contributors

David Kakabadze(1889 - 1952) artist, film director, stage designer, inventor of glassless stereo cinema, art researcher and theorist one of the most significant figures of Georgian modernism was born in 1889, in the village of Kukhi, Georgia. After finishing Kutaisi gymnasium, he studied at the faculty of Natural Sciences within St. Petersburg University. Simultaneously, he worked in the studio of the painter L. Dimitryev-Kavkazsky. In 1910, he began to work in photography. In 1916, after graduating from the university, Kakabadze returned to Georgia. He taught physics and mathematics in Tbilisi school. In 1919, together with his brother Sargis Kakabadze, he published “Shvidi Mnatobi” (“Seven Stars”) – an interdisciplinary journal. From 1921 through 1927, he participated in each annual exhibition of the “Salon of the Independents” (Salon des indépendants) and published books. After returning to Soviet Georgia (1927) he had only one exhibition at “Orient Hotel” in 1928, after that he produced no art until 1933. At this time he worked at Tbilisi Art Academy, Kote Marjanishvili theatre and became an art director for the important new work emerging in Georgian cinema. In 1929-1931 he made his own film, “Monuments of Material Culture in Georgia”. In the 1940s, he completed the work he’d begun in Paris on Georgian ornaments. From 1943, he served as professor of the Academy of Art, and in 1933-1942 – he became the head of the studies of the same institution.

Levan Chogoshvili (1953) is a Georgian artist, one of the pioneer contemporary artists of Georgia. In 2002 he has founded a Contemporary art Foundation and co-founded a journal Iliazd. He organized the Exchange Program for artists “Basel-Tbilisi-Freiburg” (1998-2008); Member of ICOM-ის and CIMAM; International Project initiated by Daniel Bauman, Tbilisi2-Tbilisi 16, co-organization (2004-2017); Exhibitions: Mona Bismarck Foundation, Paris (1990); Gallery L`orangerie, Saint-Paul de Vence (1990); Moscow Painters House (1993); XS Gallery, Basel (1994); Gallery ZYW, Edinburgh international festival (1996); Beyond Bans, 50^th Venice Biennale; Grand Opening at Video Art Centre, New York (2006); Spike art Magazine,  Anzengruber Biennale, Cafe Anzengruber, Vienna, (2009); THE FANTASTIC TAVERN. THE TBILISI AVANTGARDE, Casey Kaplan Gallery, New York (2009); Gender Check, MUMOK, Vienna (2010); PANSLAVISMS, Laura Palmer Foundation, Warsaw, (2013); Age of Euroremonts, Book about Georgian Pavilion on Venice 55^th Biennial in Visual Art, 2013; My Statement, ARTFORUM International, March-April (2013); Cagnes-sur-Mer, Festival (1990) etc. Lives and works in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Andro Semeiko (1975) is a Georgian artist based in London who studied at Royal Academy of Arts and Goldsmiths College. Semeiko constructs multi-layered painting installations based on his practice as a painter in conjunction with an empirical research into history and literature. He has been collaborating with writers, historians, scientists, actors and dancers. Semeiko’s work is often site-specific and multi-disciplinary. Recent exhibitions include: ‘Unveiling Vazha Pshavela’, Asia House, London, UK (2019); ‘Polka Dots and Curls’ (solo), narrative projects, London, UK (2018-19); 3rd Tbilisi Triennial, Georgia (2018); SAMUK Biennale, Nojeonbong Art Park & Museum, South Korea (2018); ‘Nature Morte’, Museum of Contemporary Art, Wrocław, Poland (2017); ‘Nostalgia for the Future’, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taiwan (2016); ‘Towards Understanding Huai Su’ (solo), SCP, Tainan, Taiwan (2015); ‘An Artist’s Workshop for Unveiling Emotions’ (solo), BALTIC 39, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (2013). Semeiko’s awards include Berwick Fellowship, UK (2010) and Young Artist of the Year British Institution Award, Royal Academy of Arts, UK (2004).