Tbilisi’s Art Palace Hosts Shakespeare Theater Exhibition
TBILISI – Georgia’s Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection is sponsoring an exhibition dedicated to a history of Shakespeare being performed in Georgia.
The exhibition recently opened at Tbilisi’s Art Palace and features some of the country’s most prominent artists including Petre Otskheli, Ioseb Sumbatashvili, David Kakabadze, Soliko Virsaladze, Sergo Kobuladze, Parnaoz Lapiashvili, Giorgi Gunia, and more.
The exhibition also features an impressive collection of works from the Art Palace’s archives as well as works by young Georgian artists featured in the ongoing “Shakespeare meets Rustaveli in Georgia” initiative.
The project is a collaboration between the Art Palace and the British Council as a way to celebrate the legacy of both Willam Shakespeare and Shota Rustaveli, the medieval poet and progenitor of Georgia’s literary heritage.
The exhibition is dedicated to the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and the 850th anniversary of Rustaveli’s birth.
"Shakespeare became an integral part of Georgian culture and the local theater arts in in the 19th century after noted linguist Ivan Machabeli translated most of Shakespeare’s works into Georgian,” Giorgi Kalandia, Director of Art Palace said at the exhibition opening.
He later added that the exhibition is the first to feature more than 300 works by historic and contemporary Georgian painters alongside the translated writings of Shakespeare.
“The idea behind the 'Shakespeare meets Rustaveli' project is to showcase the incredible contributions both writers have had on Georgia’s culture,” British Council Director Zaza Purtseladze said while announcing the winner of the competition.
Georgia’s young artist Giorgi Sisauri was named the competition winner by Art Palace and received a 500 GEL award. Sisauri was chosen from 20 other participants who were taking part in the competition.
The exhibition will continue at the Art Palace (Kargareteli Str. 6) until September 30.
By Nino Gugunishvili
Edited by Nicholas Waller