On 15 October, the Literary Museum’s gallery hosted the presentation of the album Georgian Modern Art and also the opening of consecutive exhibition. The mood among authors and art lovers who filled the hall to the last corner was one of festivity.
Our reader is already acquainted with Nato Sirbiladze, a female painter with a distinctly peculiar signature. She was very representative – with five pictures on display. “I particularly like the new still-life, as I have been accustomed to the old ones. It abounds with Georgian colors and at the same time it is very allegoric. As for the others: have you seen a cat like that? She is as cunning as a woman and on the fantastically beautiful violet background in a motion”, Sopiko Asatiani, one of her admirers commented.
Giorgi Melua’s two pictures on display were particularly stunning because of its resemblance to photography. Kavali Shanava’s still-lives were very authentic, painted in classical genre reminding of Courbet.
Gia Markozashvili is the author and organizer of the project: “Today is a very happy day. Here we see not only one generation or genre. Here, among these 31 painters, all generations and genres from realism to avant-garde are presented. Therefore, I believe that Georgian public has received a really interesting album. I thank everybody.”
The text belongs to Nana Gogelia, doctor of art history. She said: “The dynamics of color, creative impulse and particularly colorfulness, which are so characteristic of Georgian art, are all here. They need socialization because very often people don’t know what they paint. This is not a mere imitation of western art. They are full of inner intellectual thought and feelings. Each of them is free to express oneself and lead you to their inner world, telling about their attitudes and sensations.”
Davit Ugulava, Professor, who has written an article in the preface, also delivered a short speech: “God has given us four supreme things: love, kindness, beauty and truth. When art reigns, it means that these four concepts are reigning and thus God reigns”.
The catalogue contains works of 31 painters and very brief but exhaustive information. It is worthy to mention that some of these artworks are kept in the private collections and museums of different foreign countries.
The exposition will stay on display for two more days.