Reach Art Visual, in collaboration with the George Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation, published Italy 1956: Photographer, the first comprehensive presentation of a previously unpublished photographic archive by Sergo Kobuladze.
Widely recognized for his portrait of Dante Alighieri and for his illustrations to The Knight in the Panther's Skin by Shota Rustaveli, Kobuladze has seldom been considered in relation to photography. The publication presents travel photographs taken during his 1956 journey to Italy, offering a rare opportunity to encounter the artist’s gaze on Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan at a pivotal historical moment.
The images were created during the Soviet Union’s return to the Venice Art Biennale after a twenty year absence, in a period of cautious cultural reopening. As the sole Georgian artist selected to represent the USSR, Kobuladze presented his illustration The Capture of Nestan Darejan.
Alongside his official participation, he documented Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan, recording both major architectural landmarks and scenes of everyday urban life. Preserved for decades in the artist’s personal archive and now held by the Chubinashvili Centre, these photographs are published here for the first time. They reveal an observational approach of an artist and reflect a rare encounter with Western Europe during the Cold War.
The publication contributes to a reassessment of Kobuladze’s legacy and to broader scholarship on twentieth century Georgian art. The album is available through the AFA Concept Gallery, a platform established by Art Foundation Anagi for limited editions and exhibition-related publications.
