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11/04/2024 history

ILIA CHAVCHAVADZE

Ilia Chavchavadze was born in 1837. At that time, Georgia had already ceased to exist as a political entity, not with even a minimal degree of sovereignty. By the manifesto of 1801 of Alexander I, the Kingdom of Kartli -Kakheti officially joined the Russian Empire. Soon, the Kingdom of Imereti fell to the same fate.

05/04/2024 art

SOCIALIST REALISM IN GEORGIAN PAINTING (FROM 1921 TO 1950)

The formation and evolution of socialist realist art in Georgia commenced during the 1930s and 1940s. However, its ideological foundations in Russia were seen between 1922 and 1932. Critical realism (peredvizhniks), constructivism, neoclassicism, and French classical realism conditioned the eclectic visual language typical of socialist realism and its utopian ideology.

28/03/2024 art

HIDDEN TRACES OF GEORGIAN MODERNISM IN ALEKSANDRE TSIMAKURIDZE'S LANDSCAPE

Aleksandre Tsimakuridze is recognized as one of the chief supporters of the landscape genre in 20th century Georgian realistic easel painting. Notwithstanding the significant contributions of figures such as David Kakabadze and Elene Akhvlediani, who established landscape painting both as a genre and as a thematic focus in Georgian art, it can be asserted that Aleksandre Tsimakuridze stands out as the first Georgian artist to devote himself entirely to the craft of landscape painting. Apart from a handful of portraits, Aleksandre Tsimakuridze’s artistic oeuvre is predominantly centered on landscape painting. As a result of his efforts, the genre of realistic landscape painting was firmly established in Georgian easel painting. Furthermore, the extensive years he spent teaching were equally significant, since he played a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the professional development of numerous Georgian landscape artists.

09/03/2024 history

KING VAKHTANG I GORGASALI

King Vakhtang I Gorgasali (ca. 442–502) was arguably the greatest Georgian king of late antiquity. From the early Middle Ages onwards, he became one of the main protagonists of Georgian folklore - a great king whose power could shake even the icy peaks of the Caucasus; a fierce fighter with superhuman strength and bravery. Unfortunately for scholars, most medieval accounts about King Vakhtang are predominantly legendary. However, that does not mean he did not exist and was invented later, nor is he as legendary as, say, King Arthur. Indeed, most scholars agree that King Vakhtang was a historical figure who ruled the Kingdom of Iberia in the late fifth century.

16/02/2024 architecture

PUDZNARI CHURCH

Pudznari Church of the Mother of God is located near the village of Bodavi, in the gorge of the River Bodaviskhevi, the left tributary of the Aragvi River. It stands on a flat location at the bottom of a hill, in the center of an enclosed courtyard.

11/02/2024 art

SHALVA KIKODZE'S SELF PORTRAIT

Shalva Kikodze’s emergence on the Georgian art scene was comparable to a meteoric phenomenon. The duration of his creative activity spans just fourteen years. In 1908, at the age of 14, his first caricature was published in the Georgian humorous magazine "The Devil's Whip." His final work appeared in October 1921 during an exhibition at "La Licorne" Gallery in Paris, featuring works by three Georgian artists — Lado Gudiashvili, Davit Kakabadze, and Shalva Kikodze.

04/02/2024 art

THE TIRELESS EMBROIDERER. VERA PAGAVA

At the end of the 50s/beginning of the 60s Vera Pagava created a unique graphic style, which she mostly employed for plein-air landscape paintings and occasionally for the production of still lifes.The artist utilized this method to produce dozens of lyrical drawings that capture the fleeting essence of nature. Pagava drew dots and created images on blank pieces of paper using just a pencil (graphite).

27/01/2024 art

SOLOMON GERSHOV

Solomon Gershov was a Jewish artist from the Soviet Union and a representative of nonconformist art. These words themselves imply the inevitable dramatic development of Gershov’s life and creative work. All Jewish artists in the Soviet Union were possessed of a dual identity, and they continually needed to adjust to a different way of life, feeling like aliens in the world of art and not only.

27/01/2024 architecture

THE GREAT SYNAGOGUE OF TBILISI

The presence of a Jewish diaspora in Georgia has been attested since ancient times. In late antiquity, a significant Jewish community existed in Mtskheta, where they established a synagogue. In the Middle Ages, Jewish populations resided in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe, Tskhinvali, and many other towns and cities.

19/01/2024 art

THE ERA OF QAJAR ART

Iranian easel painting from the 18th and 19th centuries occupies an important place in the history of both Iranian and global art. Owing to the fact that its initial creation and subsequent development occurred precisely during the reign of the Qajar dynasty in Iran, it is frequently referred to as Qajar or Royal Persian Painting. One of the world’s largest collections of easel paintings from the Qajar era is housed at the Shalva Amiranashvili State Museum of Fine Arts, which is a part of the National Museum of Georgia.

13/01/2024 art

DIMITRI SHEVARDNADZE

Dimitri Shevardnadze was the founder of the Society of Georgian Artists, the initiator and first director of the National Art Gallery, and the inspiration behind the State Art Museum, "Metekhi," of which he was also the first director. Based on the latter institution, the Shalva Amiranashvili State Art Museum of Georgia was established. Shevardnadze’s name is interwoven with the foundation of Niko Pirosmanashvili's museum collection and the popularization of his work. Dimitri Shevardnadze also served as Deputy Head of the Georgian Monuments Protection Committee.

05/01/2024 architecture

TSALENJIKHA CHURCH

The Church of the Savior is located near the town of Tsalenjikha in the historic province of Samegrelo. It stands in the middle of a vast courtyard that is surrounded by an enclosing wall.

16/12/2023 art

LEVAN KHARANAULI - HEIR OF VAZHA PSHAVELA'S LEGACY

Levan Kharanauli's artistic vision is both extremely personal and nationalistic at the same time. He stands firmly on his own soil, heritage, traditions, and the reality around him. He derives much inspiration from his homeland. For Levan Kharanauli, the work of his direct ancestor, Vazha Pshavela, is a philosophy that encompasses the whole world. Kharanauli’s art is something that a Georgian can introduce to the world. It is precisely by dint of their authenticity that his paintings are of value in a global context.

09/12/2023 cinema & theatre

DAVID KAKABADZE'S FIRST EXPERIMENT IN SCENOGRAPHY

In the 1910-1920s, editing principles were introduced into almost all fields of art: painting, literature, theater… However, since editing is primarily associated with movies, these specific tools primarily used in film (screens, projectors) immediately enriched the works of innovative scenographers. The concept of editing was well-suited to the consciousness of a “new” audience who were loaded with diverse information and longed for a frequent change in the means and forms of artistic impact, visual and sound impressions. Mirroring the rapidly changing state of society that was occurring under the influence of technological advancement, the theater began actively implementing technological innovations.

26/11/2023 art

LEILA SHELIA’S ABSTRACT DIARY

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