THE WORLD OF CONSTANT CONNECTION // 3(59)2013

gia joxTaberiZe:

isini me mendnen...

Tbi lis Si bev ri miT qma-moT qma ga mo iw via sax vi Ti xe lov ne bis mu ze u mis jer

ga mo uq vey ne bel ma pro eq tma. zo-gi am bob da Su Sis Se no ba Sen de bao, zo gic _ Se no ba ze ru su li or Ta-vi a ni ar wi vi un da da id ga so. mag-ram, es a se ar aris! xom iciT, sa-qar Tve lo Si mTa va ria su bi eq ti an obi eq ti iyos, To rem maTze zRap-re bis mo yo la ar gvi Wirs.

sax vi Ti xe lov ne bis mu ze u-mis aSe ne bis ga daw yve ti le bam de ase mi ve di... da ax lo e biT 18 wlis win Se vit yve, rom sa qar Tve lo-Si da ba de bu li da Cven Si moR va we

Tb ili s S i s a x v iT i

x elo v n e b i s m u z e u m i S e n d e b a

GIA JOKHTABERIDZE:

They just trusted me...

THEY ARE BUILDING A FINE ART MUSEUM IN TBILISI

Rumours began to circulate in Tbilisi over a project not yet published. Some were saying that it was going to be a glass building; others went on to claim that the building would be topped with a Russian double-headed eagle. But they were only rumours. Anything or anyone can become a source of gossip in Georgia and cause rumours to come thick and fast…

It was how I came up with the idea of building a fine art museum: about 18 years ago I learned about one of the outstanding Georgian painters whose works were bought in large quantities and exported to neighbouring

countries. A few of his canvases are held in the collection of the Art Museum. Others that have already been carried abroad are lost to us. Later I heard about the same thing going on with the works of another gifted painter, now deceased, that prompted me immediately to contact his offspring and acquire a number of his paintings.

To my way of thinking, some paintings clearly fall into the category of being “commercial”. Such are the paintings that blend effortlessly into any surrounding whether it be a home, an office or any other place. “Non-commercial” paintings, on the contrary, defy any attempt of being broadly displayed and confine themselves strictly to an exhibition space – museum or gallery. Most of the 13 paintings I had bought by that time were of the “Non-commercial” category, hence my decision to set them aside for a later use. Then I chanced to prevent another series of paintings from being exported from Georgia, thus enriching the collection I already had.

The task before me was to help my country secure its treasury and I did it step by step. A work of art once carried out of the country becomes forever lost, while, if kept in a museum it is safely preserved and begins to put down “roots”… some of the paintings may still be sold abroad but this can only serve the goal of promoting Georgian culture.

As I started to assemble a collection I was seriously considering

erT-er Ti cno bi li mxat vris na mu Sev rebs ma sob ri vad yi du lob dnen da me zo bel qve ya na Si gah qon daT. am di di mxat vris ti lo e bi xe lov ne bis mu ze um Sia da cu li mci-re ra o de no biT. rac mo as wres da ga i ta nes, Cven Tvis sa-mu da mod da kar gu lia. ima ve pe ri od Si ase Ti ram me o re cno bil mxat var zec ga vi ge... mis STa mo mav leb Tan sas-wra fod mi ve di da gar dac vli li Se moq me dis na mu Sev re-bi Se vi Zi ne.

Ce mTvis zo gi er Ti su ra Ti `ko mer ci u lia~, zo gi ki _ ara. `ko mer ci uls~ ve Za xi imas, ro me lic yvel gan Se-iZ le ba Ca mo ki do _ sax lSi, ofis Si da a.S. `ara ko mer ci-u li~ ki, ro mel sac yvel gan ver ga mo fen. mas au ci leb-lad sa ga mo fe no siv rce, ga le rea an mu ze u mi sWir de ba. im dros Se Ze ni li 13 na mu Sev ri dan ume te so ba `ara ko-mer ci u li~ iyo, ami tom ga dav wyvi te su ra Te bi Se me na xa. mog vi a ne biT sxva mxat vre bis na mu Sev re bis sa qar Tve-lo dan ga ta nis mcde lo bis Se sa xe bac Se vit yve da isi-nic Se vi Zi ne.

