Levan Tsutskiridze
Levan Tsutskiridze (born January 12, 1926) is a Georgian monumentalist artist, illustrator and painter of frescoes in the Sioni cathedral, Tbilisi. He illustrated The Knight in the Tiger’s Skin, which became a real success. The poem, decorated with his illustrations, was twice published in Berlin in German translation. It was also published in Tbilisi, Moscow, Yerevan and Japan. Levan Tsutskiridze is also the author of the design and illustrations of more than thirty books.
Early life
Levan Tsutskiridze was born in the small town of Khashuri. Most of his childhood was spent in a small picturesque village, Moliti, in mountainous Imereti. When he was eleven he lost his father who became a victim of the 1937 repressions. From that day the poverty, oppression and eviction of the family began.
Levan Tsutskiridze received primary education at Tbilisi public school. In 1946, he continued his studies by taking classes on painting and graphic arts at Tbilisi State Academy of Art. He graduated the Academy in 1957. He had studied for twelve years, as from the very first year he was put on a black list; they were punishing him as a disobedient (obstinate) student. He was pushed back from the second academic year to the first, from the fourth to the first; from painting to graphic department; they persisted in punishing him as a "formalist".
The punishment went on even after he graduated the Academy of Arts and the post-graduate course too, now, by means of expelling his works from the exhibition list.
The artist’s first personal exhibition was held in 1959 in Tbilisi, at the Union of Architects of Georgia. The exhibition proved his artistic manner to originate from the Georgian traditional fresco, at the same time bearing individual features.
In 1976, a large canvas called “Aspiration” was installed in the port of Poti. In 1977 a monumental picture “Kolkheti”- in the town of Senaki and “Cherishable” based on The Knight in the Tiger’s Skin by Shota Rustaveli at the House of Union of Writers of Georgia.
In 1958, for the first time, he participated in the republican exhibition with the painting ‘’Toast’’. The exhibition lasted the whole month, but his picture hung at the Blue Gallery for only three days. his illustrations of The Knight in the Tiger’s Skin and painting ‘’Dance’’ suffered the same fate. In the end recognition finally happened, but with difficulty.
During 1960 and 1970, he was a professor of Tbilisi Academy of Arts and Polytechnic Institute of Georgia (by turns), while during 1971 and 2005 a professor of Chair of Drawing of Tbilisi Academy of Arts.
In 1997 ‘’Data Tutashkhia’’ by Chabua Amirejibi with his illustrations was published. Levan Tsutskiridze also illustrated the seven volume edition of Chabua Amirejibi works published by the ‘’Magticom’’ company in 2001.
Exhibitions
- 1958 Republic Exhibition. Tbilisi. Georgia.
- 1959 Personal Exhibition. The Union of Architects of Georgia. Tbilisi. Georgia
- 1961 Personal Exhibition. House of Art Workers. Tbilisi. Georgia
- 1968 Personal Exhibition. House of the Society for International Cultural Relations, Berlin, Germany
- 1972 Exhibition dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the USSR. Moscow, Georgia
- 1973 Personal Exhibition. Publishing House of “Merani”, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 1974 Group Exhibition of Georgian Artists (Levan Tsutskiridze, Zurab Nizharadze, Dinara Nodia, Irakli Ochiauri), Belgium
- 1975 Group Exhibition of Georgian Artists (Levan Tsutskiridze, Zurab Nizharadze, Dinara Nodia, Irakli Ochiauri), Austria
- 1976 Group Exhibition of Georgian Artists (Levan Tsutskiridze, Zurab Nizharadze, Dinara Nodia, Irakli Ochiauri), Federal Republic of Germany
- 1977 Personal Exhibition. National State of Museum of Art, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 1977 Personal Exhibition. House of Scientists, Moscow, Russia
- 1977 Personal Exhibition. House of Literature Workers, Moscow, Russia
- 1979 Personal Exhibition. State Picture Gallery, Batumi Georgia
- 1981 Exhibition dedicated to the days of Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Weimar, Germany
- 1982 Personal Exhibition. Illustrations, G. Leonidze State Museum of Literature, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 1982 Personal Exhibition. House of the Soviet Culture, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
- 2004 Personal Exhibition. G. Leonidze State Museum of Literature, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 2007 Personal Exhibition. National Library of the Parliament of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
- 2014 Personal Exhibition. G. Leonidze State Museum of Literature, Tbilisi, Georgia
Awards
- In 1974, in Brazil, he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for the design and illustration of poem “Toast’’ by Grigol Orbeliani, issued by the international Board on Books for young people.
- During the Soviet Union period, he was granted the highest “first A” category.
- Magazine ‘’Soviet Life’’ was being published in USA starting from the 70s. In 1983, the December release published Amiran Chkartishvil's article about Levan Tsutskiridze, entitled ‘’A stark, muted palette’’.
- In 1984-88 he completed frescoes paintings on three walls of the Sioni Cathedral.5) In 2001 he was granted the title of Georgian State Prize Winner.
- In 2001 he was granted the title of Georgian State Prize Winner.
- In 2002 he was invited to Italy as prize winner of Bogliasco International Foundation for his works of the past years.
- Five masterpieces of the artist participated in festival "Iberia", which was held in 2010 in Netherlands.