom and personal dignity, he would lose material privileges, public, social and legal guarantees, the kindness of the rulers, which, in fact, would lead him and his loved ones into the illegal space. In the 1960s and 1970s, non-conformist artists : Avto Varazi, Otar Chkhartishvili, Temo Japaridze, Amir Kakabadze, Vakhtang (Vatia) Davitashvili, Avto Meskhi laid the foundation for unofficial art in Georgia, which marked the beginning of a new cultural era. Duration: 5 November, 2021 - 5 May, 2022 Venue: Sighnaghi Museum, 8, Rustaveli blind-Alley, Sighnaghi, Georgia
Artist in focus - Oleg Timchenko (1957) is a Tbilisi-based contemporary painter. From 1987–1991, Oleg worked as a painter in the Marjanishvili Theater. During this time, Timchenko and his friends created the theater group called "10th Floor Group". Timchenko's works often create a whole set of contrasting characters – sad angels, tragic dancing gnomes, wonder-struck forest ghosts with childish and non-childish expressions, often decorated with roses, precious stones, and jewelry. He has been considered a “transformer” artist. Oleg Timchenko’s artworks currently held and exhibited at the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts. The Georgian Museum of Fine Arts displays the private family collection of Gia Jokhtaberidze and Manana Shevardnadze, one bringing together 3,500 works by almost 100 artists.
ELENE AKHVLEDIANI AND HER ERA - The exhibition ‘Elene Akhvlediani and Her Era’ displays the working context of the greatest Georgian artist Elene Akhvlediani, and present hitherto unknown works by major artists of the 20th century. Unique materials preserved in the private collections. Private collections very often form the basis for museums, and enable privately owned and preserved treasures to be made accessible to the wider public. Baia Gallery launched a new project: “The Artists and their Era.” It pursues the goal of focusing on the works of a specific artist and revealing the creative processes that took place in parallel to his or her career.
ENJOY TRANSCENDENCE is a collaboration between PROJECT FUNGUS and Ria Keburia Foundation In a consumer society, myth is always presented as an explicator and definer, producing value systems and the structure of reality. Simultaneously, it appoints ritual as a habit, behaviour, and example to determine human experience, where repetitive actions create antistructure. Artists critically gaze at western traditions of heteronormativity, capitalism, rationalism, and science and try to rethink values created by these discourses. Myth and ritual in a modern consumer society, was the theme of the work of eight artists: Mariko Chanturia, Nini Goderidze, David Apakidze, Hitori Ni, Xosilita, George Kartozia, K.O.I, Tina Sharashenidze
Tamaz Nutsubidze (1940-2002) worked on the artistic decoration of tapestry and textile. Nutsubidze suggests tapestry as essentially a flat form of painting, appreciating the duality of the medium in its practical and ideological sense, allowing his works to go beyond decorative and the context in which they were produced. Having a Baltic influence, Nutsubidze rejects the realistic dimensional technique, distancing himself from the figuration and Soviet craze of depicting perspective, not forcing painting techniques on a Gobelin. LC Queisser, in collaboration with Nectar gallery, hosted the exhibition of Tamaz Nutsubidze. Presented the re-completed series of decorative textile and tapestry work alongside rich archive material. Music by Erekle Getsadze
Petre Otskheli (1907 - 1937) played a pivotal role in the development of Georgian scenography in the 20th century, and continues to influence it in the 21st. Otskheli’s unlimited artistic possibilities are equally demonstrated in his images of treacherous, sage and noble characters. Music by Gia Kancheli and Erekle Getsadze
Exhibition titled - “The Yellow Box” presented by artistic group On/OFF. The name refers to the yellow ochre colored container of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. It was MSC’s yellow container that became a source of inspiration for the Group On/Off. The Group was established in 2017 in Georgia's film studio’s workshops and later on, moved to Dédicace Gallery. The group includes the following artists: Archibald Kordzaia, Gega Kutatelii, Giorgi Otiashvili, David Kukhalashvili, and Tamar Khmiadashvili Part of "the Yellow Box" is a display of installations by Zurab Sheqelashvili and Tornike Chapodze, which is represented as a container-shaped object. “The Yellow Box” showcases the paintings, graphics, and installation with different contextual representations. Exhibition was hosted by ATINATI’S Cultural Center.