ase nel-ne la vcdi lob di ga da mer Ci na da Se me nar Cu-ne bi na su ra Te bi Cve ni qvey nis Tvis. sax vi Ti xe lov ne bis ni mu Si Tu qvey ni dan ga i ta nes, is sa mu da mod da kar gu-lia... ro de sac mxat vris na mu Se va ri mu ze um Si xvde ba, is da cu lia da mas `fes ve bi~ aqvs. Tum ca Se saZ le be lia su ra Te bis ra Rac na wi li Sem dgom Si saz Rvar ga re Tac

xedi rusTavelis gamziridan. View from Rustaveli Avenue

ga i yi dos, rac xels uw yobs qar Tu li kul tu ris po pu-la ri za ci as.

ro ca ko leq ci is Seg ro ve ba da viw ye, vfiq rob di, rom gar kve u li dro is Sem deg, ro me li me mu ze ums va Cu qeb-di. sam wu xa rod aR mo va Ci ne, rom mu ze u me bis sa ca ve bi sa va la lo mdgo ma re o ba Sia da iq ar se bul na mu Sev rebs sa Ta na dod ver uv li an. ga dav wyvi te Ce mi pa ta ra ko leq-cia Ta vad ve Se me na xa.

mog vi a ne biT Cem ma me uR lem ma na nam da me ram de ni me ga mo fe nis or ga ni ze ba Si mi vi ReT mo na wi le o ba. ga mo ve-ciT qar Tu li sax vi Ti xe lov ne bis oT xto me u li da di-mit ri Se var dna Zis ka ta lo gi.

am saq mem Za li an ga mi ta ca. ko leq ci is Sev se ba ze, fer we ru li ti lo e bis sa qar Tve lo Si da to ve ba ze mu-dam vfiq rob di. da viw ye na mu Sev reb ze `na di ro ba~. moq-med mxat vreb Tan miv di o di da maT na xa tebs, zog jer mTel ko leq ci as, vi Zen di. mxat vre bi, nu miw ye nen da, co ta eW vi a ni xal xia. pir vel xa neb Si Cems wi na da de bas isi ni ga o ce biT xvde bod nen. me ma Tic kar gad mes mis _ Zne lia er Tba Sad Se e lio mTe li cxov re bis man Zil ze Seq mnil ti lo ebs. mag ram aq mTa va ri ndo bis faq to ri gax da _ isi ni me men dnen!

dRes sa qar Tve lo Si sax vi Ti xe lov ne ba Za li an ma-Ral do ne zea. vfiq rob, Cve ni mxat vre bi ev ro pel da sxva uc xo el ko le gebs bevr ra me Si us wre ben ki dec. Ce-mi az riT, amas sab Wo Ta kav Si ris daS la mac Se uw yo xe li. im epo qa Si bevr maT gans sab Wo Ta ide o lo gia bo Wav da, ar aZ lev da Ta vi su fa li Se moq me de bis sa Su a le bas da ma Ti na mu Sev re bi iS vi a Tad ifi ne bo da. amis ma ga li Tad

donating it to a museum. However, I soon found out that the state of museum deposits were nothing short of lamentable, so I decided to maintain the collection through my own efforts and resources.

In subsequent years, my wife Manana and I lent a hand with putting up a number of exhibitions and we also published a four-volume set of Georgian fine art and a catalogue of Dimitri Shevardnadze’s works.

I completely absorbed myself with this work, and even became obsessed with trying to complete my collection and with barring Georgian paintings from going abroad. And then the “hunt” for paintings began! I set off for painters to buy up more and more of their works, sometimes even entire collections, and was often met with a mistrustful mood that generally characterizes artists. At first they were uncertain and wary about accepting my proposal, which is wholly understandable – it is hard to part with a world that has been taking shape all through your life. And it was finally the factor of trust that tipped the scales in my favour – they just trusted me!

