კულტურა პლუს 3 (29) 2022

kultura plus / CULTURE PLUS 3 (29) 2022

facebook.com/kulturaplusm

el-fosta: kulturaplusm@gmail.com|

facebook.com/kulturaplusm | tel: (+995) 599 93 50 07; (+995) 599 33 02 01

3 (29) 2022 s a g a n m a n a T l e b l o - s a z o g a d o e b r i v i

J u r n a l i

sarCevi / CONTENTS Sua mavali

2

INTERMEDIARY

isev bednierad vigrZeni Tavi...

10

I AGAIN FEEL A SURGE OF JOY…

nacrisfersa da naTels Soris

24

BETWEEN GREY AND LIGHT

wminda mRvdelmowame grigol feraZe

42

SAINT PRIEST - MARTYR GRIGOL PERADZE

scenazea - mze, siyvaruli da adamiani...

52

ON THE STAGE – THE SUN, LOVE, AND A HUMAN…

Salva CxeiZe

60

SHALVA CHKHEIDZE

kote gZeliSvili

68

KOTE GDZELISHVILI

saredaqcio jgufi EDITORIAL STAFF xaTuna kereseliZe KHATUNA KERESELIDZE ekaterine CulaSvili EKATERINE CHULASHVILI aleqsandre ServaSiZe ALEKSANDRE SHERVASHIDZE daviT calani DAVIT TSALANI revaz iukuriZe REVAZ IUKURIDZE

dizaineri DESIGNER nikoloz bagrationi NIKOLOZ BAGRATIONI

el-fosta: kulturaplusm@gmail.com facebook.com/kulturaplusm beWdva: favoriti stili / Print: Favorite style

gamodis kvartalSi erTxel JurnalSi ganTavsebuli masalis gamoyeneba SeiZleba mxolod redaqciis TanxmobiT

Issued quarterly The materials published in this magazine cannot be used without the authorization of the editorial staff

garekanze: miriam soloRaSvili, `Rrublebi~, tilo, zeTi, 50/70 Cover: Miriam Sologhashvili, "Clouds", oil on canvas, 50x70

ISSN 2346-8165

Sua mavali INTERMEDIARY

Gaston Bouatchidzé’s various facets

gaston buaCiZis waxnagebi... zafxulis papanaqeba sicxiT gamoemSvidoba luarispireTi da saqarTvelo gaston buaCiZes. ra manZilia luaris napirebidan mtkvrispireTamde? nantis baRebis xasxasa ferebidan saburTalos yazbegis quCis muq mwvane naZvebamde? albaT, erTi xelis gawvdenaa misTvis, visac ori samSoblo aqvs _ saqarTvelo da safrangeTi, vinc or enaze azrovnebs da qarTuli da franguli enebis siRrmeebs erTnairad zedmiwevniT swvdeba. gaston buaCiZe Tbilissa da nantSi, bretanis literaturuli akademiis Sexvedrebze Tu qarTuli literaturis institutSi stumrobisas yovelTvis nayofieri siaxleebiT gamoCndeboda xolme. safrangeTs qarTul literaturasa da, zogadad, kulturis sxvadasxva sferos acnobda, TbilisSi Camosuli ki Tanamedrove frangul literaturaze saubrobda. is iyo Suamavali

It is during a summer heatwave that the banks of the Loire river and Georgia have bid farewell to Gaston Bouatchidzé. What distance separates the banks of the Loire from those of the Mtkvari?

The bright green gardens of Nantes from the dark green pines of Saburtalo’s Kazbegi Street? It is probably at an arm’s reach for those who have two homelands – Georgia and France, for those who think in two languages and grasp the intricacies of Georgian and French languages with the same exactitude.

In both Tbilisi and Nantes, while attending the Literary Academy of Bretagne or visiting the Institute of Georgian Literature, he would always stand out with fruitful proposals. In France, he was popularizing Georgian literature, and more generally, its culture; and while visiting Georgia, he would talk about contemporary French literature. He was an intermediary between the Georgian and French fields of culture and between the two linguistic realms of these

-2-

rusudan fetviaSvilis ilustracia ILLUSTRATION BY RUSUDAN PETVIASHVILI

-3-

qarTul-franguli kulturuli sivrcisa da marTlac Sua mavali am or lingvistur samyaros Soris da aqve unda aRvniSnoT, rom rusul enazec araerTi wigni aqvs dawerili, radgan rusul enasac Tavisuflad flobda. rogorc Tavad ambobda, samenovani adamiani varo. marTlac iSviaTi movlenaa, rom literatoris cnobierebaSi sami kulturuli samyaros gamocdileba erwymodes erTmaneTs. gaston buaCiZe gamorCeuli iyo garegnobiT da manerebiTac _ warmosadegi, gamokveTili evropuli ieriT, Severcxlili TmebiT, dinjad mosiarule, mxarze mudam CanTagadakidebuli, mosalmebisas Tavis dakvriT da RimiliT. Tumca sanam Cven erTmaneTs SevxvdebodiT da gadavikveTebodiT, rogorc studenti da leqtori,

countries – and we should mention that he has also written several books in Russian, as he was also fluent in Russian. As he would put it himself, he was a “man of three languages”. And it is quite rare to find three different cultural entities harmoniously completing each other in the consciousness of one literary figure.

Gaston Bouatchidzé also stood out with his physique and manners – he had an imposing figure, well-defined, European looks, with greying hair, an earnest gait, always a briefcase hanging from his shoulder, nodding his head and smiling when greeting you. But before we met each other as a student and a professor, I got to know him through his book, ‘Facets’. To this day, together with some other works of his, this collection of essays and articles remains my bedside book – and that of many people I know. ‘Facets’ was published

-4-

guram doCanaSvili da gaston buaCiZe GURAM DOCHANASHVILI AND GASTON BOUATCHIDZE

manamde misive wigniT, `waxnagebiT“, gavicani. eseebisa da werilebis es krebuli mis sxva naSromebTan erTad dRemde Cemi (da ara mxolod Cemi) samagido wignia. `waxnagebi“ or wignad gamoica da orive nawili yvelaze kargad warmoaCens gaston buaCiZis did erudicias, misi interesebisa da azrovnebis vrcel diapazons, magram CemTvis yvelaze metad sayuradReboa misi weris manera, enis ubraloeba da sisadave, minimalurad gamoyenebuli samecniero terminebi, isic mxolod maSin, Tu Sesabamis sakiTxs aanalizebs, poeziaze werisas bevri araferi sWirdeba, mxolod TiToeuli frazis, sityvisa da zogadad, azris sinaTle da sicxade; is ar cdilobs mkiTxvelis moxibvlas, dabnevasa da `SekrTomas“, ar cdilobs masze absurduli da arafrismTqmeli xerxebiT wamieri STabeWdilebis moxdenas, piriqiT, mkiTxvels Tanamoazred, TanawamkiTxvelad moiazrebs. am wignebSi, meTormete saukunidan meoce saukunemde, poeziidan prozamde, raindi rolanis wminda gabrielisaTvis gawvdili xelTaTmanidan sartris `gulzidvamde“, ronsaris lirizmidan miSel fukos filosofiuri azrovnebis arqeologiamde franguli literaturis mTeli mravalferovnebaa warmodgenili. miuxedavad imisa, rom gaston buaCiZes prozaikosTa Semoqmedebac siRrmiseulad mimouxilavs da Seuswavlia, vrceli prozauli nawarmoebebic uTargmnia qarTulidan

as two separate books, and both parts manage to authentically convey Gaston Bouatchidzé’s great erudition and the wide range his interests and thinking patterns, but to me, the most outstanding is his writing style, the simplicity and plainness of his language, his minimal use of scientific terms – done only when he analyzes relevant themes… When writing about poetry, one doesn’t need much, only the illumination and evidence of each sentence, word, and more generally, of each thought. He doesn’t try to charm the reader, to make them confused and “trepidating”, he doesn’t try to leave a temporary impression on them through absurd and pointless tricks, on the contrary, he regards the reader as a likeminded person, a fellow reader. In these books, one can find the whole diversity of French literature from the 12th to the 20th century, in both poetry and prose, from knight Roland’s glove handed to Saint Gabriel to Sartre’s ‘Nausea’, from Ronsard’s lyrism to Michel Foucault’s ‘Archaeology of Knowledge’.

Despite the fact that Gaston Bouatchidzé has studied and reviewed the works of prose writers too, that he has translated large prose works from Georgian to French and vice-versa, I would say that poetry held a completely different place in both his heart and mind. To him, poetry was both a goal and a space for self-expression. He was interested in “the fate of French poetry in Georgia” (his own words), which is why he dedicated a rather long article to Givi Gegechkori’s anthology ‘French Poetry’. In his article, he also underlines the

-5-

frangulad Tu piriqiT, vityodi, rom poezias mis gulsa da gonebaSi sul sxva adgili ekava. poezia iyo misTvis mizanic da TviTgamoxatvis sivrcec. `saqarTveloSi franguli poeziis xvedriT~ (misive sityvebia) iyo dainteresuli, amitomac sakmaod vrceli werili uZRvna givi gegeWkoris `franguli poeziis“ krebuls. werilSi qarTuli da franguli poeziis saerTo da ganmasxvavebeli niSnebic gamokveTa: `franguli poezia adamianis Sida samyaros ganzogadebisken iltvoda, qarTul poezias aRmosavluri sibrZnis elferic gadahkravs, aRmosavluri TvalismomWreli samkaulebic amSvenebs da lirizmiTac uxvia. Tumca gulisTqma da lirizmi arc frangul poezias mohklebia, magram mis ganviTarebas mainc mniSvnelovanwil kartezianuli sibrZne warmarTavs, xolo grZnobaTa da SegrZnebaTa bundovan sferos gonebis Suqi efineba“; Semdeg ki TiToeuli poetic mokled, magram Taviseburi elferiT daaxasiaTa. or literaturas Soris gamarTuli dialogi Zalian

common traits and differences between Georgian and French poetry: “French poetry focuses on the generalization of humans’ inner world, while Georgian poetry also includes nuances of oriental wisdom, it is adorned by blinding oriental ornaments, and is also full of lyrism.

Emotions and lyrism are also to be found in French poetry, but their development are still controlled by a mostly cartesian wisdom, while the vague sphere of feelings and impressions is illuminated by the light of reason”; after that, he has characterized each poet in a concise but original manner.

The dialogue between the two literatures has proved to continue in a very fruitful way. Gaston Bouatchidzé started translating Georgian poetry into French from his young years.

Rarely have I seen such dedication, a kind of obstinate diligence, consistence and sense of responsibility. He was translating ‘The Knight in the Panther’s Skin’ for fifteen years, calmly, without haste, little by little, this was his nature, this was his approach to literary works, and more generally to texts, haste was just not in his character, and negligence, for certain, was unimaginable to him. Until he would

-6-

nayofierad gagrZelda. qarTuli poeziis frangulad Targmnas gaston buaCiZe axalgazrdobidanve Seudga. iSviaTad minaxavs saqmisTvis aseTi Tavganwirva, erTgvari jiuti sibejiTe, Tanmimdevruloba da pasuxismgebloba. `vefxistyaosans~ TxuTmeti weli Targmnida, dinjad, auCqareblad, nabij-nabij, es misi buneba iyo, aseTi damokidebuleba hqonda nawarmoebis, zogadad teqstis mimarT. aCqareba ar iyo misi Tviseba, daudevroba, miTumets, sruliad warmoudgeneli iyo. sanam ar daxvewda teqsts bolo sityvamde, manamde ar gamoamzeurebda. rogorc Tavad miTxra, TiToeuli strofis Svidi Targmani hqonda. ase muSaobda, Zveli teqstebis gadamwerebiviT Tavdauzogavad da saqmis erTgulebiT. am wignze mere Zalian wuxda, saqarTveloSi udierad moekidnen mis gamocemas, ramdenime wigni safrangeTSi saCuqrad wavuRe literator megobrebs da naxevrad daSlil-dafurclulebi Cavitaneo; vaJa-fSavelas `aluda qeTelauri~ da `gvelismWameli“ oTxmociani wlebis bolos gamosca da mogvianebiT vaJas eqvsi poema Targmna, galaktionis leqsebic amave periodSi gamoica TbilisSi irakli farjianis naxatebiT. daaxloebiT amave dros, ukve safrangeTSi gamovida gacilebiT mozrdili krebuli _ `me da Rame“. ilia WavWavaZis „leqsebi da proza~ (2009 wels), amave wels Tbilisis saxelmwifo universitetis gamomcemlobaSi frangulad gamovida akaki wereTlis „leqsTa krebuli“. amitomac iyo, rom yovelTvis gansakuTrebul yuradRebas aqcevda da uRrmavdeboda poeturi Targmanis specifikas, sxvadasxva enis poetur sistemaTa sxvaobas. misi umTavresi kvlevis sakiTxi iyo apolineris poeziis analizi da misi Semoqmedebis gavlena me-20 saukunis franguli poeziis gezze. gaston buaCiZis azrovnebis wesi yvelaze kargad mJRavndeba sorbonis universitetis profesorze, mTargmnelsa da SedarebiTi literaturis saerTaSoriso asociaciis maSindel Tavmjdomareze, rene etiamblze, daweril eseSi. aq Cans sruli Tanamoazreoba da Tanxvedra midgomebSi. Targmanis ori mesaidumle erTmaneTs xvdeba da aseTi frazac Cndeba _ `namdvilad mxolod is wagvikiTxavs, rac gviTargmnia“. iqneb asecaa... `ucxo Sedevrebis Targmanebi ara mxolod amdidreben erovnul literaturas, aramed axal niadagze gadanergilni, isini axleburad dagvanaxeben TviT am erovnuli literaturis qmnilebebs. am dros msoflio konteqstSi Semowmeba da odesRac dadgenili sqemebisa da normebis gadafaseba xdeba,“- aseTi iyo gaston buaCiZis xedva. saqmianobis adreul etapze mas frangulidan qarTuladac uTargmnia, magram, cxadia, ar gauWirdeboda imis mixvedra, rom am saqmes sxvebic mSvenivrad gaarTmevdnen Tavs da ufro mniSvnelovani, ufro saWiro iyo qarTuli literaturis safrangeTSi gatana da gavrceleba. aravis egonos, rom is marto wignebidan gamomzirali

