Gia Bugadze
Gia Bugadze | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nationality | Georgian |
| Education | Tbilisi State Academy of Arts |
| Known for | painting, graphic, mural, video |
Gia Bugadze (Georgian: გია ბუღაძე;) is a prolific contemporary Georgian artist who works in both fine arts media, such as painting, as well as digital media. Since, 2003, Gia Bugadze is the Rector of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts.
Biography
Gia (Giorgi) Bugadze was born on September 24, 1956, in one of the old city areas of Tbilisi (Georgia), in a family of doctors. From early age upwards he showed talent for art. He acquired a classical education within the Soviet reality of Georgia. He studied at the Palace of Pioneers and Pupils, after, at the I. Nikoladze Institute and the last was the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (1977-1981), the Studio of Giorgi Totibadze and Koki Makharadze at the Faculty of Fine Arts. In 1985, he graduated from studies at the creative studio of the USSR Art Academy, under headship of Ucha Japaridze.
Early career
In the end of 1980s, his aunt’s flat on Dzerjinski street (nearby Sh.Rustaveli avenue) became a gathering point for the Tbilisi intellectual-artistic personalities (Karlo Kacharava, Mamuka Japaridze, Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Niko Tsetskhladze, Goga Maglakelidze, etc.). In the same period, he becomes an inspirer of the renowned group “Archivarius”, as well as, an active participant of an artistic unification: the “X floor” and later on, the “Marjanishvili period”; and also, initiator and author of various innovative exhibitions, actions and manifests. His name is credited with an idea of establishing “Karvasla” as a contemporary art venue, to be fostered within the “Georgian National Museum” conception. A passion for rethinking the history is well conceived in his paintings of that times. Later on, he called his creative activity Neoconservative', since “Perestroika” till announcement of Georgia independence.
Life and career
He acknowledges his teacher to be the well-known Georgian artist Jibson Khundadze, the power of color, absorbed from him, was applied for a task of an artwork improvement, it was transformed and was established in its individual style, characterized by composition with live dramatics, audacity of the mastered art-piece. He has realized various personal exhibitions in Vatican- Rome, Basel, Zurich, Prague, Köln, Tallinn, Munich , Berlin, Moscow, Palermo, Barcelona, Paris, Cannes, Odessa , Yerevan, as well as participated in group exhibitions, international projects, and as a speaker - in international symposiums, forums, round tables and conferences (The George Washington University, Thomas Jefferson University - USA, Basel University-Switzerland, Amsterdam-Netherlands, Köln-Germany, Paris-France, Vilnius-Lithuania, Cesis-Latvia).
At the end of Millennium, he turned towerds educational activity. Initially, he was the academy teacher, later on - the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, and lastly, the Rector of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts since 2003. At present, the studio of Gia Bugadze involves hundreds of students at the Tbilisi academy.
- I am the professional artist,I am the professional teacher,I am the professional listener,I am the professional reader. As for me, the books and music are the same, that the buildings are for the city. Without them, art isn’t being created in my inward, that’s why, through my art, I have been the musician, writer, teacher and also, the artist”.
Personal life
The general characteristics of cultural circumstances of post-totalitarian countries completely affected the Georgian arts too. In these conditions, “survival” of an artist, detecting the identification point with the reality and mainly, self-realization, showed up in searching, appeared to be a hard problem. He was always supported by his spouse - a like-minded person, an art historian Ani kldiashvili. He has two children, Nino Bugadze-an architect and Lasha Bugadze-writer and dramatist, representative of the new Georgian culture.
Awards
He has been awarded many Prizes at various contests: in 1985 – Best Artwork of the Year – major Prize of the contest, held by Georgian Union of Artists; five years later - Prize of the President of France for the Best National Collection , at the International Festival in Cannes, France; in 1993 – Medal of Iakob Gogebashvili, awarded by Georgian Educators Association and Medal of Anton Cathalicon; in 2001 – Medal of the Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University ; in 2002 of Vatican “Carolus Magnus”.
Artwork
Gia Bugadze achieved an early fame with the series of paintings called “Life of Kartli” (in different words History of Georgia). Since then, he often painted mythological characters, and their ‘appearance – or, ‘embodiment, or reincarnation feels as almost mystical.
Murals give full scope to his imagination, that appeals with complicated and large-scale compositions. In 2010, in Batumi, he painted the Piazza arch “Sea boarding - house”.He has realized a wide range of mural projects in the temples and secular buildings: Church of Martin Luther in Berlin , and St. Nino Georgian Church in Paris; the library and conference hall of the Tbilisi State University , the conference halls of the Ilia State University and of the Georgian Technical University; the City Hall chamber; the “Kings Chamber” of the Georgian Parliament, the Hall of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia ; apartment of Claudio Berlinjieri in Rome; the “Chamber of Freedom of Speech ‘ at the Louisiana State University ,USA; artistic panel “Tbilisi’ . His fantasies through various media are turning up in an interesting form.
Bibliography
- “Who is who?” Cambridge publication, editions 25, 26;
- Georgian Encyclopedia publications-2006, 2004, 2003.