Discover the BOLNISI MUSEUM, where you can view exhibitions that reveal the nature of the region, the history of the first hominin, and the emergence of agriculture. Here you can also see the evolution of ancient metallurgy and Bronze Age cultures, early Christian architecture, examples of old Georgian inscriptions, and stone and clay artifacts from the medieval era.
The program united more than 30 artists from Georgia and abroad; Held various events, talks and showcases presented by several galleries based in Tbilisi. Curated by Ser Serpas and Ketevan Shavgulidze
Tbilisi Mural Fest is an annual international street art festival held in the capital of Georgia. For the third time now, prominent artists from all over the world, along with local artists, are transforming the city into a public exhibition space - turning buildings into art objects. The festival has received widespread international media attention, introducing Tbilisi as a prime urban art destination.
ATINATI, as a cultural centre, has launched a series of talks. This is a possibility for art scene to generate ideas and new visions with audience.
Levan Tsutskiridze (1926 - 2021) was a Georgian monumentalist artist, illustrator, and painter of frescoes in the Sioni Cathedral, Tbilisi. Tsutskiridze was the author of illustrations of more than thirty books including The Knight in the Panther's Skin, published in Berlin, Moscow, Yerevan and Japan. Levan Tsutskiridze’s artworks currently held and exhibited at the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts.
Archibald Kordzaia's works are distinguished by colorful, characteristic decorative motives, where the author expresses tertiary illustrations. The author, with a generalized manner and excessive use of colors - which also contrasts with the depravity of his characters: often faceless, remain infantile concerning the chaos of the universe. It is paradise, where everything is possible, conceived, and usual.
Niniko Morbedaze (1957) - Graphic artist, film production designer. Niniko Morbedadze’s works successfully sold at Phillips contemporary art auction in 2020-2021 years. Her work rests heavily on the notion that what transpires in our subconscious and conscious minds can never be fully or accurately expressed. Music by Erekle Getsadze
Georgi (Gogi) Alexi-Meskhishvili (1941) beginning from 1971, served as stage designer of the Shota Rustaveli Drama Theatre, Zakaria Paliashvili Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, and also cooperated with the Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre. In 1975 he was elected as head designer of the Shota Rustaveli Drama Theatre, where he designed the sets for approximately 40 performances. Gogi Alexi-Meskhishvili has created costumes and set designs for many leading theaters in the world.
Along with their high artistic value and comprehensive theological content, the murals of Betania church reflect the political realities in the Georgian state of the time, as such they possess great historic significance, since they represent these events through changes made to the murals.
Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery hosts an exhibition of Irakli Parjiani’s (1950 - 1991) works together with Niko Pirosmani’s (1862 - 1918) paintings. Presenting the works of two great artists in one exhibition space offers viewers the opportunity to dive into the compelling context of 20th century Georgian art.
Guga-Kot Gallery presented Levan Manjavidze's (1977) solo exhibition, which showcases 13 of the artist’s major works. The pieces on display at the exhibition included the series “Old Children," each one of which reflects a particular planet and its uniqueness in our solar system.
Murtaz Shvelidze's series "Detectio" leads the viewers to childish curiosity combined with the process of searching something mysterious. The greater powers of observation and superior mind of the detective manifested in each pieces of paintings.
Step into a green atmosphere, where the color green is a reflection of the environment, a symbol of life and renewal. The show brings together the works of different generations of Georgian artists. The concept of Gallery 4710 is to focus on emerging art, which is the rationale underlying the exhibition "ECHOING GREEN".
Searching always makes sense. Since poetry has always been a favorite form of art for Georgians, this exhibition itself can remain as a written poem. This exhibition is each artist's first personal observation and an attempt to seek their own ‘language’ in contemporary Georgian art.
Dédicace Gallery and Margo Korableva Performance Theatre present an action-happening Variable Per Se, in which a figurative-physical interaction with the works of artists is given. This form of presentation disintegrates and at the same time expands the sensory and emotional base of art perception. The artist involved in this process becomes an accomplice of the collective of performers. Happening intuitively explores the relationship between author and viewer, between the creative process and the result. This process is based on the deconstruction and reconstruction model.
Salome Dumbadze (1992) is a Georgian artist, which controverts the characteristic thickness and often, masculine power associated with the oil brush, into an almost transparent experience of a painting by a paintball, reminding us strongly of girlhood. Works, encompass paintings, graphics, and textiles, tether tender translucence with tranquil transcendence.