Fine art has reached great heights in Georgia today. In some respects Georgian artists even excel over their foreign colleagues – a success which, in my opinion, is a tribute to the break-up of the Soviet Union. The Soviet regime tended to stifle the inspiration of many Georgian painters depriving them of the opportunity to exhibit their works and an outlet for their creative talents. Temo Japaridze, Otar Chkhartishvili, Jibson Khundadze and a number of other artists are among those whose path had to proceed under growing ideological pressures.

muzeumis fasadi. The museum facade

sak ma ri sia Te mo ja fa ri Zis, oTar Cxar tiS vi lis, jib son xun da Zis da mra va li sxva xe lo va nis da sa xe le ba.

Cem Tvis ram de ni me mxat va ria gan sa kuT re biT ga mor Ce u li. ese ni ari an dRes moq me di, nam dvi lad ge-ni o se bi ed mond ka lan da Ze da jib-son xun da Ze; gar dac vlil Ta gan ki daviT kakabaZes, elene axvledians, Te mo ja fa ri Zes, rom lis Se moq-me de bis 90%-i Cvens ko leq ci a Sia, irak li far ji ans da me rab ab ra miS-vils da va sa xe leb di.

Cvens ko leq ci a Si qar Tvel mxat-var Ta da cu li, Car Co Si Cas mu li, mo wes ri ge bu li, ga mo sa fe nad gam-za de bu li 3 000-mde na mu Sev ri dag-rov da. uk ve vi ci, rom qar Tu li sax vi Ti xe lov ne bis gan vi Ta re bis is to ri a Si wyve ta aRar iq ne ba... me-a ma ye ba!

er Ti pa ta ra dar ba zi da eT mo ba arap ro fe si o nal, moyvarul mxat-vrebs _ sa qar Tve lo Si cno bi li pi-rov ne be bis na mu Sev rebs, bev ri uk ve maqvs, ki dev mi vu ma teb... sa in te re so da sa xa li soa.

mu ze u mi Sps mag Tis (da ara mag­Ti ko mis) da fi nan se biT Sen de ba. mas Si 30 dar ba zi da 3 ki bis uj re dis

jibson xundaZis saxelosnoSi. At Jibson Khundadze's studio

edmond kalandaZis saxelosnoSi. At Edmond Kalandadze's studio

I can single out a few artists whose work I feel is particularly outstanding to me: Edmond Kalandadze and Jibson Khundadze – both presently working geniuses. Amongnow-deceased artists: David Kakabadze, Elene Akhvlediani, Temo Japaridze - 90 percent of whose paintings are part of my collection, Irakli Parjiani and Merab Abramishvili.

Our collection is made up of 3000 works by Georgian artists all elegantly framed and ready for display. I already know there will be no gap in the history of development of Georgian fine art… and I’m so proud of it!

A small hall will be devoted to amateur “painters” – offering an exciting line-up of paintings by famous Georgian personalities, many of which I have already acquired and I keep obtaining them, which will add a dash of interest and amusement to the museum.

The construction of the museum will be funded by Magti Ltd (not by MagtiCom). It will consist of 30 halls and 3 spacious staircase enclosures. Artificial light sources will be installed to illuminate the halls, the staircase area will be built as daylight facilities. A 300 square metre first-floor venue with an access from Rustaveli Avenue will be dedicated to short-term, non-permanent exhibitions. A hall of 250 square metres on the same floor will be equally suitable as a conference/seminar space and a masterclass room. Museum administration and repository will be set up on the second floor. Exhibition space will occupy the third, fourth and fifth

