Beno Gordeziani is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in Georgian avant-garde art. His name is most closely identified with the Dadaist-Futurist group known as 'H2SO4.' This literary-artistic association was established in 1924. In a similar way to the effect of sulfuric acid (the chemical formula of which is reflected in the group’s name), its members aspired to destroy everything old and outmoded in the creative world.

The Shaliani Icon is preserved in the most important shrine of Upper Svaneti — the Church of St. Kvirike (Lagurka). This modest, hall-type church is situated atop a mountain in the community (temi) of Kala, on the left bank of the Enguri River. Although architecturally unassuming, the church occupies a prominent place in the history of medieval Georgian art. Its interior is adorned with remarkable 12th-century frescoes attributed to the renowned royal artist Theodore. The church treasury houses exceptional examples of medieval Georgian goldsmithing, among them the Shaliani Icon, a masterpiece of Byzantine origin.

The church is dated to the 10th c. and is built of well-cut ashlar. It is a single nave church with a projecting apse and an ambulatory. The western façade is decorated with thick blind arches that imbue the small building with an air of monumentality. The sanctuary is separated from the hall by a five-arched chancel-barrier.