The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts ( ka, თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია) is one of the oldest universities in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historica ...

. It is located in central

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million pe ...

near the

Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre The Georgian National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi ( ka, თბილისის ოპერისა და ბალეტის სახელმწიფო აკადემიური თეატრი), formerly known as the ...

Rustaveli avenue Rustaveli Avenue ( ka, რუსთაველის გამზირი, ''Rust'avelis Gamziri''), formerly known as ''Golovin Street'', is the central avenue in Tbilisi named after the medieval Georgian poet, Shota Rustaveli. The avenue s ...

. Dating from the 1850s, the Tbilisi State Academy of Art building is one of the most outstanding heritage sites in

. Defined by an eclectic mix of European and oriental architectural and artistic styles, this landmark building is best known for the so-called Mirror Halls, the sumptuous adornment of which, executed by Qajar artists invited from Iran, are reminiscent of the decoration of oriental palaces. Tbilisi Art Acdemy photo from archive

History

Based on the resolution of the People's Commissariat on Education of 8 March 1922, the Art Academy of Georgia was founded. Four faculties were established, those of painting, sculpture, graphic arts and architecture. In 1927 the department of ceramics was added. In 1922 Mose Toidze founded an art school providing training to the young people wishing to enter the Academy. The Academy is housed in the former Vardan Arshakuni mansion, completely reconstructed and refurbished by the architect

Simon Kldiashvili Simon Kldiashvili ( ka, სიმონ კლდიაშვილი; 2 February 1865 – 26 May 1920) was a Georgian architect best known for his eclectic projects in Tbilisi, including a college building which, in 1918, became the Tbilisi S ...

in 1902. From the beginning, the teachers and professors of the academy were renowned artists; the first were Gigo Gabashvili,

Iakob Nikoladze Iakob Nikoladze ( ka, იაკობ ნიკოლაძე; , 1876 – March 10, 1951) was a Georgian sculptor and artist. He was from the a Georgian noble (aznauri) family, Nikoladze. The Georgian National Museum, Iakob Nikoladze Ho ...

Eugene Lanceray Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Lanceray (russian: Евгений Евгеньевич Лансере; 23 August 1875 – 13 September 1946), also often spelled Eugene Lansere, was a Russian graphic artist, painter, sculptor, mosaicist, and illustrator, a ...

, Joseph Sharlemagne, Henryk Hryniewski, Egishe Tatevosyan, Nikolay Sklifosovskiy, Nicholas Antadze, Anatoli Kalgin, Nikolay Severove, Dimitri Shevardnadze, Michael Machavariani, Alexander Pitskhelauri, Michael Khananashvili, Boris Shebuev, Mose Toidze, Alexander Tsimakuridze, Nicholas Kandelaki,

Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi ( ka, ვალერიან სიდამონ-ერისთავი; 2 July 1889 – 9 June 1943) was a Georgian Modernist artist and set designer. Born in the town of Kvareli into a noble family, Valerian Sida ...

David Kakabadze Davit' Kakabadze ( ka, დავით კაკაბაძე) (August 20, 1889 – May 10, 1952) was a leading Georgian avant-garde painter, graphic artist and scenic designer. A multi-talent, he was also an art scholar and innovator in the fi ...

Lado Gudiashvili Lado Gudiashvili ( ka, ლადო გუდიაშვილი; 30 March 1896 – 20 July 1980) was a Georgian artist of the 20th century. Gudiashvili was born into a family of a railroad employee. He studied in the Tbilisi school of scul ...

, George Sesiashvili,

Ucha Japaridze Ucha Malakievich Japaridze ( ka, უჩა ჯაფარიძე, – 6 July 1988) was a Soviet and Georgian painter. He was born in Gari, a small village in the Racha region of Georgia, which was then part of the Russian Empire. As a painte ...

, Shalva Amiranashvili,

Apollon Kutateladze Apollon Karamanovich Kutateladze (in Georgian language, Georgian: , in Khoni – in Tbilisi) was a Soviet and Georgian Painting, painter. Early life Apollon Kutateladze started to study in Poti, Georgia (country), Georgia. He continued to st ...

, Vasili Shukhaev,

Sergo Kobuladze Sergo Kobuladze ( ka, სერგო ქობულაძე; February 7, 1909 – July 22, 1978) was a Soviet and Georgian painter and illustrator. He was a rector of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts ( ka, ...