di di siv rce iq ne ba. dar ba zebs xe-lov nu riT, ki be e bis siv rces ki _ dRis Su qiT ga va na TebT. pir vel sar Tul ze, rus Ta ve lis gam zi ris mxri dan, 300 kv/m-is sa ga mo fe no siv rce mo ew yo ba, sa dac mok le va-di a ni, ara mud miv moq me di ga mo fe-ne bi gaimarTeba. ima ve sar Tul ze kon fe ren ci e bis, se mi na re bis da mas ter kla se bis Ca sa ta reb lad 250 kv/m-is far To bis dar ba zic

gan Tav sde ba. me o re sar Tul ze mu ze u mis ad mi nis tra-cia da sa ca vi mo ew yo ba. sa ga mo fe no siv rce me sa me, me-oT xe da me xu Te sar Tu lebs da ikavebs, ro mel Ta We ris si maR le 4. 2 m-ia, far To bi ki da ax lo e biT 7 000 kv/m-i.

rus Ta ve lis gam zi ris mxa res, mu ze u mis pir vel sar-Tul ze, ram de ni me pa ta ra pro fi li re bu li `bu ti ki~ ga ix sne ba, sa dac su ra Te bi, rep ro duq ci e bi, wig ne bi, al bo me bi, su ve ni re bi ga i yi de ba. miwis qveS, sam sar-Tul ze 150 av to mo bil ze gaT vli li fa si a ni sa zo ga-do eb ri vi av to sad go mi mo ew yo ba. gu di aS vi lis qu Cis mxri dan Ta na med ro ve sti lis Se no bis pir vel da me o-re sar Tu leb ze ram de ni me res to ra ni imu Sa vebs. gar da ami sa, iq ve mo sas ve ne be li kuT xe e bic mo ew yo ba, sa dac mu ze u mis stum rebs `Ca is da le va da xe lov ne ba ze sa u-ba ri~ Se eZ le baT. me sa me sar Tul ze fit nes cen tri, spa da so la ri u mi gan Tav sde ba, me oT xe ze ki sa cu rao au zi, ro me lic cud amin dSi mo men ta lu rad ga da i xu re ba. mu-ze u mis cen tra lu ri Se sas vle li am Se no bis me-2 sar-Tuls ukav Sir de ba.

mu ze u mis mSe neb lo ba mTli a nad qvel moq me de baa. ax la sa Wi roa Sev-kra ise Ti cik li, ro me lic mu ze ums Se i na xavs. mo gex se ne baT, mu ze u mis ar se bo ba da Se nax va did xar jeb Ta-naa da kav Si re bu li da es, pi ro bi-Tad, `dam xma re obi eq te bi~ _ av to-sad go mi, res tor ne bi, spor tu li dar ba zi da au zi _ swo red am saq mes mo em sa xu re ba.

mu ze u mis da mi si `dam xma re~ Se-no ba-na ge bo be bis pro eq tis av to re-bi sa qar Tve lo Si cno bi li ar qi teq-tu ru li di nas ti is war mo mad gen le-bi, ma ma-Svi li ar Cil da gi or gi qur-di a ne bi ari an. maT stu dia-sa xe los-no sac xom `di nas tia~ hqvia. ar Ci lis di di ba bua gi go qur di a ni qar Tu li ar qi teq tu ru li sko lis pi o ne ria

floors, stretching over an area of 7000 square metres, with a ceiling height of 4.2 metres.

Small specialized shops on the first floor offering a broad selection of paintings, reproductions, books, albums and souvenirs will attract art lovers via Rustaveli Avenue. The museum will possess a 150-car pay parking lot on the first three floors of the building. Several restaurants will operate on the first and second floors of a contemporary style building with access from Gudiashvili Street. Also, break-rooms for visitors “to reflect on art over a cup of tea” will be at their disposal. A fitness centre, a spa and a solarium will be located on the third floor, and a swimming pool on the fourth floor with an automatic cover to keep one sheltered from bad weather. The atrium of the museum will be

connected to the second floor of this building.

The construction of this museum is entirely a charitable project. Now I need to create a certain cycle that will keep the museum running. This involves tremendous expenses and all the auxiliary facilities mentioned above - parking lot, restaurants, gym and pool - are meant to contribute towards the museum costs.

