PAATA MERABISHVILI
PUBLIC
In the 1980s, Georgian sculpture saw the birth and development of a new sense of plastic volume and willingness to experiment with materials...
He grew up in a family of the famous Georgian sculptors and painters, a celebrated dynasty that made a huge contribution to the art developments in the mid-20th...
Рaata Merabishvili's talent is huge and authentic. He is a prominent figure on the Russian art scene, but for us, he is also, and probably primarily, a very close friend...
About Myself
The ability to experience joy and bring it to others is a magical feeling. It is a great gift — a moment of sincere delight when you shine from within. With such a magical feeling, I was born in 1964 into a family of artists in the city of Tbilisi, the capital of small, sunny Georgia. History, ancient culture, musical sounds and the bright sky, fragrant alleys and delicious memories have accompanied me since childhood.
The Tbilisi Iakob Nikoladze Art College turned out to be a place where hearts and minds united: my parents met there when they both were art students mastering painting. Since early childhood, I watched my father draw and implement his creative ideas. My mother, later an art critic, spoke about the history of art, sharing her knowledge and opening for me a vast, unfamiliar world.
In due time I also joined the sculpture faculty of the Tbilisi Art College. When a student, I was fond of swimming and water polo, which I viewed as something between serious sport and a hobby. But my true inspiration came from a trip to Leningrad (where else could this have happened!), where my fellow students and I went as part of our programme. A visit to the Hermitage, Peterhof, and many other famous art-related sites and the cultural milieu fuelled my further development. Finally, I made my choice between professional sports and art.
After graduation, in 1984 I entered the Tbilisi Academy of Arts. It was a miracle. That year Prof. Gogi Ochiauri, a notable sculptor and irreplaceable authority to this day, chaired the admissions commission. It was a turning point for me. I realised that sculpture was my conscious choice, the art that was central to my future life and career.
My student years were filled with all the pleasures and amusements of Tbilisi life such as theatre, cinema, music, and the vivid impressions of artists with whom I was personally acquainted and whose works I admired. Back then I also met my wife and lifetime partner Rusudan Kintsurashvili, the mother of our two sons Levan and Luka, and my inspiration and support to this day, not only in our family life but also in my work.
Then we moved to Moscow. The frantic rhythm and succession of events in a huge metropolis, the new environment, a different language, mentality, and temperament have undoubtedly influenced my art practice, adding new colours, motifs, and impressions to it.
The Tbilisi Iakob Nikoladze Art College turned out to be a place where hearts and minds united: my parents met there when they both were art students mastering painting. Since early childhood, I watched my father draw and implement his creative ideas. My mother, later an art critic, spoke about the history of art, sharing her knowledge and opening for me a vast, unfamiliar world.
In due time I also joined the sculpture faculty of the Tbilisi Art College. When a student, I was fond of swimming and water polo, which I viewed as something between serious sport and a hobby. But my true inspiration came from a trip to Leningrad (where else could this have happened!), where my fellow students and I went as part of our programme. A visit to the Hermitage, Peterhof, and many other famous art-related sites and the cultural milieu fuelled my further development. Finally, I made my choice between professional sports and art.
After graduation, in 1984 I entered the Tbilisi Academy of Arts. It was a miracle. That year Prof. Gogi Ochiauri, a notable sculptor and irreplaceable authority to this day, chaired the admissions commission. It was a turning point for me. I realised that sculpture was my conscious choice, the art that was central to my future life and career.
My student years were filled with all the pleasures and amusements of Tbilisi life such as theatre, cinema, music, and the vivid impressions of artists with whom I was personally acquainted and whose works I admired. Back then I also met my wife and lifetime partner Rusudan Kintsurashvili, the mother of our two sons Levan and Luka, and my inspiration and support to this day, not only in our family life but also in my work.
Then we moved to Moscow. The frantic rhythm and succession of events in a huge metropolis, the new environment, a different language, mentality, and temperament have undoubtedly influenced my art practice, adding new colours, motifs, and impressions to it.