polish the text to the last word, he wouldn’t bring it to light. As he told me himself, he had seven translations for each stanza. This is how he worked, like old scribes, zealous and selfless. He would later become very concerned about this book, as its publication was met with neglect in Georgia – “I brought some books to France, and they were bound with such neglect that they were falling apart when I handed them to my friends”, he recounted. He published VazhaPshavela’s ‘Aluda Ketelauri’ and ‘Snake Eater’ in the end of the 1980s, and would later translate all of his six poems. Galaktioni’s poems were also published during that period with Irakli Parjiani’s illustrations.

Ilia Chavchavadze’s ‘Poems and Prose’ in 2009, and Akaki Tsereteli’s ‘Poems Collection’ were published at the Tbilisi State University publishing house that same year. A bit later, the much larger selection of poetry ‘Moi et la nuit’ (‘Me and the night’) would be published in France. He was always paying special attention and delving into the depths of the specifics of poetic translation, as well as the differences in the poetic systems between different languages. One of his main study subjects was also the analysis of Apollinaire’s poetry and the influence the works of the latter exerted on the French poetry of the 20th century.

-7-

adamiani da akademizmis gulgrilobiT iyo moculi, ar gamoepareboda, yovelTvis amCnevda da gulTan mihqonda sxvebis wuxili. arasdros damaviwydeba, rodesac erTxel Cems winasadiplomo naSromze sasaubrod mimixmo, uceb aswia Tavi da erT-erT studentze mkiTxa: vici misi mdgomareoba da netav Cemi adamianuri daxmareba xom ar sWirdebao? aqve unda vTqva, rom mas hqonda daxvewili, msubuqi da sasiamovno iumori, Tavisi Cveuli RimiliT, ase rom, misTvis araferi adamianuri ucxo ar iyo. rogorc Tavad wers, erT-erT interviuSi ukiTxavT, romelia Tqveni sayvareli sityvao da uTqvams `Tavisufleba“. me piradad Zalian madlieri var misi, radgan sruli Tavisufleba momca jer sakurso Temis, mere ki sadiplomo samuSaos arCevisas, pirveli iyo `rembos `mTvrali xomaldi“ da misi qarTuli Targmanebi“, meore ki _ `feris mxatvruli funqcia artur rembos SemoqmedebaSi“. ase daarRvia universitetSi maSin arsebuli wesi, studentebs kaTedra sTavazobda Temebis dasaTaurebebs da mxolod iqidan unda aerCiaT. rodesac ukve dasrulebuli namuSevari mivutane da waikiTxa, Taviseburi RmiliTa da naxevrad xumrobiT mkiTxa: iseTi saintereso da mravalferovani masalaa, SeiZleba, mec davwero rembos ferzeo? es 1990 wels iyo, maleve, 1991 wels ki, marTlac

Gaston Bouatchidzé’s way of thinking can best be grasped in the essay he wrote about René Etiemble, professor at the Sorbonne University, translator and then head of the International Association of Comparative Literature. In this text, one can find a complete conformity of ideas and affinity of approaches. Two translation veterans meet each other, and the following sentence comes to mind: “One has really read only what they have translated”. Maybe it is so… “The translations of foreign masterpieces do not only enrich national literature, but grafted on a new soil, they help us see the works of that national literature from a new perspective. And this leads to a tryout on a global context, and well-known schemes and norms are reevaluated.” – This was Gaston Bouatchidzé’s vision. At the first stages of his work, he also translated from French into Georgian, but naturally, it wouldn’t have been hard for him to understand that others could manage it very well, and that it was much more important, more necessary to bring and spread Georgian literature in France.

Don’t go thinking that he would only gaze out of books from time to time, that he was a cold academician – he was actually very considerate, he would always notice and share others’ distress. I will never forget the moment when, after summoning me to talk about my graduation work, he suddenly raised his head and asked me about a student: “I know his situation, do you think he needs my help?”. I have to add that he had a refined, light and agreeable sense of humor, accompanied by his habitual smile, so nothing humane was foreign to him. As he writes himself, they once asked him what his favorite word was, and he answered "tavisupleba" (“freedom”, etymologically “to rule oneself”). Personally, I am very grateful to him, because he offered me complete freedom in choosing my coursework subject, then my graduation work subject – the first one was “Rimbaud’s ‘Drunken Boat’ and its Georgian translations”, and the second one “The artistic function of color in Arthur Rimbaud’s works”. He thus broke the rules of that time at the university, which stated that the faculty would list a number of subjects from which the students had to choose. When I brought him my finished work and he read it, he asked me, with his usual smile and half joking: “This is such an interesting and manifold subject… Can I write about Rimbaud’s colors too?”. This was in 1990, and soon after, in 1991, he really did publish a book titled ‘Colors in Rimbaud’.

Gaston Bouatchidzé has also translated quite a lot of works from Georgian prose.

We have already mentioned Ilia Chachavadze’s works, but there are also Sulkhan Saba Orbeliani’s ‘A book of Wisdom and Lies’, Chabua Amirejibi’s ‘Data Tutashkhia’, and the anthology ‘Georgian prose from the beginnings to this day’, which includes the works of many Georgian writers.

A person with unlimited possibilities like Gaston Bouatchidzé could not stay restrained in one subject, he could not stay put in the frame of the field that is literature. He was a culturologist, and the range of his thinking and erudition can also be appreciated in the trilogy he wrote about painting. He gathered three books under the title

-8-

gamosca wigni, `ferebi rembosTan“. gaston buaCiZem sakmaod bevri ram Targmna qarTuli prozidanac. ilia WavWavaZis Semoqmedeba ukve vaxseneT, sulxan-saba orbelianis `sibrZne sicruisa“, Wabua amirejibis `daTa TuTaSxia“ da anTologia _ `qarTuli proza dasawyisidan dRemde“, romelSic araerTi qarTveli mwerlis nawarmoebi Sevida. gaston buaCiZis msgavsi usazRvro SesaZleblobebis adamiani, ver gamoiketeboda erT sivrceSi, ver SemoisazRvreboda erTi konkretuli sferoTi, literaturiT. is iyo kulturologi da misi azrovnebisa da erudiciis didi diapazoni ferweraze daweril trilogiaSic mSvenivrad gamoCnda. sami wigni gaerTianda saTauriT _ `sadRegrZelo TevziT“. es aris literatoris TvaliT danaxuli niko firosmanis, daviT kakabaZisa da lado gudiaSvilis mxatvroba: `firosmani anu irmis ganavardeba“, `lado gudiaSvili anu freskis zmaneba“ da `daviT kakabaZe anu imereTis kvadratebi“. aq ori sivrce _ literatura da ferwera erTmaneTs Seerwya, sityva da feri erTmaneTSi gadaikveTa. gansakuTrebiT firosmanze daweril vrcel eseSi (me ase vuwodeb) erT-erT TavSi is gamorCeul yuradRebas aqcevs warwerebs naxatebze da maTi meSveobiT cdilobs ufro CauRrmavdes tilos ferebiT daweril saTqmels. `erTi SexedviT martiv teqstebSi Cans imaze meti fiqri da codna, vidre Cven SeiZleba mogveCvenos“, am TvalTaxedviT firosmanis naxatebi, albaT, aravis Seuswavlia. `rodesac wignze vmuSaobdi, iseTi SegrZneba mqonda, TiTqos nikala mexmareboda misi suraTebis aRqmaSi“, ase moxda am ori adamianis Sinagani Tanxvedra. simboluria, rom TbilisSi vaJas eqvsi poemis mTargmnelis bina vaJa-fSavelas gamziris midamoebSia, lojiidan im mxares iyureba, fanjrebis win ori naZvi dgas, „erTi Tavsa xris, meore zecas Sescqeris. yurs vugdeb maT Sexsenebas: „vidre miwaze gvidgas fexi, nurc miwieri, nurc zecieri dagvaviwydeba“. naZvebis miRma, vaJa fSavelas gamzirze, manqanebi daqrian da gzajvaredinze apipineben: „vaJa, vaJa, vaJa...~ am quCebSi gavlisasac sxva vin gaaxsendeboda: `Cveni saxlis kedels mivyvebiT da yazbegis gamziris mopirdapire mxares mdebare parkidan mofrenili Citebis gvritini gvealerseba. uceb trotuarze SemoWrili manqana Cagviqrolebs. Citebi baRSi brundebian da erTmaneTs ekiTxebian: „es rom exila, mindia ras ifiqrebda?“ sityvebis wiaRSi mimosvla misi bediswera iyo da sityvebis TamaSic sruliad bunebrivi movlena, ase aqcia franguli sityva `mondializacia“ (globalizacia) `mindializaciad“ da iqneb es sulac ar iyo SemTxveviTi?..

‘A toast with a fish’. It is about the painting of Niko Pirosmani, Davit Kakabadze and Lado Gudiashvili seen through the eyes of a man of letters: ‘Pirosmani or the roaming deer’, ‘Lado Gudiashvili or the dream of a fresco’, and ‘Davit Kakabadze or Imereti’s squares’. Here, two fields – literature and painting are harmoniously combined, and words and colors meet each other. Especially in the long essay (this is how I call it) about Pirosmani, in one of the chapters, he pays particular attention to the inscriptions on the paintings, and through them, he tries to analyze more thoroughly the messages that the paintings convey through their colors: “In texts that can be deemed as simple at first sight, one can find more thought and knowledge than it seems”.

Perhaps no one else has ever studied Pirosmani’s works from this angle. “When I was working on this book, I had the feeling that Nikala (Pirosmani) himself was helping me decipher his paintings” – this is how the two met internally.

It is symbolic that in Tbilisi, the apartment of the man who translated Vazha-Pshavela’s six poems is in the neighborhood of the Vazha-Pshavela Avenue. Looking from his loggia, he stares at two pines before his window, “One nods its head, the other looks to the skies. I listen to their message: “As long as we stand on earth, let us not forget the earthly, nor the heavenly”. Beyond the pines, on the Vazha-Pshavela Avenue, cars pass by and honk at the crossroads: “Vazha, Vazha, Vazha…”. Walking these streets, he would remember someone else: “We follow our home’s walls, and we hear the chirps of some birds who have flown from the park on the other side of the Kazbegi Avenue. A car that has climbed on the sidewalk suddenly passes us by. The birds return to the park, and ask each other: “What would Mindia think if he had seen that?”. Wandering in the entrails of words was his fate, and playing with words was an everyday thing to him; this is how he turned the French word ‘mondialisation’ (globalization) into ‘mindialization’ – maybe this was not by chance…?

qeTevan kokozaSvili

Ketevan Kokozashvili

-9-

- 10 -

`Cven mcire warmodgena gvaqvs Cvenive eris Svilebis Sesaxeb, romlebic sul am asiode wlis winaT an ufro gvian moRvaweobdnen... madloba Tqven qalbatono babo, didi gulisTvis... ra sasurvelia rom es Zvirfasi koleqcia dainomros, aRiweros da Senaxul iqnas momavlisTvis~ akaki SaniZe `da mainc, saocaria, rogor gadarCa, ra gziT movida dRemde es raritetebi?.. `В месте с дворяженством вы потеряли и то хорошее, что у них было~ _ miTxra erTma didi Tanamdebobis rusma komunistma. madloba RmerTs, dRes ar gveSinia am kargis Zebna... es suraTebi didi saCuqaria Cveni STamomavlobisaTvis. Cveni winaprebis qarTveloba bevrs miscems Cvens Svilebs da SviliSvilebs. gmadlobT, deida baboSka, rom Tqven aforiaqebul, SfoTian cxovrebaSi es Zvirfasi saCuqari gadagvinaxeT~. medea jafariZe

"We have only a faint idea of Georgia’s true sons living their earthly lives 100 years back or so… thanks a lot Madam Babo for your generous heart…it’d be a great idea to enumerate, itemize and archive this valuable collection for the generations to come" Akaki Shanidze "How these relics have come down to us is too mysterious to penetrate… "with the rejection of the nobility you’ve also distanced yourselves from the goodness they personified" - a high-ranking communist leader once told me… thank God we are no longer afraid to identify ourselves with this goodness… These photos are a cherished gift bestowed on our posterity. Our children and grandchildren will benefit greatly from the patriotic fervour of our ancestors. Thank you Madam Baboshka for not letting this precious gift waste away in the turmoil of this world."