The museum and the building spaces for “auxiliary facilities” were designed by the father-son architect duo Archil Kurdiani and Giorgi Kurdiani - representatives of the veritable architectural dynasty in Georgia. Their studio is known by the name “Dynasty”. Archil’s great-grandfather was Gigo Kurdiani, the pioneer of the Georgian architectural school, whose heirs Archil (Junior) and Giorgi (Junior) continue to carry on his legacy. Note, that the design of the projects for the old and new buildings of the Dynamo Stadium is also credited to architects from the Kurdiani dynasty. The museum has been designed by Archil and Giorgi Kurdiani as a complex of four buildings, which are a mix of different architectural styles. Giorgi Kurdiani (Junior), 23, who is currently proceeding with his studies in Liechtenstein, is the author of the frontal façade décor, which is very interesting and spectacular.

xedi qaSveTis eklesiidan. View from Kashveti Church

xedi aleqsandres baRidan. View from Alexander Garden

da mis mi er daw ye bul saq mes, ager uk ve sa u ku ne ze me tia mi si STa mo mav le bi ar Cil, gi or gi, ar Cil (um cro si) da gi or gi (um cro si) qur di a ne bi ag rZe le ben. Se gax se nebT, rom ma Ti Ses ru le bu lia `di na mos~ sta di o nis Zve li da axa li pro eq te bi. ar Ci li sa da gi or gis mi er Seq mni li mu ze u mis pro eq ti oT xi sxva das xva di za i nis da sti-lis Se no bis kom pleq sia. gi or gi (um cro si), ro me lic mxo lod 23 wli saa da dRes lix ten Sta in Si ag rZe lebs swav las, mu ze u mis ga re fa sa dis, mar Tlac sa in te re so de ko ris av to ria.

xedi lado gudiaSvilis quCidan. View from Lado Gudiashvili Street

xedi lado gudiaSvilis quCidan. View from Lado Gudiashvili Street

The building project was put on the table by the German W+P and PLAN FORWARD companies, which are also responsible for construction quality control according to the contract. These companies boast valuable experience and vast competence in museum design and construction. The building will be resistant to a magnitude 9 earthquake. Experienced Georgian builders visiting the construction site often say that they have never seen such an amount of steel reinforcement involved in a building, which would more than suffice for a dam system…

rac Se e xe ba sam Se neb lo pro eqts, is cno bil ma ger-ma nul ma kom pa ni am W+P-m da mis ma Svi lo bil ma kom pa ni am PLAN FORWARD-ma Seg vis ru les. kon traq tis mi xed viT, gar da pro eq ti sa, ger ma ne lebs mSe neb lo bis xa ris xis kon tro lic eva le baT. am kom pa ni ebs sa mu ze u mo na ge bo-be bis dap ro eq te bis da mSe neb lo bis di di ga moc di le ba aqvT. Se no ba 9 bal zea gaT vli li. roca ga moc di li qar Tve li mSe-neb le bi mSe neb lo ba ze mo di an, am bo ben _ cxov re ba Si am de ni ar ma-tu ra er Tad ar gvi na xavs, hid ro-e leq tro sad gu ris kaS xal Si ar de ben am den so...

mu ze ums qar Tu li sam Se ne b lo kom pa nia imk+ aSe nebs. mi si dam-fuZ ne be li da mmar Tve li Te mur sa riS vi lia, ro mel Ta nac TiT qmis oci we lia vTa nam Srom lobT. rus-Ta vel ze mSe neb lo bas omar Zi ap-Sipa xel mZRva ne lobs. sa mu Sa o Ta mwar mo eb le bi ari an go gi Co Ce li da ka xa fir cxa la va. am kom pa ni a-Si da saq me bu li pro fe si o na le bi mSe neb lo bas Za li an ma Ra li xa-ris xiT as ru le ben da mo ce mul sit yvas arasdros texen. bo lo dros, Cve ni dak ve TiT Tbi lis Si, da viT aR ma Se nebelis 152-Si maT mi er aSe ne bu lia Zalian lamazi, ma Ra li xa ris xis Se no ba.