Silovan Kakabadze Silovan Yakimovich Kakabadze ( ka, სილოვან კაკაბაძე; 12 August 1895 – 10 June 1993) was a Soviet and Georgian sculptor and teacher.John Milner. ''A Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Artists, 1420 - 1970''. Woodbridg ...

, Shota Mikatadze, David Tsitsishvili, Zakro Maisuradze, and Lado Grigolia. The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts is located in the former “House of Arshakuni”, since 1922 (architect G. Ivanov. 1856). The interiors were designed by Iranian masters (in

Qajar art Qajar art refers to the art, architecture, and art-forms of the Qajar dynasty of the late Persian Empire, which lasted from 1781 to 1925 in Iran (Persia). The boom in artistic expression that occurred during the Qajar era was the fortunate side ...

style) who were working in Tbilisi. In the same building (till 1937) there were placed the Ballet studio (the Mirror Hall) of Maria Perini, the spouse of an artist Henryk Hryniewski, as well as his own art studio; Studio of the academy professor – '' Gigo Gabashvili''; and Kobulashvili family flats. In 1972 the new ten-floor academy block was built (architects A.Kurdiani, M. Chkhikvadze, L. Sumbadze, constructor D. Kajaia). In 2005–2006 the new block was restored by Cartu Bank .

Faculties

Visual Arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile art ...

- Dean Megi Tsitlidze *

Media Arts New media art includes artworks designed and produced by means of electronic media technologies, comprising virtual art, computer graphics, computer animation, digital art, interactive art, sound art, Internet art, video games, robotics, 3D pri ...

- Dean Nana Iashvili *

Design A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design' ...

- Dean Giorgi Iashvili *

Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

- Dean Irakli Pirmisashvili * Restoration,

Art History Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today, ...

and

Theory A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may ...

- Dean Tamara Khundadze All educational programs at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts are conducted in the Georgian language. For applicants with a foreign upper-secondary school education that lack qualifications in Georgian a language test is required.

Rectors

*1922–1926 –

Giorgi Chubinashvili Giorgi Chubinashvili ( ka, გიორგი ჩუბინაშვილი; November 21, 1885 – January 14, 1973) was a Georgian art historian. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia he studied psychology at the universities of Leipzig and Ha ...

*1927–1930 – Alexander Duduchava *1930–1932 – Vakhtang Kotetishvili *1932–1936 – Grigol Bukhnikashvili *1936–1942 –

*1942–1948 –

*1948–1952 – Mamia Duduchava *1952–1959 –

*1959–1972 –

*1972–1982 – Giorgi Totibadze *1982–1987 – Zurab Nizharadze *1987–1992 – Tengiz Peradze *1992–2003 – Soso Koyava *2003–2012 –

Gia Bugadze Gia Bugadze ( ka, გია ბუღაძე) is a prolific contemporary Georgian artist. He was the Rector of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts from 2003 to 2012. Early life and education Gia (Giorgi) Bugadze was born on September 24, 1956, ...

*2012-2012 - Irena Popiashvili *2012–2014 – Tinatin Kldiashvili *2014–2022 –

Gia Gugushvili Gia Gugushvili (; born August 16, 1952) is a Georgian painter. Gia Gugushvili has produced nonfigurative as well as and minimalistic figurative compositions. His paintings are in museums and private collections all over the world. Gia Gugushvili ...

*2022-to present - Karaman Kutateladze

Exhibitions

The academy operates the following exhibition spaces: * Museum – includes 618 paintings, course and diploma artworks. Among them are art-pieces by Gigo Gabashvili (8 works),

Elene Akhvlediani Elene Akhvlediani () (April 5, 1898 in Telavi – December 30, 1975 in Tbilisi) was a 20th-century Georgian painter, graphic artist, and theater decorator. Akhvlediani is famous for her depictions of Georgian towns, for her illustrations for t ...

, Ludwig Luigi Longo, Kirill Zdanevich, Tamara Balanchivadze, Mose Toidze, Aleksander Tsimakuridze, Korneli Sanadze, Reno Turkia, Koki Makharadze * Tapestry Museum on Shardin street

References

* თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია (The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts).Tbilisi 2002. . * საქართველოს ძველი ქალაქები: თბილისი (second ed.). 2006. . * თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია (The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts). Tbilisi 2011. .

External links

* {{authority control Art schools in Georgia (country) Universities in Georgia (country) Culture in Tbilisi Education in Tbilisi Fashion schools Design schools Buildings and structures in Tbilisi Educational institutions established in 1922 1922 establishments in Georgia (country)