Medea Japaridze

es raritetebi drois konkretul periods moicavs _ XIX saukunis meore naxevrisa da XX saukunis 40-ian wlebamde arsebul e.w. gardamaval epoqas. aristokratebis fotoarqivis Senaxva bolSevikur reJimSi mudmiv SiSsa Tu risks gulisxmobda... am drois masalebi xom TiTqmis dakargulia... bagrationebis, miqelaZeebis, dadianebis, erisTavebis, SarvaSiZeebis, abaSiZeebis, mayaSvilebis, ColoyaSvilebis, dadeSqelianebis ilustrirebuli istoriebi odesRac fotoateliebSi fiqsirdeboda, dRes ki maT legendebi mohyvebaT memkvidreobad... am saojaxo `tiloebs~ axsovT maTi patronebis Sexeba, ganwyoba... da axsovT isic, rom aristokratebisTvis suraTis gadaReba Teatralizebul rituals ufro Camohgavda... aq SeCerebulia sxva dro, sxva realoba, cxovrebis sxva ritmi, stili... sxvanairia maTi esTetika da... artistuli pozebic. babo dadianiseuli, `gadasaxlebidan dabrunebuli~ fotoqronikebi ara warsulis nostalgia, aramed istoriuli mexsierebis aRdgenis mcdelobaa. sabWoTa epoqis paradoqsia is, rom ori didi aristokratuli gvaris _ SarvaSiZis da dadianis erT-erTi ukanaskneli warmomadgeneli, babo dadiani orjer gadaasaxles _ jer volgispireTSi da mere yazaxeTSi, gadaasaxles arafris gamo... afxazeTis ukanaskneli mTavris SvilTaSvilis

These relics run the gamut of a concrete transitional period from the second half of XIX century up to the 40s of XX century. Anyone daring to keep images of aristocrats ran the risk of being persecuted in the Bolshevik era. Photo archives of that period are therefore lost almost completely… life moments of Bagrations, Mikeladzes, Dadians, Eristavis, Sharvashidzes, Abashidzes, Makashvilis, Cholokashvilis, Dadeshkelianis once captured by a photographer are now steeped in legend… these family portraits still keep fond memories of the emotional moments of their owners… they also treasure the memories of the days when photographing of aristocrats was very much similar to theatrical experience… these photos feature quite another time, another reality, different sort of rhythm and style… Also different is the aesthetic appeal and rather pompous postures of the people they display.

Babo Dadiani’s photo chronicle being ‘brought out of exile’ provokes an attempt to restore historical memory, rather than nostalgia for the past. The paradox of the Soviet epoch is that Babo Dadiani, one of the last descendants of the two noble Sharvashidze and Dadiani dynasties was forced into exile twice - for no reason whatsoever – first in the Volga region and later in Kazakhstan.

Exuberant moral dignity of the granddaughter of the Last Prince

- 11 -

zneobrivi Rirseba sruliad ucxo, arafrismTqmeli aRmoCnda bolSevikuri saqarTvelos ideologebisTvis. magram am gausaZlis pirobebSic ki is cxovrebas yovelTvis Tavidan iwyebda sityvebiT: `isev bednierad vigrZeni Tavi...~ es fotolegendebi sabWoTa represiebis dros babo dadians `leibis pirSi~ saidumlod hqonda gadamaluli, represiebis mere ki, Zalian didxans, ZvelisZvel sakvoiaJebsa Tu CemodnebSi... aristokrati qalis ojaxi, gansakuTrebiT ki misi qaliSvili TaTuli RvianiaSvili, dResac didi rudunebiT uvlis am Zvirfas memkvidreobas... am saukunovan kadrebs erTvis babo dadianis remarkebi. es avtoriseuli komentarebi iseT saxaliso niuansebs, iseT saxasiaTo Strixebs moicavs, rac istoriografebma SeuZlebelia Tavis dokumentebSi ar daafiqsiron. am mosazrebebSi zogierTi ram subieqturia, Tumca es subieqturobac Zalian sainteresod aRiqmeba Tavisi gulwrfelobiT, uSualobiTa Tu mniSvnelobiT...

of Abkhazia appeared to be of no real value to Georgian Bolshevik ideologists. However, Babo Dadiani, even when faced with the bitter harshness of life conditions, always remained eager to say: ‘I again feel a surge of joy…’

Living in terror of Soviet political repressions Babo Dadiani had to hide her legendary photos under a mattress cover. After repressions ebbed, she kept them for a long time in threadbare suitcases and coffers. The noble lady’s family and especially her daughter Tatuli Ghviniashvili remain firmly committed to cherishing the priceless legacy…

The century-old images are spiced up with Babo Dadiani’s notes.

They lend a splash of colour to the photos and contain the nuances, which historians would have the difficulty to catch or duly convey in their documents. Some of her opinions are highly subjective but they are still very interesting because of the simplicity, natural sincerity and significance they carry…

isev bednierad vigrZeni Tavi...

I again feel a surge of joy…

Cemi didi winapari, mixeil (hamuT-beg) SarvaSiZe, afxazeTis ukanaskneli mTavari iyo. urTules droSi mouxda cxovreba da moRvaweobac, roca ruseTma afxazeTis samTavros gauqmeba gadawyvita... movlenebi Tavbrudamxvevi siswrafiT ganviTarda, TiTqos faqtebi dros uswrebda...

1864 wels mixeil SarvaSiZe daapatimres... ojaxis wevrebTan gamomSvidobebac ver moaswro... bavSvoba TbilisSi gaatara. kargi ganaTleba miiRo. ganTqmuli iyo mWevrmetyvelebiT, mamacobiT, meleqseobiT... iTvleboda didebul meomrad da politikosad. colad hyavda qarTuli mwerlobis brwyinvale mcodne, aleqsandra dadiani. mixeil SarvaSiZis kancelariaSi mimowera warmoebda qarTulad da mxolod qarTulad... voroneJSi gardaicvala, guli gauCerda... dasaflavebulia afxazeTSi, moqvSi... netav, ra mdgomareobaSia misi saflavi?

Mikheil (Hamud Bey) Shervashidze - the Last Prince of Abkhazia whose life was plagued with unexpected upheavals. He came to power at a time when Russia decided to abolish the Princedom of Abkhazia. Subsequent events unfolded at lightning speed, facts seemed to come before the time…

In 1864 Mikheil Sharvashidze was arrested without being allowed to say at least goodbye to his family…

He spent his childhood in Tbilisi, equipped himself with an excellent education, made his name with spellbinding eloquence, bravery, poetry… he had a reputation for being a formidable warrior and a clever politician.

He was married to Aleksandra Dadiani remarkably well-versed in the Georgian arts and letters.

Mikheil Sharvashidze’s office kept up all kinds of correspondence exclusively in Georgian…

He died of heart failure in Voronezh and was buried in Mokvi, Abkhazia…how’s his graveyard now I wonder?

- 12 -

- 13 -

safrangeTSi, levilSi mamaCemis qvaze aweria: `miTxar Sendoba... da Cems mxaresa odes mouTxrob ambebs mwaresa... sTqvi ram warwera ixile lodze, Zvlebic ki fiqrobs saqarTveloze...“ bedma ucxoeTis cis qveS samudamod gadaasaxla... roca hkiTxavdnen quTaisis gimnaziidan ratom gamoxvedi da ar daamTavreo, pasuxobda rusis Cinovnikebs TqvensaviT ar gamovalayebie Tavio... `peterburskie vedomostiSi~ daibeWda koki dadianis werili vostorgovis winaaRmdeg, romelsac samegrelos avtonomizacia surda...

1897 wels 17 wlis asakSi koki dadianma jvari daiwera nino (laiso) miqelaZeze, dedaCemze... me deda ar maxsovs, imitom rom Zalian adre gardaicvala, mSobiarobas gadahyva... meorejer, 1911 wels, iqorwina meri wereTelze... mamaCemi sruliad axalgazrda jer 20 wlisac ar iyo, aurCeviaT senakis mazris Tavad-aznaurobis marSlad...“ My father’s gravestone in Leuville is inscribed with an epitaph saying: “I beg for your forgiveness and the favour to tell my people that even my bones think constantly about Georgia…’

Fate tore him away from his country and made him settle down under the foreign sky… when asked why he refused to graduate from the Kutaisi classical school he’d say: ‘I just didn’t let Russian pen-pushers bamboozle me like you’.

Sankt-Peterburgskie Vedomosti posted Koki Dadiani’s article slamming Vostorgov for his advocacy of Mengrelia’s autonomy.

In 1897 at the age of 17 Koki Dadiani married Nino (Laiso) Mikeladze, my mother… I don’t remember her for she died in childbirth… my father started his second family with Mary Tsereteli in 1911. He was not yet 20 when he was elected marshal of the Senaki Mazra nobility…’

- 14 -

Cemi usayvarlesi babua _ kiwi faRava komunistebma daxvrites 1924 wels...

RamiT, Cumad, Cemi mordu mose sarTania da misi Svili giorgi, Cemi ZiZiSvli, wavidnen im adgilas, sadac gadmocemiT vicodiT, rom daxvretilebi Cayares. moipares kiwi babus cxedari, moasvenes Sin... kuboc Cumad moitanes da CavasveneT... mere Cemma mordum da ZiZiSvilma, gvian RamiT, kubo mxrebze gaidves da SiSiT rom aravin SexvedrodaT, waasvenes Saurkaris sasaflaoze...

My dearly beloved grandpa – Kitsi Paghava was executed by communists in 1924…

Mose Sartania - my foster father and his son Giorgi as well as my nanny’s son went at night stealthily to the site where, as rumours ran, bodies of executed people were dumped. They stole the body of Grandpa Kitsi and brought it home… then they got a coffin, placed the body in it and carried the coffin on their shoulders to the Shaurkari graveyard in the gnawing fear of being noticed and identified…

- 15 -

Cems arqivSi babo SarvaSiZis xelnaweri dRiuri inaxeba, inglisur enaze, emigraciaSi dawerili da vfiqrob, is epoqis mniSvnelovani dokumentia. hyavda meuRle, baroni aleqsandre meindorfi, stolipinis uaxloesi naTesavi, gamoCenili iuristi, saxelmwifo dumis wevri, romelmac sxva SromebTan erTad gamosca wigni: `Материалы и записки по вопросу о владетельских и имущественных правах потомков свет. князя Михаила Шервашидзе, последнего владетеля Абхазии~. dRes es wigni Cemi ojaxis relikviaa. babo SarvaSiZe da elo andreevskaia-SarvaSiZisa megobrebTan erTad, dgas msaxuri _ zangis biWi. My archive keeps Babo Sharvashidze’s diary handwritten by her in English during the years of emigration, which I consider as a document of epochal importance. His spouse - Baron Alexander Meindorf, a distinguished lawyer, a member of the Duma and Stolipin’s closest kin published, among other works, a book titled ‘Materials and remarks concerning property rights of the descendants of His Serene Highness Mikheil Shervashidze, Last Prince of Abkhazia’.

This book is kept among the relics of my family.

Babo Sharvashidze and Elo Andreevskaya-Sharvashidze in company with their friends, standing: an Afican boy – serf.