The museum is built by the Georgian IMC+ construction company founded and administered by Temur Sarishvili, with whom we have been cooperating for nearly 20 years. Omar Dziapshipa is responsible for managing building works on Rustaveli Avenue. Gogi Chocheli and Kakha Pirtskhalava work as contractors. The company professionals provide high quality

marcxnidan: omar ZiapSipa, Temur sariSvili, iens balke, arCil qurdiani, diter daixzeli, giorgi qurdiani

From the left: Omar Dziapshipa, Temur Sarishvili, Jens Balke, Archil Kurdiani, Dieter Deichsel, Giorgi Kurdiani

marcxnidan: giorgi qurdiani arCil qurdiani diter daixzeli iens balke

From the left: Giorgi Kurdiani Archil Kurdiani Dieter Deichsel Jens Balke

da bo los, ori sit yva ar wiv ze. ro gorc vi ciT, da-sav leT sa qar Tve lo Si, van Si aR mo Ce ni lia Zv.w. I I - I sa u-ku nis ar wi vis sa mi fi gu ra. es ar qe o lo gi u ri eq spo na-te bi qar Tve li eris si a ma yea. oc da sa mi sa u ku nis win Cve ni wi nap re bi ase Ti do nis xe lov ne bas qmnid nen. da es ro gor ar un da war mog ve Ci na?! qan da ke ba, ro me lic ax-la mzad de ba, war mo ad gens van Si aR mo Ce ni li sa mi ar wi-vis sin Tezs da mas Si am fi gu re bis sxva das xva de-ta lia ga er Ti a ne bu li. es na mu Se va ri brin ja o-Si Ca mo is xme ba da Cve ni mu ze u mis ga re fa sads da am Sve nebs. qan da ke ba, rom lis si maR le 2,5 m-ia, frTe bis gaS la ki 4 m., Se no bis fa sad ze 11 met ris si maR le ze gan Tav sde ba. mas ze mu Sa o ben mo qan da ke e bi edu ard Sax na za ro vi da da To min do raS vi li; ya li bi _ ge la so lo mo naS vi li, Ca mos xma _ oleg da pa a-ta ge laS vi le bi. ar wi vis 1 met ri a ni TiT be-ris as li, ro me lic ase ve ze moT nax se ne bi jgu fis mi er aris Ses ru le bu li, mu ze u mis cen tra lur fo i e Si Ca-mo i ki de ba.

minda madloba gadavuxado maT, vinc maRali Sefaseba misca pro eqts da mxars uWers mis ganxorcielebas.

mSeneblobis procesi. Construction process

construction solutions and always live up to their reputation. Recently, to our order they have built a high quality building at 152, Davit Aghmashenebeli Avenue in Tbilisi.

Lastly, I would like to say a few words on the symbol of the eagle. As we know, archaeological excavations in Vani, west Georgia recently brought to the surface three eagle figures dated II-I centuries BC. These archaeological finds are the proud boast of the Georgian nation. The exquisite craftsmanship that

is evident in the figures created 23 centuries ago should not be allowed to go unnoticed as something

insignificant. The sculpture with height - 2.5 metres, wingspan

- 4 metres, which is already in the making is designed to synthesize elements of all the three eagles unearthed in

Vani. The eagle sculpture will be cast in bronze and affixed to the museum’s exterior façade at a height of

11 metres. The sculptors are Eduard Shakhnazarov and Dato Mindorashvili, the model maker is Gela Solomonashvili and the casters - Oleg and Paata Gelashvili. A one-metre

replica of the eagle sculpture made of copper will be produced by the same group and hung in

the atrium of the museum.

I owe a big debt of gratitude to all who gave a high appraisal to this project and

support its implementation.