Vaja (Vajiko) Chachkhiani was born in Tbilisi, Georgia. His academic journey commenced with the pursuit of Mathematics and Informatics at the Georgian Technical University in Tbilisi. Subsequently, he transitioned to the realm of Fine Arts, embarking on studies at Universität der Künste in Berlin, Germany, and Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Films, sculptures, performances, photography, and large-scale installations are all part of Chachkhiani’s oeuvre. His filmmaking endeavours have yielded a total of 11 productions to date, with his cinematic exploration commencing in 2005, primarily focusing on the creation of short films.
Vajiko Chachkhiani operates somewhere between the outer world and the human psyche, bringing the enigmatic aspects of our conditio humana (human condition) into focus through subtly alluring visual poetry. Many of his sculptures, which are frequently based on performances or transformational gestures, are minimalistic in style. At the same time, they are imbued with narrative meaning. His sculptures, frequently based on performances or transformative gestures, adopt a minimalist aesthetic while intricately weaving narrative significance.
At the core of his artistic endeavours lies the exploration and contemplation of profound psychological states, including feelings of isolation, violence, and existential angst. These thematic explorations are skillfully interwoven with elements drawn from religion, politics, and literature. Chachkhiani’s body of work consistently delves into themes of conflict, culture, nature, and the intricate interplay between external reality and the inner dimensions of individual human experience.
Since 2013, Chachkhiani’s artistic output has gained recognition in prestigious European art spaces, featuring in both group and solo exhibitions. His substantial list of solo and group exhibitions underscores his notable presence in the contemporary art scene. Notably, in 2017, his piece Living Dog Among Dead Lions was exhibited in the Georgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Furthermore, Chachkhiani earned a nomination for the Kunstpreis Böttcherstraße in 2018, and he was honoured with the Villa Aurora Fellowship in Los Angeles and a Residency Grant in Tokyo during the same year. In 2017, he was the recipient of the Rubens Promotional Award.
Currently, Chachkhiani resides and works in Berlin, Germany, and Tbilisi, Georgia.