- 16 -

meri iyo maRali, araCveulebrivi aRnagobis, muqi Taflisferi TvalebiT da wablisferi TmiT. amasTanave saocrad saTno da mokrZalebuli... ruseTis imperiis yofili freilina... maqvs suraTi: meri bordosferi xaverdis kabiT, gulze briliantis Sifri _ freilinebis niSani. aqve aRvniSnav, galaktionma meri naxa quTaisSi, jvrisweraze. meri ki mas saerTod ar icnobda... saqarTveloSi ramdenime qali acxadebda: galaktionis muza me viyavio. am Temaze kiTxviT mivmarTe galaktions. man wverze xeli Camoisva da RimiliT mipasuxa: _ ise momabezres Tavi am qalebma, rom yvelas veubnebi: Sen mogiZRveni meri, Sen mogiZRvenio... magram, qalbatono babo, me am leqss Tqveni meris garda veravis mivuZRvnidio!.. lado gudiaSvilma miTxra: galaktionma momitana fotosuraTi da mTxova, meri SarvaSiZis suraTi damixateo... ladom portreti sakuTar maneraSi daxata, magram roca galaktions unaxavs, sastikad aRSfoTebula, es Cemi meri ar ariso... me da meri garda imisa, rom SarvaSiZeebis mxridan venaTesavebodiT erTmaneTs, megobrebic viyaviT. meris da misi meuRlis _ nikoloz II-is fligel-adiutantis, giguSa erisTavis, mejvare iyo mamaCemi _ nikoloz (koki) dadiani. sakuTar qorwilSi ki mejvared me meri SarvaSiZe myavda... meri yovelTvis siyvaruliT ixsenebda am or bednier dRes. amaze mwerda kidec parizidan. misi meuRle, giguSa erisTavi, emigraciaSi male gardaicvala... admiral makarovis vaJi yofila meri SarvaSiZeze ugonod Seyvarebuli... roca gardaicvala, anderZiT 5000 dolari dautovebia merisTvis, rac maSin Zalian didi fuli iyo... meri 1982 wels vnaxe parizSi... maSin meri ukve moxucTa TavSesafarSi cxovrobda, sadac SesaniSnavi momsaxurebaa da piradad mas mudam emsaxureboda erTi qali... meri gardaicvala 1986 wlis dekemberSi, 97 wlis asakSi, isev warmoudgenlad mSvenieri, sruliad saRi gonebiT da mexsierebiT. mis suls mainc saqarTvelom mixeda... saqarTvelos patriarqma ilia II gadauxada panaSvidi.

- 17 -

Mary was tall with a slim build, hazel eyes and chestnut hair framing her face. She was remarkably graceful and endearingly modest…

Russian Empire’s former freilina… I have a photo featuring Mary in a crimson velvet dress with a diamond pattern on her breast – s symbol of freilinas. Galaktioni first saw Mary at a wedding ceremony in Kutaisi. Mary did not know the poet…

I know a number of women claiming to be Galaktioni’s muse. When I asked Galaktioni about it he stroked his beard and said with a smile: I’m just fed up with all those women and try to assure each that it was exactly her who inspired me to compose my poem ‘Mary’… But you know Madam Babo I could not have devoted this poem to any other woman but your Mary!..

Lado Gudiashvili once recalled that Galaktioni had asked him to paint a portrait of Mary Sharvashidze from the photo…

Lado painted it in his very typical style.

Galaktioni was furious to discover that the woman depicted in the portrait looked in no way like his Mary…

Apart from being my kin of Sharvashidze descent, Mary was my close friend. My father Nikoloz (Koki) Dadiani was best man of her spouse Gigusha Eristavi - aide-de-camp to Russian Emperor Nikoloz II. Mary Sharvashidze was a bridesmaid in my wedding ... Mary used to speak with special fondness of those two happy days and even wrote to me from Paris about her memories.

Her spouse Gigusha Eristavi died shortly after emigration...

Admiral Makarov’s son was utterly infatuated with Mary Sharvashidze… he left 5000 dollars in his will to Mary which was then a princely sum of money…

The last time I saw her was in Paris in 1982.

Mary then lived at an old people’s asylum known for its high-standard services. She even had a maid to attend to her needs.

Mary died in December 1986, at the age of 97, looking extraordinarily beautiful, lucid and serene as she always did…

Catholicos Patriarch Ilia II offered a funeral service for the repose of her soul… at least her soul found repose in Georgia.

- 18 -

odesRac, princi konstantine oldenburgeli quTaisSi dasaxlda da Tu ratom, aravin icoda. aSenebda sastumroebsa da skolebs. cxovrobda gagraSic. dauaxlovda qarTul sazogadoebas. maT Soris, giorgi SarvaSiZes. colad, didi siyvaruliT, moiyvana agrafina jafariZe, romelic iTvleboda ulamazes da wignier qalad... magram vinaidan agrafina ar gaxldaT warCinebuli gvaris warmomadgeneli, princs sakuTari titulis tarebis ufleba aRar hqonda... da man tituls siyvaruli arCia... gagraSi rom cnobili sastumroa, `gagrifSi~, princ oldenburgelis aSenebulia... princi oldenburgeli Semdgom ara princis, aramed grafis tituls atarebda _ graf zarnikau... graf konstantine oldenburgels, dadianebis gansakuTrebulad axlo megobars, gadawyvetili hqonda daearsebina e.w. `kavkasiuri riviera~. dasaxlda quTaisSi, sadac pirvelma gaiyvana rkinigzis xazi, SeakeTa foTis porti, daaarsa realuri saswavlebeli... rogorc amboben, agrafina jafariZisadmi siyvaruli misTvis didi stimuli iyo...

The reason why Prince Konstantine Oldenburgsky settled down in Kutaisi is obscure. He was actively engaged in building hotels and schools. For some time he lived in Gagra and was fully integrated with the Georgian community. Especially close friendship he had with Giorgi Shervashidze. Prince Oldenburgsky married an astonishingly beautiful and intelligent woman he was madly in love with - Agraphina Anjapharidze… This marriage however cost him the title of prince for Agraphina was not of noble descent… But Konstantine chose love over the title…

Well-known hotel Gagripshi in Gagra was built by Prince Oldenburgsky …

Konstantine Oldenburgsky’s name later became prefixed with the title of Count, instead of Prince - Count Zarnikau.

He was an especially close friend of the Dadians. Konstantine Oldenburgsky planned to set up so-called Caucasian Riviera. He put down his roots in Kutaisi and was the first to build a railway line, refurbish the Poti port and establish an educational institute there... Konstantine Oldenburgsky is said to have been spurred in these efforts by his love for Agraphina Anjapharidze…

- 19 -

Here’s a singularly interesting story.

Mikheil (Misho) Kaikhosro Kipiani was one of the leaders of the People’s Party during a period prior to the revolution.

Dogged by bad luck all through his life, including adulthood, he had to suffer a lot of trouble and anguish whether in prisons or in exile in Siberia.

During his stay in Kutaisi, Misho got acquainted with Elisabeth (Lisa) and Mariam – daughters of Alexandre, a brother of the Last Prince of Abkhazia Mikheil Shervashidze. Alexandre’s daughters showed clear signs of discontent with the Tzar… They were relocated from Abkhazia to the village of Khovle, Achara/Gori District …

Lisa fell in love with Misho Kipiani.

Though brought up in an atmosphere of luxury and wealth, she decided to accompany her beloved into exile.

Lisa and Misho were married in the Kutaisi prison, in 1883.

The young couple was exiled to the town of Ustkamenogorsky, Semipalatinsk Oblast.

Lisa appeared to be utterly unfit to survive the harshness of life conditions.

She passed away in Semipalatinsk, in September 1887.

es gansakuTrebiT saintereso istoriaa. mixeil (miSo) qaixosros-Ze yifiani revoluciamde xalxosanTa erT-erTi lideri iyo. bedi sdevnida miSo yifians. mTeli sicocxle, ymawvilkacoba, cixeebSi, cimbirSi, tanjva-wamebaSi gaatara. quTaisSi yofnis dros miSo gaecno afxazeTis ukanaskneli mTavris, mixeil SarvaSiZis Zmis, aleqsandres qaliSvilebs _ elisabeds (liza) da mariams. aleqsandres Svilebi rusTa mefis madlierni ar iyvnen... isini afxazeTidan aWarisa da goris mazraSi, sofel xovleSi daasaxles... lizas Seuyvarda miSo yifiani da fufunebaSi da nebivrobaSi aRzrdilma mTavris Zmis asulma gadawyvita Tavis satrfos gadasaxlebaSi Tan gahyoloda. lizam da miSom 1883 wels, quTaisis cixeSi, jvari daiweres. axalgazrda col-qmari semipalatinskis olqis qalaq ustkamenogorskSi gadaasaxles. lizam ver gauZlo mudmiv gaWirvebas da semipalatinskSi 1887 wlis seqtemberis TveSi gardaicvala...

- 20 -

bagrationTa dinastiis Camomaval axalgazrdas, konstantine muxran-batons Seuyvarda peterburgis kadetTa korpusSi gacnobili, Zmebi romanovebis mSvenieri da... roca es ambavi gaxmaurda, qaliSvilis mamam, didma mTavarma, Tavs ufleba misca Seyvarebuli WabukisTvis qedmaRlurad eTqva: - До меня дошли слухи, якобы вы дерзнули ухаживать за моей дочерью. Вы должны знать, что род Романовых может сочетаться браком только с родом ровным Романовых!

- Ваше величество, и Вы должны знать, что род Багратион-Мухранских отнюдь не хуже и не ниже рода Романовых _ iyo Rirseuli pasuxi. axalgazrdebi mainc SeuRldnen, magram xangrZlivi ar gamodga maTi bedniereba. brwyinvale qarTveli oficeri konstantine pirvel msoflio omis dros galiciaSi daiRupa... qvrivad darCenili axalgazrda qali-tatiana romanova monazvnad aRikveca eleonis qalTa monasterSi, palestinaSi... reJisor guram pataraias, palestinaSi gadaRebebis dros, SemTxveviT unaxavs Rrmad moxucebuli monazoni tatiana, romelsac gauxsenebia Tavisi pirveli da ukanaskneli siyvaruli... am Sexvedridan sul male tatiana romanovas sxeuli palestinis miwas miabares... suli ki... ra vici...

During his studies at the cadet corps in St. Petersburg Konstantine Mukhran-Batoni, a young descendant of the Bagration Dynasty fell in love with a beautiful sister of the Romanov brothers. When their love affair became a public knowledge, the young lady’s father – Great Prince permitted himself to make a disdainful observation to the enamoured man: – Rumours have reached me that you had the audacity to court my daughter. You ought to have informed yourself that a woman of the Romanov dynasty may only contract a marriage with a man whose origins are equally as noble as her own!

– And You too Your Highness, ought to have informed Yourself that the Bagration-Mukhransky dynasty is in no way less spectacular or inferior to the Romanov line.

The young couple still got married but their happiness came to a brief end. Brilliant Georgian officer Konstantine met his death in Galicia during the First World War. His young widow Tatiana Romanova spent all her remaining days as a nun in the Eleon convent in Palestine…

During his stay in Palestine director Guram Pataraia came across Nun Tatiana already far advanced in years. There she recalled memories of her first and only love…

Shortly after this meeting, Tatiana Romanova’s body was committed to the Palestinian earth… her soul set out on a journey but I don’t know where…

- 21 -

aneta solomonis asuli andronikaSvili, sruliad axalgazrda, 24 wlis asakSi daiRupa... misi saxeli ukvalod ar unda gaqres. qarTveli xalxis mexsierebaSi mudam unda arsebobdes, radgan Tavganwirvas da keTilSobilebas gamoxatavs... fufunebaSi izrdeboda, magram verasodes egueboda erTferovan cxovrebas... pirveli imperialisturi omis dawyebisTanave Sevida mowyalebis debis kursebze da wminda ninos lazareTSi daiwyo muSaoba. daiRupa gemze, `portugali~, romelic germanelebis wyalqveSa navma CaZira, 1916 wels... am gemiT daWrilebi gadahyavdaT da anetac maTTan iyo, rogorc mowyalebis da... ramdenime dRis mere gamouriyavs zRvas aneta andronikaSvilis sxeuli da berZnuli eklesiis msaxurT upoviaT...

Aneta Solomon Andronikashvili died in her tender years, at the age of 24… we should never let her name sink into oblivion…her example of sacrifice and devotion should remain deeply entrenched in the memory of the Georgian people… though brought up in luxury she could not tolerate being trapped in a humdrum of daily life…

Immediately after the break-out of the first imperialist war, she signed up as a nurse with St. Nino Hospital.

