The exhibition VALERIAN SIDAMON-ERISTAVI” from the NEW COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

In 2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia purchased 425 works created in the 1930s by prominent Georgian artist Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi, including the paintings and drawings depicting the construction of the Baku Industrial Zone, as well as a series of paintings and drawings, in which Sidamon-Eristavi depicted the Red Army invasion and Sovietization of Georgia in a radically different manner. For this purpose, he applied topical Russian neo-romanticism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The latter can be felt in his portraits. However, the Baku period paintings have a definite abundance of geometric features.

This collection includes Sidamon-Eristavi’s graphic works on religious themes and other works in which his critical attitude towards the Soviet regime is revealed.

The 22 works from the diverse body of work of Valerian-Sidamon-Eristavi were selected for the exhibition. The “Red Cavalry Attack,” “Battle of Krtsanisi,” “Red Sowers,” “Caucasian Druzhina,” two self-portraits, “Portrait of an Unknown Woman,” “Apiary Walk,” and other works are among them.

The exhibition is held within the framework of the “New Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts 2021–2022” planned exhibitions.

Opening of the exhibition: August 2, 2022, at 14:00
Duration of the exhibition: August 2, 2022-September 15, 2022
Address: Sighnaghi Museum, Shota Rustaveli # 8, Sighnaghi

VALERIAN SIDAMON-ERISTAVI, 1889-1943

A significant figure in Georgian modernism, Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi is distinguished for his versatility in the genre, unique color scheme, and compositional skills. In the 1920s, Georgian modernist theatre and film director Kote Marjanishvili invited him to work in the theatre, which marked the beginning of Georgian professional scenography. Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi made significant contributions to the development of the historical painting genre, Georgian scenography, and film production design. Sidamon-Eristavi was also interested in filmmaking and is regarded as the pioneer of Georgian film production design. He put a lot of effort into the opera projects. Following the Sovietization of his motherland, Sidamon-Eristavi, like other artists, was compelled to adhere to the party line on art. While forced to work within the framework of Socialist Realism, he created works that were defined by “loud” colors. In the spectacular and staged works, Soviet reality is depicted in a sarcastic and ironic way.