Reach Art Visual and Bonhams: Establishing Georgian Art as a Standalone Auction Category
From May 19 to 29, 2025, Bonhams presented Georgian Art Now, the first auction at a leading international auction house dedicated exclusively to Georgian art.
The establishment of Georgian art as an autonomous category within the global auction system marked a decisive moment in its international recognition. The auction followed several years of sustained strategic work by Reach Art Visual to secure formal recognition of Georgian art as a distinct category within the international market.
While Georgian artists had previously appeared at major auctions, including Bonhams’ 2023 Georgian Armenian sale, they had been positioned within broader regional contexts. The introduction of a dedicated category has created a clear and independent framework, enabling Georgian art to be presented and evaluated on its own terms.
The sale featured 42 works by 27 artists and concluded with total sales of £176,000, with approximately two-thirds of the works successfully placed. The results signaled substantive international interest and growing collector confidence in Georgian modern and contemporary practice.
Reach Art Visual represented a curated group of artists whose works contributed significantly to the sale:
Featured Artists
Gregor Danelian (1950–2021)
Veil of Serenity achieved £19,200. His work Enigmatic Assembly previously appeared in Bonhams’ “British and European Art” sale in July 2024, realizing $24,600 and exceeding its low estimate.
Lia Bagrationi (b. 1957)
Two works from her View From My Window series (2023–2024) achieved £11,520 each.
Merab Kopaleishvili (b. 1967)
Two paintings from his French Series realized £10,240 each.
Gaioz (Giorgi) Kotrikadze (1915–2005)
A work from his Cuba Series achieved £7,680.
Maya Sumbadze (b. 1972)
Two monogram works realized £8,960.
Gagosh / Giorgi Gagoshidze (b. 1986)
Two untitled mixed-media sculptures on gypsum (2025) achieved £1,536 each.
The introduction of a standalone category for Georgian art constitutes a structural shift in its international reception. Beyond individual results, the sale has established durable conditions through which Georgian art may be studied, exhibited, collected, and positioned globally with greater historical and cultural precision.
