The Art Environment and Creative Processes in 1980s Georgia
(Abstract)
1970s-1980s (especially the second half) has been perceived as a period of “Perestroika” which appears to be of vital importance to the post-Soviet environment. Certain general socio-political events that took place in the 1980s affected all life areas and apparently ongoing Georgian cultural processes did not serve as an exception.
A creative timeline of the 1980s can easily be analyzed as a two-stage scenario. The first phase would be considered around mid 1970s-1980s, while the second one – emerging specifically in 1984-1985. Artists of an earliest wave have been mentioned in art history research papers as “1980s Generation” representatives, including notable painters such as Irakli Parjiani, Levan Chogoshvili, Gia Bughadze, Merab Abramishvili, Gia Edzgveradze, Luka Lasareishvili, Iliko Zautashvili, Irakli Sutidze, Levan Laghidze, Jemal Kukhalashvili, Shalva Matuashvili and Gia Gugushvili.
For initial front men of the 1980s, creative processes flowed in a distinctive direction. They could even be classified as certain groups, according to their respective areas of interest. E.g., a cluster formed around Georgian artist, Shura Bandzeladze, was fascinated by Eastern philosophy and abstraction, including Gia Edzgveradze, Iliko Zautashvili, Luka Lasareishvili, Gela Zautashvili, Gia Mgaloblishvili and others. Another circle was highly captivated by the theme of Christianity, its philosophy and history, constantly thinking about the ways of reconnecting with eternal spirituality. This so-called union involved Gia Bughadze, Levan Chogoshvili, Irakli Parjiani and Merab Abramishvili.
In the second chunk of 1980s, throughout “Perestroika”, a space for Georgian art gradually became more diverse and open alongside being chaotic and confusing. Processes were accelerated, a number of activities were conducted occasionally. Overall, it gave a revolutionary scent to an art scene, accessible to a broader audience as well as Soviet government.
By then, artistic unions were a common practice that centered around creating collaboratively in a shared environment. Some of these coalitions were informal and internal, while others were based on preceding manifestations and similar values. Unlike similar associations of other Soviet countries, these were driven by the will of experimenting, learning and exploring. Thus, Georgian 1980s aesthetics remained in the process of producing itself, without reflecting on challenges that surrounded them. Their creative quest was primarily guided by the Western art expertise and context.
The earliest group founded in the 1980s was “Archivarius” that united Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Gia Loria, Goga Maghlakelidze and Karlo Kacharava, who generated their own manifesto. They held an introductory exhibition in 1984, December, in Gia Loria’s own apartment. “Archivarius” mainly focused on fairytales, mythology and an expression of a heroic, knightly soul. It was followed by a series of other displays of their works, which led to 1986 - a year in which “The 10th Floor” popped up. It was an innovative union, working in the attic of The State Academy of Arts. In contrast with “Archivarius”, “The 10th Floor” was much more spontaneous and fused artists like Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Mamuka Japaridze, Karlo Kacharava, Oleg Timchenko, Niko Tsetskhladze, Gia Loria, Goga Maghlakelidze, Temur Iakobashvili, Gia Dolidze, Lia Shvelidze, Maia Tsetskhladze and Zurab Sumbadze. “The 10th Floor” was never limited to these artists, some have left and some have joined over time – it was never meant to be fixed or even precise. However, another exhibition held on 25th of June of 1986, in Mamuka Japaridze’s studio, only featured artworks of Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Niko Tsetskhladze, Karlo Kacharava, Oleg Timchenko, Maia Tsetskhladze, Mamuka Japaridze and Temur Iakobashvili. These pieces of art included portraits of kings, dwarfs, knights and demons. Members wanted to access neoexpressionist manners of depiction, rather than just form individualistic faces for these characters.
Arranging a group was a form of survival for young artists, an outcome that they were searching for. It also served as a portal towards further development and self-realization, through shared experiences. The next phase of “The 10th Floor” was filled with demonstrations, performances and massive shows.
A broad audience first saw their show in Tbilisi History Museum, which included two vast expositions. Since 1987, “The 10th Floor” moved its working habitat to The Marjanishvili Theatre, as Mamuka Tsetskhladze started working there as a painter-decorator. Therefore, 1987-1990 can be considered as a “The Marjanishvili Studio” phase of “The 10th Floor”, with renewed approach. Lia Shvelidze, mentioned earlier, began working more actively, Koka Ramishvili joined the group… Artists proceeded working on huge canvases, experimenting with different materials, with the paint used for constructions still remaining relevant.
Other than shows of local importance, “The 10th Floor” also used to take part in international art events. In 1989, “Black and White Gallery” of Budapest hosted Mamuka Tsetskhladze, Mamuka Japaridze, Oleg Timchenko, Niko Tsetskhladze and Koka Ramishvili with an exposition. In the same year, Koka Ramishvili visited Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) too, as The Soviet Socialist State Ethnographic Museum opened up an exhibition presenting Georgian avant-garde of the 1980s. A year earlier, the same union (with an extended number of members) participated in an international symposium of Narva dedicated to avant-garde art. A lot of new-comers joined “The 10th Floor” in 1991, organizing an exhibition titled “America 500” together, after which, unfortunately, the unity principle of the group was lost.
All the events that took place in 1980s art scene of Tbilisi, portray the vigorous willingness to hasten away from the Soviet dimension and maintain memory of a historical discourse. Some artists found a way out through emigration, others discovered an intangible shelter via working collectively. “Perestroika” had clearly formed a special environment in which things that were previously unseen, became visible. Georgian avant-garde managed to create its own sui generis aesthetic and theoretical principles in just a decade, alongside expressing postmodernist hues at certain points.
Ketevan Tsetskhladze, 2021