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Giga Datuashvili 1976-2000: exhibition





The National Gallery in Tbilisi, Georgia, is holding a brief exhibition of Georgian artist, Giga Datuashvili, from 22-28 February 2016. The exhibition, Giga Datuashvili: 1976-2000, at the Georgian National Museum Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery, commemorates the 40th anniverary of his birth. It also celebrates the brief 24 years of his life.

The works on display were created in the late 1990s. He commenced painting at an earl age, and also performed at the Children’s Music Theatre. Datuashvili studied in the Department of Painting Restoration at the Tbilisi State Art Academy. After graduating he contributed to the restoration of iconography in several churches, such as the Church of St. Nicholas in Martkopi, the Church of the Archangels in Gremi, and the Church of Sts. Quiricus and Julitta in Lagurka.


Throughout his work he constantly sketched on paper. His diary entries explains his works: ‘working on paper requires a lot of work. The exterior effect is slight, however. The process lasts for a long time, but it is right during this process that an artist takes shape spiritually.’

The works displayed are an attempt at gathering together his scattered thoughts. There are almost 120 pieces exhibited in various media in two rooms, including Indian ink, pencil on paper, watercolours, tempura on cardboard and paper, and pastel on paper. These include 15 Indian ink sketches, 58 pencil sketches on paper, 32 watercolours, 5 tempura on cardboard, 5 tempura on paper, and 3 pastels on paper.

The themes include Old Tbilisi in Indian ink on paper, a series of 20 watercolour portraits, tempura paintings ‘On the Beach’, which are my favourites, and many self portraits. On one wall are a series of 19 sketches with quotes from Datuashvili, taken from his diaries. ‘If a human being has the calling for development, why should she not develop her own soul? If a human being has a soul, why does he not live through the soul?

Datuashvili died at the age of 24 on 19 October 2000.

The following are his mural of the King's painter, Thevdore (tempura - this was his thesis work), Couple (tempura), and two watercolour portraits:





 Below are examples of his pencil sketches and Indian ink drawings:




Below are his self portraits:










MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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