David Kakabadze belongs to the wave of Georgian
artists who got to experience Paris in the beginning of 20th century. The 7
years the artist has spent there became crucial in the development of his
style. Being part of Parisian life Kakabadze has soaked in the European spirit
and is considered to be the 'most European' painter in Georgian Art History.
Keeping up with the relevant European tendencies his oeuvre offers some very
interesting cubist and abstract paintings. He is supposed to have pioneered the
biomorphic abstraction.
Landscape plays crucial role in Kakabadze's
oeuvre and especially the views of his home of Imereti. These canvases remind
of the childhood sensations, saturated with warmth in the mind of an
adult. Imereti-Mother is the most famous canvas from this
series summarising Kakabadze's
attitude, filled with dearest sentiments to the province of Georgia, Imereti.
Returned to the Soviet reality of Georgia,
Kakabadze was forced to paint the hymns to Soviet Party, but the language of
Socialist Realism was so alien to the fluid abstractions that constantly
disapproved he was expelled from the academy as an unworthy lecturer.
The exposition at the Georgian National Museum
has been curated by the artist's grandchild, Mariam Kakabadze, also in
charge of the Kakabadze foundation. The aim of the exhibition as the curator
explained was to portray the multi-faceted persona of David Kakabadze- the
painter, researcher, inventor, set designer and photographer. The display is
arranged thematically which can be seen as a new word in Georgian curating.
For Georgians David Kakabadze has become an
emblem of the European past trampled by the Soviet army. Despite being such a
pivotal figure for local modern art scene, this is the first retrospective of
his.
Self-portraits:
Some of the Imereti landscape paintings:
From Socialist Realism:
Photos of David Kakabadze:
Thanks for posting this. Love Kakabadze.
ReplyDeletexx
maya