She met her death aboard warship Portugal, which was sunk by a German submarine in 1916… Aneta worked as a nurse on Portugal carrying wounded soldiers. Her body washed ashore a few days later and was found by priests of the Greek Orthodox Church…

- 22 -

sxedan pirvel rigSi: jayeli, olia svaniSvili, alioSa masxaraSvili, gogi lominaZe, mariko beriZe, vano sarajiSvili. sxedan meore rigSi: babo dadiani, mina beriZe da ucnobi. dgas pirvel rigSi, marcxnidan mesame - katia dadiani... dganan meore rigSi: saSa jayeli, bondo kvitaSvili, akaki svaniSvili, ucnobi, p. ioseliani. borjomi, 1923 weli

- 23 -

nacrisfersa da naTels Soris miriam soloRaSvilis ferebiT wera saqarTvelo da israeli _ es aris miriam soloRaSvilis cxovrebisa da Semoqmedebis gza, ori erTmaneTisgan sruliad gansxvavebuli samyaro, ori sruliad Taviseburi garemo... bavSvobidanve gaTavisebuli da nacnobi Tbilisis koloriti da udabnos qviSiani peizaJebis sevda, swored am ori sxvadasxva sivrcis mravalferovnebasTan ziareba qmnis mxatvris xelwerasa da mis individualizms. miriam soloRaSvilis erT-erTi pirvelive seriozuli tilo cisfer galereaSi gamoifina. es iyo misi sadiplomo namuSevari, `darejanis sasaxle~. mere iyo gayinuli da uSuqo 90-iani wlebis Tbilisi, xelovanisTvis cota damTrgunveli garemo, mogvianebiT ki _ alia israelSi, emigracia da bevri siZnele, Tumca Semoqmedi adamianisTvis yovelTvis mniSvnelovania mogzauroba, axali urTierTobebi, Sexvedra axal adamianebTan, mudmivi Zieba da siaxlisken swrafva. marTlac, miriam soloRaSvilisTvis Zalian nayofieri aRmoCnda saqarTvelosTan droebiT daSoreba da sxva qveyanaSi gatarebuli wlebi.

BETWEEN GREY AND LIGHT Miriam Sologhashvili’s writing in colors Georgia and Israel – this is the road of Miriam Sologhashvili’s life and creative work, two worlds that are completely different from one another, two very distinctive environments… Having assimilated and studied Tbilisi’s colors and the sadness of desert, sandy landscapes since childhood, it is precisely by sharing the diversity of these two diverse spaces that the painter found her own style and individualism.

One of Miriam Sologhashvili’s first major works was exhibited at the National Gallery. It was her graduation work, ‘Darejan’s Palace’. Then, she experienced the freezing and dark Tbilisi of the 1990s, a quite dampening period for an artist, after which she made Aliyah to Israel, went through the many hardships of emigration, though traveling and meeting new people, experiencing new relationships, constantly searching and going for something new is very important for creative people. And temporarily getting away from Georgia and spending time in another country did indeed turn out very fruitful for Miriam Sologhashvili.

- 24 -

„zamTari kaxeTSi“ tilo, zeTi. 60/50 'WINTER IN KAKHETI'. OIL ON CANVAS. 60/50

- 25 -

„beduini, samxreTi israeli, negevi“ tilo, zeTi, 80/60

israelSi mxatvars ramdenime gamofena hqonda: pirveli personaluri gamofena _ Tel avivSi, gordonis quCaze, galerea `efrati~ _ `qali wiTlebSi“. miriamis niWiereba da gamorCeuli xelwera imTaviTve SesamCnevi iyo da amitom maleve misi naxatebis meore gamofena gaimarTa qalaq xulonSi, amas mohyva baT-iamis kulturis centrSi erTTviani eqspozicia, romelic israelis sxvadasxva qalaqSi rusTavelis 850 wlis iubiles aRsaniSnavi dReebis farglebSi gaimarTa. ase gamofenidan

'BEDOUIN, SOUTH OF ISRAEL, NEGEV'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/60

The painter had several exhibitions in Israel. Her first personal exhibition, ‘Woman in Red’, took place at the Efrat Gallery on Gordon Street in Tel Aviv. Miriam’s talent and distinctive style got noticed right away, and soon after, a second exhibition would be arranged in the city of Holon, followed by a one-month exhibition in Bat Yam’s cultural center, which was taking place in the framework of Rustaveli’s 850-year jubilee in various cities of Israel. From one exhibition to another, the spectrum of the themes Miriam was painting was gradually broadening, and more and more new paintings were being

- 26 -

created thanks to the infinite dedication of the artist. This small excursion into her exhibitions shows that despite its difficulties and unpredictable character, the experience of emigration has become a source of inspiration for Miriam Sologhashvili. This is what happens

gamofenamde TandaTan ufro farTovdeboda Tematikis diapazoni da usazRvro Sromismoyvareobis wyalobiT iqmneboda sul axali da axali namuSevrebi. es mcire eqskursi gamofenebisa mxolod imis misaniSneblad

„ierusalimi, Zveli raioni“ tilo, zeTi. 80/90

'JERUSALEM, OLD CITY'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/90

- 27 -

gaxda saWiro, rom emigrantuli gamocdileba Tavisi sirTuleebiTa da mravalmxrivi moulodnelobebiT miriam soloRaSvilisTvis STagonebis safuZvlad iqca. ase xdeba, rodesac mxatvari ara mxolod TvaliT, aramed azrovnebis mTeli siRrmiT akvirdeba, aRiqvams da aanalizebs. miriam soloRaSvilis SemoqmedebiTi samyaro sinTezuri mxatvruli sivrcea. ras niSnavs sinTezuroba am SemTxvevaSi? mxatvari ara mxolod SeiZleba daefuZnos formas, an figuris, gamosaxulebis ferebiTa da xazebiT asaxvas, aramed, musikalur bgeras, mTlian melodias, literaturuli nawarmoebiT mogvril gancdasa Tu Rrma

„saxli Cems ubanSi“ - eZRvneba Simon peresis xsovnas. tilo, zeTi. 80/60

when an artist does not only look through one’s eyes, but observes, feels, and analyzes with the full depth of one’s mind.

Miriam Sologhashvili’s creative world is a wholesome artistic space, a sort of synthesis. What does synthesis mean in this case? The painter can not only create according to shapes, forms, colors and lines, but also feelings or deep emotions coming from hearing musical sounds, whole melodies, or reading literary works. This is why her paintings often need to be observed and assessed in a complex manner.

Here, colors, the airiness of music, and the atmosphere aroused by a word or sentence combine in harmony and build a wholesome composition. “I would call this “linguistic painting”, because what she

'HOUSE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD' - DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF SHIMON PERES. OIL ON CANVAS. 40/60

- 28 -

„tramvai firosmanis quCaze, winaprebis ezo“ tilo, zeTi. 60/35

emocias. amitomac xSirad mis naxats kompleqsurad gaazreba da wakiTxva sWirdeba. aq feri, musikis haerovneba da sityviT aRZruli ganwyoba erTmaneTs erwymis da ase iqmneba mTliani kompozicia. `me amas vuwodebdi `lingvistur ferweras~, radgan rasac xatavs, es aris mTeli moTxroba, novela, ara ubralod naturmorti, ara portreti an peizaJi, aramed filosofiur-fsiqologiuri esse. is uyveba megobrebs imas, rac unda dainaxon ferweris miRma da, Tu ar aris zedmiwevniT, pirdapir sityvierad naTqvami, es ar niSnavs, rom iq saTqmeli ar arsebobs“, _ wers xelovnebaTmcodne, profesori eTer SavguliZe. literatura da musika miriam soloRaSvilis cxovrebis yoveldRiurobaa, misi ganuyofeli nawilia da amitom SeuZlebelia, maTi gavlena ar igrZnobodes, piriqiT, mis namuSevrebSi aris erTgvari dialogi xelovnebis sxvadasxva dargs Soris, emociaTa, gancdaTa, impulsTa

'TRAMWAY ON PIROSMANI STREET, ANCESTORS' YARD'. OIL ON CANVAS. 60/35

paints is a whole story, a novel, not a simple still-life, not a portrait or a landscape, but a philosophical-psychological essay. This language tells the onlooker what they should see beyond the painting, and if it is not stated clearly, directly through words, it doesn’t mean that it has nothing to say”. – wrote art historian and professor Ether Shavgulidze.

Literature and music are Miriam Sologhashvili’s daily companions, they are inseparable parts of her life, and therefore, it is impossible to not feel their influence. It is actually the contrary: here is a sort of dialogue between various fields of art in her works – a combination and intertwining of emotions, feelings, and impulses. This is a fruitful meeting and reunion between artists, and they determine the aesthetic principles of the painter – the writers or musicians to whom she feels close is utterly important. Samuel Beckett and Akutagawa, Thomas Mann and Heinrich Böll, Dante Alighieri and his ‘Divine Comedy’… Sometimes, the shift from one to the other happens naturally, with an unexpected gradation: “I don’t remember how I shifted from the third painting to Dante Alighieri’s ‘Divine Comedy’.”

- 29 -

„beTlemi“ tilo, zeTi. 80/60

Serwyma da urTierTgadajaWva. es aris nayofieri Sexvedra da gadakveTa Semoqmedi adamianebisa da aq ikveTeba mxatvris esTetikuri principebic _ romel mweralTan, romel musikosTan grZnobs is siaxloves, es aris umniSvnelovanesi. semuel beketi da riunoske akutagava, Tomas mani da hainrix bioli, dante aligieri da misi `RvTaebrivi komedia“... zogjer uneburad erTidan meoreze TavisTavad xdeba gadasvla, moulodneli gradaciiT: `mesame tilodan rogor gadaverTe dante aligieris `RvTaebriv komediaze“, ar maxsovs. `alegoriuli tye da mzis sxivebi CemTan erTad iRviZebdnen. mxecebi, romlebic `gorakisken mimaval gzaze gadameRobnen,~ ar Canan namuSevarze (adamianis mankieri Tvisebebi), magram iyvnen. im adamianTa Sesaxebac vfiqrobdi, Semdeg cxovrebaSi mxolod xeebad rom modian (qeba 25-e)~.

'BETHLEHEM'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/60

“The allegoric forest and sunrays were waking up simultaneously inside of me. The beasts that “barred my road towards the hill” (representing human sins) cannot be seen on the work, but they were there. I was also thinking about the people who come only as trees in their next lives.”

Art is a process of receiving and giving, and one can feel this very strongly in Miriam’s artworks. At the first stage, the painter observes, analyzes, gradually gets closer to the world that she has to transpose on canvas, and only after that does she take a brush in her hand.

‘Galaktioni’s Bridge’, one of her last works, is a good example. Before starting to work on it, she read Galaktioni’s writings several times, and wrote herself: “Galaktioni has listed buildings and yards, trees and bridges.” Every little detail has significance for artists, but it is still surprising to see such attention and zealous study of one’s environment – she even studied the material used to build the bridge (though one cannot hide anything from a painter’s eye): “The bridge has three piers,

- 30 -

„sanam suls Segviberaven“ (babuawvera). tilo, zeTi. 40/50

'BEFORE THEY BREATHE LIFE INTO US' (DANDELION). OIL ON CANVAS. 40/50

- 31 -

„genetikuri kodi“ (saxli diumas quCaze, sololaki). tilo, zeTi. 50/60

'GENETIC CODE' (HOUSE ON DUMAS STREET, SOLOLAKI). OIL ON CANVAS. 50/60

- 32 -

„kafe landveri Tel avivSi“. tilo, zeTi. 80/60

xelovneba aris miRebisa da gacemis procesi, miriamis mxatvrobaSi es gansakuTrebulad igrZnoba. pirvel etapze mxatvari jer akvirdeba, aanalizebs, TandaTanobiT uaxlovdeba im samyaros, romelic tiloze unda gadmoitanos da amis mere iRebs xelSi funjs. amis magaliTad gamodgeba misi erT-erTi bolo namuSevari _ `galaktionis xidi“. sanam xatvas daiwyebda, galaktionis Canawerebsac ramdenjerme kargad gadaxeda da Tavad ki aseTi ram CauniSnavs: `galaktions aRricxuli aqvs sadarbazoebi da baRebi, xeebi da xidebi.“ mxatvrisTvis yoveli niuansi mniSvnelovania, magram mainc gasaocaria ase yuradRebiTa da gulmodgined mTeli garemos gacnoba, is masalac ki Seiswavla, romliTac xidia agebuli (Tumca mxatvris Tvals ra gamoepareba): `xidi sammaliania, mopirkeTebulia algeTis bazaltiTa da bolnisis tufiT“, _ wers Tavad da iqve vkiTxulobT: „am samiode kviris win sanapiroze vseirnobdi. mtkvarSi

'CAFE LANDWER IN TEL AVIV'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/60

and is covered in Algeti basalt and Bolnisi tuff”, – she wrote herself, and one can also read: “I was wandering on the riverside about three weeks ago. The Mtkvari river was dry because of a lengthy drought. The small islands that had appeared were covered in green grass…” On the painting, the silence of the stones arranged a long time ago seems to sway along the quiet solfeggio scale on a background of buildings and trees. In general, the annotations and ideas that the artist puts on the paintings are not less interesting than the shapes and forms, as they quietly guide us to the inner world represented on the painting.

