Simon-Vazha Melikishvili A Retrospective

From February 6 to March 10, 2024, the Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery presents a retrospective exhibition of Simon-Vazha Melikishvili.

The sculptures showcased in this exhibition were initially intended for public spaces; however, the majority of them remained unrealized due to their absolute incompatibility with Soviet ideology. The didacticism inherent in socialist realism finds no place in any of Vazha Melikishvili’s works. In his creations, both kings and fairy tale characters communicate through a shared language.

The Cube installed in Senaki by Vazha Melikishvili is represented as a video installation and photographs at the exhibition. Despite its official designation as the Cube of Glory the author referred to it as the Cube of Memory. Beyond its size, the Cube is detached from notions of glory and contemplates the war in an unusually tragic and non-heroic context for its time.

Vazha Melikishvili lived and worked in Tbilisi. He had only one exhibition during his lifetime in 2002, two years before his death, at the National Gallery. However, the exhibition showcased only a select few of his sculptures. The current retrospective aims to provide visitors with a comprehensive understanding of the artist’s oeuvre, presenting not only his sculptures but also his paintings and graphic.