Exhibition – „Sometimes Paradise is a Sad Story“ 4710 Contemporary Art Gallery “The name of the exhibition already promises us something about the celestial realm, but while doing so, it also reveals a kind of melancholy and doubt. What does sadness have to do with paradise? On entering the gallery, one sees entire walls covered with pencil sketches/drawings. It's hard to define them as graphic, they mostly resemble drawings scratched onto walls, something one usually finds in Tiflis’ buildings, jails, or on the walls of stations and other public places. A small book of poetry was launched together with the exhibition. In fact, the name of the exhibition is derived from a poem”.
ATINATI has begun to function as a cultural center as well. This is the first solo exhibition to focus on the paintings of Georgi (Gogi) Alexi-Meskhishvili (1941) The exhibition takes a fresh look at the work of the painter and theatre set designer and will be on display until 1 August
Explore old and contemporary acquisitions, highlights from the Exhibition titled - "Memory Fragments" Works of Sergei Parajanov and Georgi (Gogi) Alexi-Meskhishvili presented at "The Alexander Chavchavadze House Museum in Tsinandali" In parallel, the historic garden of the premises hosted a series of Uta Bekaia’s performances that were inspired by Parajanov.
Georgia-based artists who rose to prominence by virtue of their individual aesthetics expressed through group performances Artists in the show: Keti Kapanadze, Ketuta Alexi-Meskhishvili, Anna K.E., David Meskhi, Gvantsa Jishkariani, Nata Sopromadze, Hosted by TBC Concept Flagship Space; Music By Erekle Getsadze
Exhibition titled as "Postmodernist Petroglyphs" presented at Dédicace Gallery The artworks aren't petroglyphs, representation reduced to the liner, symbolic and #abstract signs the artists tried to create a certain parallel with archaic petroglyphs and cave images with a minimalistic, simple technique. However, unlike archaic images, these works have a lot of cultural layers. They aren't a naive illustration of the world, but an attempt to fit cultural and emotional multi-layered experiences of a contemporary man into simple, laconic signs.
Tbilisi Mural Fest is an annual festival of street art held in Tbilisi. For the second time now, prominent artists from Berlin and other European cities are transforming Georgia’s capital into a public exhibition space - turning buildings into art objects. A new collaboration with the Kutaisi International University - a massive educational space with many buildings - resulted in a new mural festival in Kutaisi. This year, six murals will be created in Kutaisi. Besik Maziashvili, the founder of the festival is planning to make the festival an annual event.
The exhibition initially conceived as a “No Fair”, a non-commercial exhibition organized in Tbilisi. "Know Thy Neighbor" united more than 20 participants and demonstrated a mix of physical and virtual projects as prompted by the travel restrictions.
The artist is regarded as a pioneer of the urban landscape in Georgian modernism. Her paintings are noted for the combination of decorative and painterly treatment - the use of a multitude of concrete details and generalized, almost abstract elements, the impression of depth and two-dimensionality, careful attention to detail, and application of broad, flat brushstrokes.
“IRREAL REALITY” was the topic of hand print international festival “LIFE N STYLE” this year. Recently the festival was presented in Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art. The festival fostered revival of one of the leading branches of contemporary visual art- hand print. Artists from 10 countries took part in the exhibition. The participant countries were as follows: Georgia, the USA, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Spain, Canada, Russia, France, Armenia.
Vakho Bugadze is an artist who manages to strike a delicate balance between contrasting elements, combining brutal energy and sophisticated sensitivity to create a world free of tension in his works. Vakho Bugadze often focuses on depicting the nuances of the bodies of animals and birds, turning their natural shapes into a constant subject of his works.
In the light of the ongoing pandemic, visual arts have been more concerned with the idea of timelessness and exploration of underlying spatial concepts. As a result of inherent global changes, interrelation with art has taken a brand-new form, restricting presence of time and space in virtually everyone’s life. Tbilisi History Museum addressed the issue by hosting Misha Gogrichiani’s exhibition, featuring series of minimalist landscapes that share a common urban concept sign: EXIT.
Karaman Kutateladze, the grandson of Kiril Zdanevich and now the director of Art Villa Garikula is one of those few persons who is a bridge between avant-garde and contemporary art. He grew up in Georgia, but in late 80s he lived in Paris and then in the USA.