The genres of Miriam Sologhashvili’s paintings are diverse: portraits, landscapes, everyday scenes or objects… the melancholic gaze of desert Bedouins and the dark tones of a teapot covered in soot on the fire, or her interpretation of Akutagawa’s ‘In a Grove’: “I had this theme in mind for a long time, and I was trying to give it my own interpretation. In order to provide an artistic, “painting” character to my thoughts, I had to choose the forests where the events would take place, and events from my thoughts, this was the only way I could

- 33 -

„oda ianvris mzes“ (TeTri qolgebi). tilo, zeTi. 90/60 'ODE TO THE SUN OF JANUARY' (WHITE UMBRELLAS). OIL ON CANVAS. 90/60

- 34 -

- 35 -

„galaktionis xidi“ tilo, zeTi. 80/60

wyali xangrZlivi gvalvebisgan damSraliyo. napirTan gaCenil patara kunZulebs mwvaned mosdeboda balaxi...~ naxatze TiTqos Serxeulia wlebis win ganlagebuli qvebis dumili, romelsac erwymis ukana fonze gamosaxuli Senobebisa da xeebis wynari solfejios gama. saerTod, naxatebze aranakleb sainteresoa mxatvris Canawerebi, misi refleqsiebi, romliTac msubuqad, miniSnebiT, SeumCnevlad migvaaxloebs tiloebze gamosaxul samyarosTan. miriam soloRaSvilis mxatvroba Janrobrivad mravalferovania: portretebi, peizaJebi, yofiTi garemo Tu sagani... udabnos beduinTa Tvalebis naRvliani mzera da cecxlze gamuruli Caidnis muqi tonaloba, Tu akutagavas `usieri tyis~ wakiTxviT aRZruli miseuli interpretacia: `karga xania Tema gonebaSi mitrialebda da Cemeul interpretacias vcdilobdi. azrisTvis rom

'GALAKTIONI BRIDGE'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/60

provide them with a symbolic nature. The final form had to be an Akutagawa that had already become “me”.”

Mariam Sologhashvili’s Old Tbilisi series stands out as particularly lyrical and poetic paintings, with their balconies, staircases, windows and doors.

On a door of one of the paintings, one can read the following inscription: “Sunlight coming from nowhere and from every side – the secret of an open door…” Here, each trait, each minuscule detail conveys a great love for Tbilisi, a city that she was always carrying within her abroad, and to which she returned for good a few years ago. The warm colors of Tbilisi, its finely worked old ornaments, the magnificence and delicacy of its various shapes, the interior of an old house or the common yard of an Old Tbilisi neighborhood, the calmness of the Mtkvari riverbed or the raciness of narrow streets – all this is the atmosphere to which Miriam gives life in her paintings through a soft difference of shades.

“I had the unrealized thought of painting my first childhood

- 36 -

„kedlis saaTi“ tilo, zeTi. 50/60

'WALL CLOCK'. OIL ON CANVAS. 50/60

- 37 -

„q.xolonis municipaliteti“ tilo, zeTi. 50/70 'MUNICIPALITY OF HOLON'. OIL ON CANVAS. 50/70

- 38 -

„gogona mobiluri telefoniT“ tilo, zeTi. 80/70

mxatvrul-ferweruli saxe mimeca, tyeebi unda amerCia, sadac movlenebi ganviTarebulan, movlenebi Cemi fiqrebidan, simbolur saxes mxolod ase gavacocxlebdi. gasaerTianebeli forma akutagava unda yofiliyo, romelic ukve `me~ gamxdariyo~. gansakuTrebiT unda gamovyoT mxatvris Zveli Tbilisis seria, saocrad lirikul-poeturi ferwera, aivnebi, kibeebi, fanjrebi, karebi. erT-erTi karis naxats aseTi warwera uZRvis: `arsaidan da yvela mxridan Semomavali mzis Suqi _ karis SeRebuli saidumlo...~ aq yovel StrixSi, yovel detalsa da wvrilmanSi igrZnoba

'GIRL WITH MOBILE PHONE'. OIL ON CANVAS. 80/70

Tbilisis didi siyvaruli, qalaqisa, romelsac sul Tan daatarebda ucxoobaSi da romelsac am ramdenime wlis win sabolood daubrunda. Tbilisis koloriti, saocrad Tbili ferebi, warsulis aJuruli ornamentebi, mravalferovan formaTa mSveniereba da daxvewiloba, romelime Zveli saxlis interieri Tu ZvelTbilisuri ezo, mtkvris sanapiros simSvide Tu viwro quCebis kolorebi, esaa ferweraSi gacocxlebuli ganwyoba, tonalobaTa rbili monacvleoba. `Rrma bavSvobis pirveli sizmris daxatva didi xnis ganuxorcielebel fiqrad meqca, sizmris, romlis

- 39 -

„iafos porti“ tilo, zeTi. 60/60

'PORT OF JAFFA'. OIL ON CANVAS. 60/60

dreams for a long time. It was a dream of which I had never seen the characters, they seemed like they were coming from some past memory. I had a fever, and I was dreaming the same dreadful dream, waking up in loud tears from the darkness of that dense forest”.

This is precisely what Miriam Sologhashvili’s paintings are – reality transformed into a dream, and a dream transformed into reality.

personaJebi aranairad ar myavda nanaxi, sadRac, wina mexsierebidan gadmoyolilebi Candnen. sicxians erTi da igive SiSiani zmaneba mqonda da xmamaRali tiriliT viRviZebdi im usieri tyis wyvdiadidan~. swored es aris miriam soloRaSvilis mxatvroba _ realobad qceuli sizmari da sizmrad qceuli sinamdvile. qeTevan kokozaSvili

- 40 -

Ketevan Kokozashvili

„avtoportreti“ tilo, zeTi. 40/60

'SELF-PORTRAIT'. OIL ON CANVAS. 40/60

- 41 -

wminda mRvdelmowame grigol feraZe SAINT PRIEST - MARTYR GRIGOL PERADZE - 42 -

s

aqarTvelos marTlmadidebeli eklesiis wminda sinodis gadawyvetilebiT, 1995 wlis 15 dekembers arqimandriti grigol feraZe, rogorc mRvdelmowame, wmindanTa siaSi Seiyvanes. am kanonizacias safuZvlad wmindanad Seracxvis rva pirobidan xuTi daedo, romelTagan umTavresi qristesTvis mowameobrivi sikvdili iyo. es kanonizacia polonurma marTlmadidebelma eklesiamac cno. grigol feraZis saxeli polonur diptiqebSic Caiwera. amdenad, mama grigoli erTdroulad ori eklesiis wmindani gaxda, risi analogic mravalsaukunovani qarTuli eklesiis istoriaSi manamdec yofila. parizSi, wm. ninos qarTul eklesiaSi, 1931 wlis 31 maiss warmoTqmul qadagebaSi wm. grigolma mrevls ase mimarTa: `marTlmadidebloba aris da iqneba udidesi ganZi, romelic Cvens ers odesme hqonia; am ganZisTvis Tavs msxverplad wiravdnen Cveni winaprebi, maT yovelgvari Seuracxyofis atana da TviT sikvdili erCiaT fufunebas, Tu gnebavT, politikur sargeblobasac; marTlmadidebloba aris TviT Rirebuleba _ mxolod da mxolod amisTvis Rirs sicocxle da TviT sikvdilic~. es sityvebi erTgvar winaswarmetyvelebad JRers da saqarTvelos istoriis Rrma sulier codnasac avlens _ saukuneTa manZilze saqarTveloSi momxdurTagan mosaxleobis devnas, tyveobas, gatacebas, wamebas bolo ar uCanda vidre dRevandel dRemde. amitom wm. grigoli TiTqos Tavis Tavsac ganamtkicebda _ adamiani xom yovelTvis dgeba ara erTi arCevanis winaSe, miT umetes, rom es iyo Jami mravali gansacdelisa, kataklizmebisa; ramdenadac paradoqsulad unda Candes, 1921 wels ruseTis mier xelaxla okupirebuli saqarTvelodan bolSevikur terors garidebuli grigol feraZe 21 wlis Semdeg mainc terors, oRond faSisturs, emsxverpla. grigoli daibada sofel bakurcixeSi. is siyrmidanve winaprebis kvals gahyva: Tbilisis sasuliero saswavleblis dasrulebis Semdeg, 1913 wels, 14 wlis mozardma swavla sasuliero seminariaSi ganagrZo. am periodSi momavalma patriarqebma _ kirionma da leonidem, seminariis maSindelma reqtorma korneli kekeliZem ruseTis mier gauqmebuli qarTuli eklesiis avtokefaliis aRdgenisTvis brZola wamoiwyes. am movlenam gansazRvra grigolis samecniero interesebi _ man gadawyvita, saqarTveloSi qristianobis gavrcelebis, Zveli qarTuli literaturisa da liturgikis sakiTxebis Seswavla daewyo. 1918 wels warCinebiT daamTavra seminariis eqvsive kursi da axlad daarsebuli Tbilisis universitetis sibrZnismetyvelebis fakultetze Cairicxa. 1919-21 wlebSi jarSi gaiwvies _ Tavis or ZmasTan erTad ruseTis winaaRmdeg ibrZoda... samwuxarod, demokratiuli saqarTvelo damarcxda da bolSevikebma patriotebisa da morwmuneebis masobrivi devna daiwyes.

O

n 15 December 1995, Archimandrite Grigol Peradze was included in the canon of saints following the decision of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia. The canonization was based on five of the eight conditions to be met for the official recognition of sanctity. The name of Grigol Peradze was inscribed in the diptychs of the Polish Church. Father Grigol was venerated as a saint by the churches of the two countries simultaneously. The Georgian church history records a number of other analogous cases.

In his sermon preached in the Georgian church of St. Nino in Paris, on 31 May 1931, St Grigol outlined the main idea of Orthodox teaching: “Orthodoxy is and will remain of inestimable value to us. Our forefathers selflessly sacrificed themselves to this greatest treasure of the nation, often plummeting to depths of humiliation or choosing an agonizing death over a life of luxury or political benefit.

Orthodoxy is a value itself worth living and dying for.”

These words can be seen as a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

Moreover, they offer a deep spiritual insight into the history of Georgia, which is but an endless series of persecution, captivity, abduction and torture. By saying such words St. Grigol perhaps tried to strengthen his inner life in order to make more mindful choices in

- 43 -

korneli kekeliZis mcdelobiTa da mitropolit nazaris winadadebiT, saqarTvelos sapatriarqos sabWom gadawyvita, grigol feraZe Teologiuri codnis gasaRrmaveblad berlinis universitetSi gaegzavna. grigolma miiRo saqarTvelos patriarq ambrosi xelaiasa da germaneli mwerlisa da sazogado moRvawis, ilia WavWavaZis megobris, artur laistis sarekomendacio werilebi da 1921 wels berlinSi gaemgzavra. grigol feraZeze gansakuTrebulad zrunavda `aRmosavluri samisionero sazogadoebis~ damaarsebeli doqtori iohan lefsiusi _ igi daexmara axalgazrdas berlinis universitetSi Caricxuliyo. 1922 wlidan germanuli da Zveli berZnulis garda, grigoli eufleba aRmosavlur enebs: Zvel ebrauls, siriuls, arabuls, kopturs, somxurs; garda amisa, Seiswavla franguli, inglisuri, axali berZnuli da laTinuri, agreTve rusuli, Zveli slavuri, Zveli somxuri, mogvianebiT ki, polonuri enebi. enebis codnam grigol feraZes saSualeba misca, dedanSi gacnoboda axlo aRmosavleTis kulturas, waekiTxa umniSvnelovanesi evropuli samecniero literatura da qarTuli Zeglebi msoflio civilizaciis WrilSi gamoekvlia da warmoeCina.

times of ordeal and cataclysms. The irony of the situation was that Grigol Peradze, who fled Russian-occupied Georgia in 1921 to escape the reign of Bolshevik terror, nevertheless fell victim to terror 21 years later, only that of Fascist etymology.

Grigol Peradze was born in the village of Bakurtsikhe. He followed in his ancestors’ footsteps when he was still in his early years. On graduation from the theological school in 1913, the youngster enrolled at the Divinity Seminary at the age of 14. This happened to coincide with the campaign, which future Patriarchs Kirion and Leonide, in company with the Seminary Rector Korneli Kekelidze, threw wide open for the restoration of the Georgian Church’s autocephaly. The campaign managed to crystallize Grigol’s scientific interests – he became keenly enthused about the propagation of Christianity in Georgia as well as the issues of ancient Georgian literature and liturgy. In 1918 he completed all six courses of the seminary with honours and was admitted to the faculty of philosophy. In 1919-21 he was conscripted into the army and fought against Russia alongside his two brothers…But democratic Georgia suffered defeat and the Bolsheviks unleashed massive attacks against patriots and Christian believers.

