TBC Concept Flagship is hosting Guram Shavdia’s solo exhibition “Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything!” at Marjanishvili 7. The exhibition will open on June 15th at 18:00 and end on July 15th.
The exhibition is titled as one of the books by Viktor Frankl – a famous Austrian psychologist, psychiatrist, philosopher and neurologist, author of the method of logotherapy. During World War II, the scientist continued to practice as a psychotherapist even in concentration camps of Nazi Germany and assisted captives in searching for and discovering unique personal meanings. He saved a lot of lives with this method.
The war theme has appeared in Guram Shavdia’s works since 2008. He created numerous canvases, drawings and collages influenced by the Russian-Georgian war. The ongoing brutal war between Russia and Ukraine has inspired the creation of several new works.
Nevertheless, this exhibition is not about war – It is about peace and the idea of eternal life and survival.
“This war has become a part of me – my closest person and friend is fighting there”.
The Guram Shavdia’s war-themed works are a fixation on abstract circumstances instead of a flat visualization of the brutality and cruelty of war. The war has shown us that human life is fragile and can be shattered at any moment.
Yet, a person is obliged to give meaning to life, therefore, say „Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything!”
During 2007-2014, Guram Shavdia studied at the Düsseldorf Academy of Arts in Germany, in the class of famous artists Marcus Lüpertz and Andreas Schulze. During his studies and in the following years he was actively exhibited in Germany and other countries. He had three solo and numerous group exhibitions.
After returning to Georgia in 2020, Guram Shavdia participated in several projects:
2022 – “At Home with Friends”, curated by Mental Space, CCA, Center for Contemporary Art “Tbilisi”;
2022 – “Mountain of Signs”, Natalia Hug Gallery, with Israel Aten and Amadeus Certa, Cologne, Germany;
2020 – “Know Thy Neighbor”, Oxygen 2020, curated by Irena Popiashvili, Hotel Stamba, Tbilisi;
In 2014, Guram Shavdia participated in the International Biennale of Young Artists – New Talents 2014, Curated by Jochen Heufelder; Cologne, Germany;
2013 – The joint project of TBC Bank and the German Investment Corporation (DEG) – TOUCH GEORGIA, in Cologne, where Guram Shavdia was exhibited with famous and young authors.
Presenting the works created during 2008-2022, the current show is Guram Shavdia’s first solo exhibition to be held in Georgia.