Jemal (Djoti) Bjalava was born in 1944, and in 1973, he graduated from the Faculty of Sculpture at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. The works created by him are crafted from granite, marble, and silex, distinguished by their archaic forms. Notably, the sculptor’s technique involves preserving the “initial state of the stone” to emphasize its naturalness and density. “I process it directly with my hands,” says Djoti Bjalava It’s worth noting the statue “Petre Iber,” made of cobblestone by the sculptor in 1975.

Djoti Bjalava has actively participated in exhibitions since 1970, both in Georgia and abroad, including local and internation exhibitions: Republican and Union exhibitions (1990-1997); Exterior Sculpture Exhibition, Dimitri Shevarnadze National Gallery; Portrait Exhibition (1996); Georgian Sculptor Group Exhibition in Uzès, France (1992); Solo exhibitions: Biarritz (France, 1993-1996), Basel, Switzerland (1996); “Living Stones”, Paris City Council, France (2016); “The Silence of the Stones”, Aubenas Villa, France (2019).

Djoti Bjalava often refers to the history and culture of Georgia in his work. The figures of animals and people cut out of stone are inspired by themes such as the legends of the caucasian people, mystical fables, and Greek mythology. Notable series include works in the Darial Valley (Kazbeg), Mematiane, Diabazi (1980), St. Giorgi (1988, Sioni Cathedral yard, Tbilisi), antique motifs, and a cycle of statues depicting Greek mythology heroes (1995-1996).

In 1991, Djoti Bjalava took part in an art symposium in the French city of Biarritz, where he decided to stay and continue his work in France. In 2018, a four-meter bull sculpture created by Djoti Bjalava was installed in the central square of the city of Nîmes.