Under the auspices of Korneli Kekelidze and following a recommendation by Metropolitan Nazar, the Council under the Georgian Patriarchate made a decision to assign Grigol Peradze

- 44 -

1925 wels grigolma berlinis universiteti Teologis diplomiT daamTavra da bonis universitetSi gaagrZela swavla. mokle droSi, moamzada sadoqtoro disertacia Temaze `qarTvel bermonazvnobis istoria misi dasawyisidan 1064 wlamde~. grigol feraZisTvis filosofiis doqtoris xarisxis miniWebis ceremonia 1927 wlis 17 dekembers gaimarTa. evropaSi yofnisas grigol feraZe yovelTvis samSobloSi dabrunebaze ocnebobda. am mizniT stalinsac ki miswera werili, magram yvela cda amao gamodga.

1927 wels londonSi gaemgzavra, sadac britaneTis muzeumsa da oqsfordis biblioTekaSi dacul Zvel qarTul xelnawerebs gaecno. imave wels, grigolis pedagogi hainrix guseni gardaicvala; bonis universitetis mmarTvelobam mas gusenis Tanamdeboba SesTavaza. grigoli daTanxmda da Semdgomi ramdenime weli aqtiurad monawileobda sxvadasxva konferenciaSi (boni, vena, lozana).

1929 wels, jer kidev eriskacma grigol feraZem, qarTvel emigrantebTan erTad parizSi wm. ninos saxelobis eklesia daaarsa; swored am periodSi dadga grigoli udidesi sulieri arCevanis winaSe _ an samecniero moRvaweoba unda gaegrZelebina, an eklesiisTvis mieZRvna

to Berlin University to add depth and breadth to his knowledge in theology. In 1921 Grigol Peradze left for Berlin carrying letters of recommendation from Georgian Patriarch Ambrosi Khelaia and Arthur Leist, a German writer and public figure, a close friend of Ilia Chavchavadze.

Johannes Lepsius, founder of the Oriental Missionary Society, was truly lavish in his support of Grigol Peradze. He even helped the young Georgian man enrol at Berlin University. Apart from German and classical Greek, Grigol from 1922 started to attend oriental language courses in Hebrew, Syrian, Arabic, Coptic and Armenian; he also mastered French, English, Greek and Latin and gained a thorough knowledge of the Russian, old Slavic, old Armenian and, subsequently, Polish languages.

The knowledge of foreign languages gave Grigol Peradze the opportunity to read original texts of Near East culture, gain a valuable insight in European scientific literature and explore and put Georgian monuments through the prism of world civilization.

In 1925 Grigol Peradze obtained a diploma in theology at Berlin University and proceeded with his studies at Bonn University.

He wrote a dissertation on “The History of the Georgian Black Clergy from the Beginning up to 1064” followed by a doctorate awarded on 17 December 1927.

During his years in Europe, Grigol Peradze was obsessed with thoughts that hovered around his return to Georgia. He even

- 45 -

Tavi. am sulieri Widilisas mZimed dasneulda; sabolood, xilva moevlina da gadawyvetilebac miiRo _ 1931 wlis 18 aprils londonis wm. sofias berZnul taZarSi 32 wlis grigoli berad aRikveca, meore dResve diakvani gaxda, xolo cota mogvianebiT mRdvlad akurTxes. am arCevanis aRsrulebas win uswrebda misi werilebi Tbilisis universitetis reqtoris _ ivane javaxiSvilisa da korneli kekeliZisadmi, raTa samSobloSi dabrunebaSi daxmarebodnen, magram sabWoTa reJimis pirobebSi daxmareba SeuZlebeli iyo; 1936 wlamde grigoli werilebs ojaxis wevrebsac ugzavnida, Semdeg ki maTi usafrTxoebis gamo mimowera Sewyvita.

TiTqos bedi dascinodao da 1931 wels bonSi Casulma akademikosma niko marma sabWoTa kavSirSi dabruneba da leningradis universitetSi Tavisi kaTedris asistentoba SesTavaza, magram gadawyvetileba ukve miRebuli hqonda imdenad mtkiced, rom arc dedis Txovna Seismina, berad nu aRikvecebio _ es nabiji xom saqarTveloSi dabrunebis ukanasknel Sansac ukargavda! grigolma uwyoda, rom saqarTvelos istoriaSi kulturasa da sulieri cxovrebis ganviTarebas upiratesad berebma daaCnies kvali.

appealed to Stalin for assistance but all his attempts met with failure.

In 1927 Grigol Peradze left for London to become acquainted with ancient Georgian manuscripts preserved at the British Museum and the Oxford Library. The same year Grigol Peradze’s teacher Heinrich Gussen died. The administration of Bonn University offered the young Georgian to take over his teacher’s position. He accepted the offer.

Years of active participation in conferences (in Bonn, Vienna, and Lozano) ensued.

In 1929, while still a layman, Grigol Peradze, in company with other Georgian emigrants, founded St Nino Church in Paris. It was at this stage he became aware of the challenge facing him, namely to make a choice between pursuing his research career and devoting the rest of his life to the church. At this time of spiritual conflict, he was suddenly taken ill. In the end, Grigol Peradze had a vision, which had a profound effect on his decision – on 18 April 1931, at the age of 32, he took the vow of a monk at the Greek church of St Sophia. On the following day he became a deacon; later he was ordained as a priest.

The decision was preceded by a series of Grigol’s letters to Tbilisi University Rector Ivane Javakhishvili and Korneli Kekelidze with pleas for help in returning to Georgia. Such help was, however, impossible

- 46 -

- 47 -

1931 wels mama grigolma parizSi daiwyo gamocema samecniero krebulisa `jvari vazisa~, 1933 wels sorbonis universitetsa da dublinSi kiTxulobda leqciebs. 1933 wlamde parizis wminda ninos qarTuli eklesiis erT-erTi moZRvari iyo; Tavdadebuli moRvaweobis gamo, 1934 wlis 5 ianvars, konstantinepolis mTavarepiskoposma, axali romisa da msoflio patriarqma igi aqrimandritis xarisxSi aiyvana.

1933 wels, varSavisa da sruliad poloneTis mitropolitis dionise valedinskis miwveviT, varSavis universitetSi gadavida. erTi wlis Semdeg mitropolitma dionisem igi mitriT Semosa. am xanebSi samecniero kvlevis mizniT imogzaura avstriaSi, bulgareTSi, rumineTSi, saberZneTSi, siriaSi, italiasa da ierusalimSi. am qveynebis wignTsacavebSi mraval qarTul xelnawersa da nivTs miakvlia da bevri maTgani SeiZina kidec. amasobaSi daiwyo meore msoflio omi. 1939 wels mama grigolma alyaSemortymuli varSava ar datova, radgan ver SeZlo Tavisi biblioTekisa da mrevlis bedis anabara mitoveba. eqvTime TayaiSvilTan erTad, faSistTa mier eqspertad miwveulma, SeZlo menSevikuri mTavrobis mier saqarTvelodan gatanili erovnuli ganZis gadarCena _ am saunjes araviTari materialuri Rirebuleba ar gaaCnia,

under the Soviet regime; Grigol wrote to his family as well, up until 1936 though. Then he gave up all private correspondence out of concern for his family’s safety.

It was a great irony that upon his arrival to Bonn in 1931, academician Nicholas Marr offered Grigol Peradze a chance to return to the Soviet Union and take up the post of assistant to the Chair at Leningrad University. But Father Grigol was adamant about his decision to be ordained a monk; he even refused to listen to his mother’s entreaties to the contrary. By becoming a monk Grigol Peradze was denying himself the last chance to return to Georgia.

However, he knew perfectly well that it was predominately monks who had made their marked impact on the cultural and spiritual development of Georgia.

In 1931 Father Grigol embarked on publishing a scientific bulletin Jvari Vazisa” (Cross of the Vine) in Paris; in 1933 he delivered lectures in Dublin and at the Sorbonne University in Paris; until 1933 he served as a priest at the Georgian church of St. Nino in Paris; on 5 January 1934 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by the the Ecumenical Patriarch - Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome.

In 1933 Archimandrite Peradze was invited to Warsaw University by Metropolitan Dionisius (Waledyński). A year later he was granted the privilege of wearing the mitre. Grigol Peradze travelled extensively touring Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Syria, Italy and Jerusalem.

- 48 -

mas mxolod istoriuli mniSvneloba aqvs qarTveli xalxisTviso _ es daskvna SesaZloa sicocxlis fasad dasjdomodaT saqarTvelos meWurWleTuxucessa da mama grigols. progermanulad ganwyobili qarTveli emigrantebis SemoTavazebul TanamSromlobaze uari ganacxada, ris gamoc faSisturma specsamsaxurebma TvalTvali da devna dauwyes. miuxedavad aseTi safrTxisa yvelas mxarSi edga, Tavisiansa Tu ucxos, gansakuTrebiT ki ebraelebs, faSistTagan sastikad SeviwroebulT.

In the book deposits of these countries he tracked down and bought a great number of Georgian manuscripts and other items.

In 1939 when the Second World War broke out, Father Grigol refused to flee the besieged city of Warsaw. He could not leave his library and perish at the mercy of unkind fate. Hired as an expert by the Fascist regime he managed, alongside Ekvtime Takaishvili, to retain intact the national treasure, which the Menshevik government carried out of Georgia. In his expert capacity, Grigol Peradze verified that the treasure bore only historical, not material value.

This conclusion could have cost Father Grigol his life but the great treasurer of Georgia was ready to pay the price.

1942 wlis 15 maiss, Semasmenel-dambezRebelTa energiuli mcdelobis Semdeg, gestapoelebma misi sacxovrebeli bina gaCxrikes da mama grigoli daapatimres. mravali wlis manZilze didi garjiTa da wvalebiT mopovebul-SeZenili nivTebi da wignebi daikarga. gestapoSi dakiTxvisas qarTvel mRvdelTmsaxursa da mecniers fizikurad uswordebodnen da amcirebdnen. megobarTa mcdeloba misi gamoxsnisa amao gamodga, grigol feraZis dapatimrebis brZaneba berlinidan iyo gacemuli da is male osvencimis sakoncentracio banakSi gadaiyvanes. am droidan

- 49 -

SeuZlebeli xdeba zusti cnobebis mopoveba-moZieba wminda grigolis `Sromisa da moqalaqeobis~ Sesaxeb. mSoblebma grigol feraZes saxeli Sua saukuneebis didi qarTveli wmindanis, arqimandrit grigol xanZTelis (759861 w.w.) sapativcemulod daarqves. wm. grigol xanZTelis Tanamedrovis, Tbilisis mfarvel wm. abo Tbilelis martvilobis teqstSi (daiwera 786-790 w.w.) moyvanilia citata maTes saxarebidan, romliTac wm. abo Tavis keTilismyofelebs mimarTavs, mosalodneli safrTxisgan misi dacva rom surT: `aravin aRanTis sanTeli da Sedgis igi queSe xvimrisa, aramed zeda sasanTlesa gadgian, raTa hnaTobdes yovelTa, egre brwyinevdin naTeli Tqveni winaSe kacTa~ (maTe 5. 15-16). ucnauri aRmoCnda wminda grigolis aRsasrulic: gadmocemaa Tu sarwmuno, dRes veravin gvetyvis, magram, rogorc amboben, arqimandriti grigol feraZe osvencimis sakoncentracio banakSi gazis kameraSi gasagzavnad gamzadebul ebraelTa erT-erTi mravalricxovani ojaxis mamas Canacvlebia. es versia banakidan dabrunebulma yofilma patimarma, rogorc Tavad uTqvams, am faqtis TviTmxilvelma, auwya mitropolit dionises. germanelTa pedanturi cnoba ki amas ityobineboda: `grigol feraZe gardaicvala 1942 wlis 6 dekembers, 16 saaTsa da 45 wuTze osvencimSi~. ruseTis kgb-s arqivebSi dacul masalebs Soris osvencimis tyveTa banakidan wamoRebuli Jurnalicaa. masSi dawvrilebiTaa aRwerili tusaRTa tyveobaSi yofnis TiTeuli dRe da gardacvalebac. wm. mama grigolis Sesaxeb informacia 1942 wlis 5 dekembriT wydeba. 6 dekembris aRmwereli furceli amoxeulia...

Cvenma momavlma Taobebma da, albaT, Cvenc unda vicodeT, rom: `arian adamianebi, romelTac didi vali aqvT qveynisa. arian adamianebi, romelTa winaSec didi vali aqvs qveyanas. saqarTvelo valSia grigol feraZis winaSe~.