The exhibition “Wherever I go, Water Follows” simultaneously unites the well-known and the distant, the existing and nonexistent, the seen and unachievable, abandoned and imaginary notions and locations that are impregnated in our memories and introduce a post-apocalyptic universe not marked on any map, but familiar to us from our reality or our dreams”.
Maia Naveriani is a Georgian artist who began working as a citizen of the Soviet Union and then moved to London. She currently lives and works in Tbilisi. Her works, executed primarily in colored pencil or watercolor on paper, are catalytic — charged with a jolt of life, and composed as if chasing after light.
Monochrome images of the cosmos are as mysterious as the cosmos itself. His creative mission is hard to convey verbally and the artist himself does not seek theoretical clarity either—to him, all this is the kind of work that may well be considered synonymous with our existence and life at large.
"AT WHAT PRICE?!" Show by Luca Lazar. It all began in Georgia, in the 1980s. Luka Lasareishvili, representing the second most important wave in the history of Georgian abstract art, is now one of the most renowned contemporary Georgian artists residing abroad, known by the name of Luca Lazar.
“AT WHAT PRICE?!" Zura Arabidze (1980). Series of objects, created with bits and pieces of shattered or damaged mirrors, were meant to convey the human self—its numerous versions, combined as one to form a unified whole—our inimitable personality.
Koka Ramishvili is a Georgian artist, who lives in Geneva, works with different mediums and any of his projects is distinguished by reflexivity and exquisite quality. His art biography is very diverse: embraces artistic quests for general problems, as well as personal and intimate spaces.
Cloth printing and the application of coloured threads, patterns and overlays have become new ways of artistic expression, with textile artworks being increasingly displayed at art exhibitions.
Solo travelling is a part of Tato’s life and, according to him; it does not happen for inspirational purposes, he travels alone to stay with himself and “listen to silence”.
David Kukhalashvili’s oeuvre incorporates motifs of Surrealism and Funk art, which the artist synthesizes for the purpose of conveying satirical content. He has authored a variety of critical pieces with dual meaning, which are bound to be stripped of their seemingly benevolent appearance, projected through vibrant colors and sharp silhouettes, as soon as the viewer takes a closer look, only to discover the inherently harsh, disparaging and bitterly critical narrative.
Vakho Bugadze is an artist who manages to strike a delicate balance between contrasting elements, combining brutal energy and sophisticated sensitivity to create a world free of tension in his works. Vakho Bugadze often focuses on depicting the nuances of the bodies of animals and birds, turning their natural shapes into a constant subject of his works.
Karlo Kacharava is a significant figure in the 1980 –1990s history of Georgian culture. He was multisided person: painter, poet, essayist and theorist. He left an indelible imprint on development of Georgian art.
Tato Akhalkatsishvili (born 1979) is one of the most outstanding visual artists of our time. His oeuvre encompasses a variety of genres and media, including painting, installations, objects, collages and video art.
The artist applied The gesso technique, characteristic to frescos of medieval centuries to create easel painting. Ateni Sioni frescos, seen in the expedition, have become his first inspiration. The tradition of eastern miniature and Georgian fresco co-exist in the artist’s works. The generalized world that the artist conveys in his compositions is at the same time remarkably real. Merab Abramishvili is a representative of the generation that said a new, avant-garde word in Georgian painting, in the event of weakening of the Soviet regime, and established itself as the "80s" generation in Georgian art.
The artist is regarded as a pioneer of the urban landscape in Georgian modernism. Her paintings are noted for the combination of decorative and painterly treatment - the use of a multitude of concrete details and generalized, almost abstract elements, the impression of depth and two-dimensionality, careful attention to detail, and application of broad, flat brushstrokes.
“It is a continuous process, creativity is continuous. You might be somewhere, not painting at all, but thinking of a drawing and the way you are painting it. This is a rule I have been following for 40 years” – Mamuka Tsetskhladze. His career dates back to the 1980s and continues to this day. The artist is mainly interested in architectural terrain and landscapes.
Niko Pirosmani has remained in art history as the greatest Georgian artist of the modern era. His influence reaches artists worldwide. (In particular Pablo Picasso was intrigued by the work of Pirosmani, appreciating his unique style. ) His art is mostly focused on surrounding people’s lives, nature as well as various animals. With his minimalistic technique he deeply expresses the emotional side of his work as he presents marvelous scenes with real and surreal elements. His unique artwork is inspired by the mix of creative freedom, reality and independence.