Quote:
Nina Loki has been painting for as long as she can remember, always knowing she wanted to be a painter without considering other professions. For her, painting is not just a way to explore the external world but also a means to understand and give life to her inner world on paper. She makes the invisible visible, expressing emotions, feelings, and thoughts born from her mind and soul. Nina emphasizes that she paints what she feels rather than what she sees. She primarily works on easel graphics, a field that involves hand-printing, which she was drawn to due to the technology's complexity.
Printing techniques have been gradually developing in the visual art and they present an important medium in contemporary art. Printing techniques are subset of graphic art and vary according to the surface and utilization of the material. There are: Engraving, etching, xylography, linocut, lithography, serigraphy, screen printing.
The pop-art king Andy Warhol took screen printing techniques to a completely different level and as a result, established an experimental vision in this direction of contemporary visula art. Different Georgian artists have been also developing printing techniques throughout the years. The first Georgian engraver Grigor Tatishvili strated creating works with xylography in the second half of the 19th century. The directions of xylography and linocut took a prominent place in the works of artits such as Davit Kutateladze, Teimuraz Kubaneishvili, Dinara Nodia, Jemal Lolua, and others.
Nana Kirmelashvili's journey with easel graphics began through her friendship with Ladi Togonidze, an advocate for serigraphy. In 2004, they created the first "Life N Style" collection with six artists. Encouraged by Ladi, Nana worked to revive the field, eventually partnering with Vakho Sakvarelidze and Vakhtang Megrelishvili.
In 2016, their first workshop inspired annual festivals that expanded to include various printmaking techniques. They established a unique workshop and gallery featuring works from top Georgian artists since the 80s.
Festival Life N Style, now in its sixth year, has become an international event. It aims to revive and popularize this field in Georgia, elevate it globally, and create contemporary art. The festival has increased awareness, attracting new collectors, especially among the younger generation.
Ia Gigoshvili is a prominent painter and graphic artist known for her contributions to the development of serigraphy in Georgian fine arts. Her career milestone was illustrating "The Wisdom of Balahwar" in 1980. Gigoshvili's work often reflects a connection to fresco art, with authentic Georgian painting characteristics evident in her printed graphics.
Vakhtang Megrelishvili is an artist, curator, and associate professor at the Academy of Arts. He directs multiple workshops in Georgia and abroad. Known for his tireless work and experimentation, Megrelishvili emphasizes that an artist must possess a passionate and free spirit. He believes art is freedom and that artists must deeply connect with the world and society.
As a graphic artist, Megrelishvili highlights the importance of mastering various techniques and technologies, requiring intelligence, dedication, and versatility. He notes that creating a well-executed graphic work demands understanding the intricacies of the medium. Megrelishvili's approach underscores the need for artists to surpass time and engage deeply with their environment to achieve meaningful results.
Quote:
An artist must be free - art is freedom…
An artist must surpass time and have deep connections with this world, this society, this reality…
An artist must be pure like water…” - Vakhtang Megrelishvili
This article highlights emerging artist George Zhordania, a Tbilisi State Academy of Arts graduate, known for his etching series that blend romantic moods with modern photographic vision. His compositions, reminiscent of Japanese gravure, feature asymmetrical landscapes and tree series expressing a unique state.
The issue also presents Nino Esaiashvili, a graphic designer specializing in easel and digital graphics. Her works play with forms and textures, combining traditional methods and digital technologies to create original and authentic compositions. Additionally, it features Eka Oragvelidze, a painter and graphic artist. Oragvelidze's works achieve spatiality through achromatic tones and laconic compositions, reflecting the environment with religious layers and personal symbolism.
Key Phrases:
Ze-Gavlena concept author and Editor-in-Chief: Thea Goguadze
Editor of this edition: Vakhtang Megrelishvili
Design: Irina Kacharava (I-studio)
Cover: Nino Loki (Khvingia)
