The Avant-Garde in Georgia: 1900–1936

In 1918, Georgia declared its independence, and between then and 1921, an Avant-Garde creative scene flourished in Kutaisi and Tbilisi. Artists collaborated in multidisciplinary events, blending Georgian tradition and Western and Eastern influences. Divergent movements like Symbolism/Neo-Symbolism, Futurism, Dadaism, Zaum, Expressionism, Cubism, and Cubo-Futurism coexisted, creating unprecedented creative turbulence. This book explores the unknown story of this vibrant Avant-Garde in the Caucasus, illustrated with works by renowned artists.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 11 December 2023
Publisher: Cannibal/Hannibal Publishers

In the aftermath of the Russian Empire's collapse and the October Revolution, Georgia proclaimed its independence in 1918. A thriving Avant-Garde creative scene emerged between then and the onset of Soviet rule in 1921. Artists gathered in numerous taverns and cafés in Kutaisi and the capital Tbilisi, fostering multidisciplinary events. Their frequent collaborations and exchanges, infused with Georgian tradition, Western, and Eastern influences, took diverse forms, including paintings, drawings, films, photographs, performances, and typographical experiments. Diverse movements like Symbolism/Neo-Symbolism, Futurism, Dadaism, Zaum, Expressionism, Cubism, and Cubo-Futurism coexisted in unprecedented creative turmoil.

This book unveils the untold story of a vibrant Avant-Garde in the Caucasus, nurtured in the taverns of Tbilisi. These artistic laboratories were hubs of boundless possibilities, yet they were also shadowed by Soviet censorship. Extensively illustrated with works by renowned artists such as Elene Akhvlediani, Gigo Gabashvili, Irakli Gamrekeli, Lado Gudiashvili, David Kakabadze, Petre Otskheli, Niko Pirosmanashvili, Ilia, and Kirile Zdanevich, among others, this book offers a captivating glimpse into the creative landscape of a bygone era.

Weight: 1688g
Dimension: 249 x 332 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789464666632