Giya Miminoshvili was born in Tbilisi in 1959. He created monumental and decorative three-dimensional compositions, art objects, park sculptures, and decorative plastic art, mainly in the style of constructivism; he was engaged in interior design and painting.
His view and artistic optics were geared towards an ironic and philosophical understanding of human existence and art, and his works, despite the ostentatious simplicity and brutality of form, are striking in their depth and ingenuity.
Photo: Andriy Sarymsakov
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the image of a horseman. This is not a specific figure, but a symbol, an archetype that appeared in the artist's work back in the 1990s.
"The reserve's first acquaintance with the work of this artist took place several years ago. Today is a large exhibition, large-format, diverse, interesting. I thank everyone who participated in its creation and all like-minded people who are interested in Gia's work," said her curator Tanya Kalita during the opening of the exhibition.
The curator of the exhibition is Tanya Kalita. Photo: Andriy Sarymsakov
In Georgia, where Giya Miminoshvili was born and educated, there is also a connotation of the knight-rider as the Guardian. Legend has it that in ancient times, when the lands of Sakartvelo were defended by courageous knights, a mysterious Guardian appeared among the mountains and forests. He had no name, only a shield with the sign of the sun and the cross - a symbol of faith, strength and justice.
The knight as the embodiment of human virtues, depicted in the figure of a horseman, is not a unique image in Gia Miminoshvili's work. Sturdy figures on horseback, made in an original way (not molded figures), are found quite often in the author's work of recent years - of various nature and scale. This is both a stern man with a heavy chin and a stony expression on his face and an equally strong seat in the saddle, and the multifaceted image of a rider with his face up on the back of a horse, which refers us to the tragic symbol "on the shield."
Here is how the author himself commented on his "Rider": "...the work before you... consists of three parts: the back part with the tail symbolizes the past. The conventional human figure sitting is the present. And the front part, the head (conventionally) of a horse, is the future, into which we are trying to peer. That is, a person is always turned to the future."
"This is a man with the outlook of a 17-year-old boy, with the plans of a fundamentalist. He reacted absolutely adequately to modern building materials and how they can be implemented in sculpture. Nearby you can see the scaling of the figure, which became the symbol of today's exhibition," said BUDZIRKA CEO Svyatoslav Shilin during the opening of the event.
CEO BUDZIRKA Svyatoslav Shilin. Photo: Andriy Sarymsakov
The method of creating one of the sculptures deserves special attention: it was not molded in a traditional way. First, Giya Miminoshvili made a wooden mold from which he pressed the image. This method was conscious and symbolic, as it had to fulfill two important tasks.
Firstly, it was the wooden texture that added texture and scale to the object, enhancing its visual weight. Secondly, it created an effect of detachment, as if we were not looking at a human creation, but an artifact that arose independently, without the participation of the artist's hand. An image with such an origin acquired special power, as evidence of something deeper, primordial, almost sacred.
Photo: Andriy Sarymsakov
The horseman appears in various visual forms in the exhibition space. The exhibition covers different periods of Miminoshvili's work and includes works in ceramics, wood, porcelain, as well as paintings.
"When a person is alive, it's one thing. When they're gone, it's not so important how much time has passed. But when they weren't properly honored during their lifetime, it means a lot. That's why this exhibition is so important, and that's why everyone who joined it did a great job," noted former Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine and public figure Grigol Katamadze.
Former Georgian Ambassador to Ukraine and public figure Grigol Katamadze. Photo: Andriy Sarymsakov
"In fact, the main thing is that we are here together today thanks to a person who is no longer with us. But he is present among us. His works speak, inspire, change us. They carry ideas, address society, and this makes us better. I am grateful that this event took place. And I would like to pay tribute to his work. I am not an artist, but I see how his art touches people. He knew how to move hearts - as an artist, as a philosopher, and as a person. There is a deep meaning in all this," said the artist's son Mykola Miminoshvili.
Some of the exhibits are presented outside the exhibition halls - several large-scale sculptures have been installed in the former metropolitan garden in the open air. In particular, the object "Horseman in Time" on the green lawn is an image of a noble knight-rider and defender of his land, made based on the work of Gia Miminoshvili from Fundermax panels by specialists from the BUDZIRKA company.
The project was implemented with the support of the National Reserve "Sophia Kyivska" and the National Museum of Georgia, which became another step in the dialogue between two countries fighting for freedom, while preserving their culture as a spiritual support. The exhibition will last until July 14, during which time There will be several accompanying events, which will be attended by exhibition partners, family, and friends of the artist.
See also:
Interdisciplinary exhibition "Selection of Values" opened in Kyiv
An interior design exhibition "Zerno" will open in Kyiv's Podil
An exhibition about the culture of Ukraine and Spain opened in Valencia