P. S. wminda mRvdelmowame grigol feraZis mudmivi ocneba, samSobloSi dabruneba, ganuxorcielebeli darCa. is saqarTvelosTan suliT da xorciT iyo dakavSirebuli da yovel wamier fiqrobda mis warsulze, awymosa da momavalze... axla ki mas ocneba auxda _ wminda grigolis mSobliur sofelSi, bakurcixeSi, sadac samwuxarod misi saxlis nangrevebiRaa SemorCenili, dgas taZari, sadac is moinaTla da sadac mamamisi msaxurobda da moRvaweobda. dRes RvTis wyalobiTa da SewevniT am taZarSi RvTismsaxureba aRevlineba.

Father Grigol refused to collaborate with the Fascist special services as recommended by pro-German Georgian emigrants. As a consequence, he soon found himself the target of persecution and shadowing. Nevertheless, he continued to go to the aid of anyone, whether kith and kin or complete strangers, especially Jews threatened and oppressed by Fascists.

On 15 May 1942, the deliberate efforts of spies and secret agents yielded their grim results: Gestapo officers searched Father Grigol’s house and arrested him. Many books and other valuable items that Grigol Peradze had pieced together with great care and diligence got lost. During his interrogation he was gruesomely tortured and subjected to degrading treatment. His friends’ attempts to get him out of prison came to no avail. A warrant for Grigol Peradze’s arrest had been issued in Berlin. Father Grigol was shortly sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. The exact details of his life and works have been completely absent since then.

His parents named Grigol after Archimandrite Grigol Khandzteli (759-861), an outstanding Georgian saint. A hagiographic novel (written in 786-790) dedicated to Abo Tbileli, the Patron Saint of Tbilisi (Grigol Khandzteli’s contemporary), includes a quote from the Gospel of Matthew, which St. Abo cites to encourage his friends warning him against imminent danger “Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house (Matthew 5. 15-16).

St Grigol’s death still remains a mystery. No one knows whether it is fact or fiction, but sources say that Archimandrite Grigol Peradze gave himself up to be killed in a gas chamber instead of a Jewish prisoner who had a large family. Details of this martyrdom was disclosed to Metropolitan Dionisius by a survivor of the concentration camp claiming to be an eyewitness. The German account of Grigol Peradze’s death is, however, dry saying, in its characteristically pedantic way, that “Grigol Peradze died on 6 December 1942, at 16:45, in Auschwitz”.

Russian KGB archives contain a log from the Auschwitz concentration camp, which recorded the prisoners’ daily routine. Each case of death is also duly documented. St. Father Grigol’s history ends abruptly with the entry made on 5 December 1942. The 6 December account is torn out of the log…

We and the generations to come should be aware that “there are people who owe very much to their country, and there are others to whom their country is deeply indebted. Georgia stands heavily in debt to Grigol Peradze.”

P.S. Martyr Grigol’s cherished dream to return to his homeland never squared with reality. But he was always bonded to Georgia by flesh and spirit, with his thoughts centred on Georgia’s past, presence and the future… Grigol Peradze’s dream has anyway come true – a temple in his village of Bakurtsikhe, in which he was baptized and where his father served as a priest has restored officiating the divine service.

- 50 -

- 51 -

ON THE STAGE – THE SUN, LOVE, AND A HUMAN…

scenazea - mze, siyvaruli da adamiani... (nodar

dumbaZis

mesame saerTaSoriso festivalis qronikebi)

Teatraluri

„gaacocxleT siyvaruli dedamiwaze da me aRvdgebi mkvdreTiT~ _ werda nodar dumbaZe mis naklebad cnobil moTxrobaSi „nu gaaRviZeb“. TiTqmis ori kviris ganmavlobaSi, guriaSi, ozurgeTis aleqsandre wuwunavas saxelobis dramatuli Teatris sam erTmaneTisgan gansxvavebul da unikalur sivrceSi, siyvarulic gacocxlda da Sesabamisad, nodar dumbaZec, romelic rogorc persona da mwerali xelaxla daibada. ozurgeTis Teatri, romlis reabilitaciac saqvelmoqmedo fond „qarTus~ xelSewyobiT 2021 wels dasrulda, 11 dRis ganmavlobaSi eqvsi (portugalia, lietuva, TurqeTi, ukraina, yazaxeTi, saqarTvelo) qveynis 15 Teatrs maspinZlobda. warmodgenebi imarTeboda did, mcire da eqsperimentul scenebze da, ZiriTadad, nodar dumbaZisa da qarTuli klasikuri Tu uaxlesi prozis scenur adaptaciebs aerTianebda. nodar dumbaZis mesame saerTaSoriso Teatraluri festivalis aseTi masStaburoba orma faqtorma ganapiroba: ozurgeTis saxelmwifo dramatuli Teatris infrastruqturam, romelic mzadaa erTdroulad sam sivrceSi miiRos mayurebeli da saqarTvelos kulturis, sportisa da axalgazrdobis saministros uprecedento mxardaWeram.

Chronicles of the third Nodar Dumbadze International Theater Festival

“Bring back love on Earth and I will come back from the dead” – wrote Nodar Dumbadze in his relatively less-known work “Don’t wake it up”. During almost two weeks, in the region of Guria, in three spaces from Ozurgeti’s Aleksandre Tsutsunava Drama Theater that are different from each other and unique, love was brought back to Earth, and therefore, Nodar Dumbadze too, who was born again as a persona and a writer.

Ozurgeti’s theater, the rehabilitation of which was finished in 2021 thanks to the support of the charity foundation ‘Cartu’, was hosting 15 theater companies from six countries (Portugal, Lithuania, Turkey, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia) for 11 days. Representations were held on the large, small, and experimental stages, and in most cases, they were combining scenic adaptations of Nodar Dumbadze and Georgian classical or modern prose.

The large scale of the third Nodar Dumbadze International Theater Festival is due to two factors: the infrastructure of the Ozurgeti State Drama Theater, which is able to host spectators in its three halls simultaneously, and the unprecedented support from Georgia’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth.

The Nodar Dumbadze International Theater Festival was created in 2016 on the initiative of Vaso Chigogidze, the artistic director of the Ozurgeti State Drama Theater. Former editions (taking place once every two years) were dedicated to the acclaimed Georgian writer

- 52 -

nodar dumbaZis saerTaSoriso Teatraluri festivali 2016 wels dafuZnda ozurgeTis saxelmwifo dramatuli Teatris samxatvro xelmZRvanelis vasil CigogiZis iniciativiT. wina festivalebi (imarTeba or weliwadSi erTxel) eZRvneboda yvelasTvis sayvarel qarTvel mwerals nodar dumbaZes. wlevandelma festivalma gaafarTova segmenti da man nodar dumbaZis scenur interpretaciasTan erTad, gaaerTiana qarTuli prozac. festivalis mizani qarTuli Tanamedrove da klasikuri mwerlobis popularizaciis mxardaWera gaxlavT, prozauli nawarmoebebis (romani, moTxroba, novela) inscenirebis tradiciebis ganviTarebis saqmeSi wvlilis Setana, qarTuli klasikosi mwerlis nodar dumbaZis saxelis ukvdavyofa, regionSi kulturuli cxovrebis gamococxleba da guriaSi saTeatro xelovnebis popularizacia. am miznebis didi wili ukve Sesrulebulia, festivalis msvlelobisas vxedavdiT mezobeli qalaqebidan da municipalitetebidan Camosul mayurebels... festivalis ZiriTadi maspinZeli ozurgeTis Teatri iyo, Tumca ori dRiT festivalma nodar dumbaZis mSobliur mxareSi, CoxataurSi gadainacvla. Coxatauris `xelovnebis sasaxleSi~ mesxeTis Teatrma lia suluaSvilis speqtakli „mziani Rame~ (nodar dumbaZis mixedviT) warmoadgina, xolo maspinZelma _ Coxatauris saxalxo Teatrma, festivalis stumrebsa da farTo auditorias sapremiero warmodgeniT „xazarula“ umaspinZla. musikaluri performansi „xazarulas~ mixedviT goCa xviCiam dadga, romelSic msaxiobebs cocxal musikalur akompanements ansambli „narTi~ uwevda. goCa xviCiam originalurad gaacocxla scenaze nodar dumbaZis personaJebi da ambavi, sadac mistikur samyaroSi bavSvoba da ymawviloba xvdeba siWarmagesa da xandazmulobas. festivalis farglebSi, sami dRis ganmavlobaSi mimdinareobda evraziis Teatrebis asociaciis kongresi, romelic 2019 wlis 13 seqtembers Camoyalibda Svidi damfuZnebeli saxelmwifos warmomadgenelTan erTad (damfuZnebelTa Sorisaa saqarTveloc, misi warmomadgenlis vasil CigogiZis saxiT), stambulSi malTefes me-2 saerTaSoriso Teatraluri festivalis dros. damfuZnebeli wevrebi arian: ukraina, saqarTvelo, azerbaijani, uzbekeTi, TurqeTi, rumineTi da CrdiloeT kviprosi. asociacias ukve hyavs 23 warmomadgeneli sxvadasxva qveynidan. asociaciis ZiriTadi miznebia: uzrunvelyos wevrebs Soris TanamSromloba xelovnebasa da kulturaSi, upirveles yovlisa TeatrSi, solidarobis gazrda, erToblivi proeqtebis Seqmna, kulturuli mravalferovnebis gaumjobeseba da sxvadasxva kulturas Soris dialogis gaZliereba. evraziis Teatrebis asociaciis wevri qveynebia: ukraina, saqarTvelo, azerbaijani, uzbekeTi, TurqeTi, rumineTi,

Nodar Dumbadze. This year’s festival has broadened the concept, and added modern Georgian prose to scenic interpretations of Nodar Dumbadze’s works. The festival’s goal is to popularize and support Georgian contemporary and classical literary works, to contribute to the development of the tradition of putting prose works (novellas, fiction works, short stories) on stage, to immortalize the name of Georgian classical writer Nodar Dumbadze, to revive cultural life in the region of Guria, and to popularize theater arts in the latter. A large part of these goals has already been achieved, as we were seeing spectators coming from neighboring cities and municipalities during the course of the festival…

The main host of the festival was the Ozurgeti Theater, though the festival also moved to Nodar Dumbadze’s place of origin, Chokhatauri, for two days. The Meskheti Theater presented Lia Suluashvili’s spectacle ‘Something Sunny’ (based on Nodar Dumbadze’s work) at Chokhatauri’s ‘Art Palace’, while the host – Chokhatauri’s National Theater, offered the premiere of ‘Broomcorn’ to the guests of the festival and the public. This musical performance was arranged

by Gocha Khvichia, and the ensemble ‘Narti’ was accompanying the actors’ performance in live. Gocha Khvichia has revived Nodar

- 53 -

CrdiloeT kviprosi, samxreT kviprosi, yazaxeTi, portugalia, italia, hong kongi, niderlandebi, galisia (espaneTi), kosovo, serbeTi, bulgareTi, lietuva, indoeTi, safrangeTi, poloneTi, yirgizeTi, tajikeTi. evraziis Teatrebis asociaciam, ozurgeTSi, nodar dumbaZis mesame saerTaSoriso festivalis farglebSi, miiRo mimarTva msoflio Teatrebisadmi, romelSic naTqvamia: „Cven evraziis Teatrebis asociaciis warmomadgenlebs da nodar dumbaZis saerTaSoriso Teatraluri festivalis monawileebs ozurgeTSi, gvsurs mivmarToT msoflios da ukrainel xalxs. kacobrioba gadaiRala mZime atmosferoTi, saomari ambiciebiT, politikosTa ritorikiT da saxelmwifoebis WidiliT. Cven kategoriulad vgmobT ruseTis mier ukrainaSi dawyebul oms. Cven vgmobT mSvidobiani qalaqebis dabombvas, bavSvebis da mSvidobiani mosaxleobis xocvas.

Cven, xelovanebs gvsurs erTmaneTs SevxvdeT ara brZolis velze, aramed saTeatro darbazebSi, festivalebze. Cven gvsurs, rom ibadebodnen da ar kvdebodnen bavSvebi! iqmnebodes ojaxebi da ar ingreodes! Cven gvsurs, rom ar ingreodes Teatrebi, aramed Sendebodes! Cven gvsurs, rom msoflio iRviZebdes mSvidobaSi da ara bombebis wvimaSi. veravin daarRvevs xelovanebis suls, romelic saubrobs msoflio mSvidobaze sikeTis eniTa da siyvaruliT~. festivalis saorganizacio komitetis gadawyvetilebiT, wels sakonkurso programaSi ucxouri Teatrebi

Dumbadze’s characters and story on stage in an original manner, in which childhood and youth meet old age and its sprightliness in a mystical world.

In the framework of the festival, the Eurasian Theaters Association Congress was taking place for three days, which was founded on the 13th of September 2019 by the representatives of seven founding countries (Georgia is among the founding countries, and its representative is Vaso Chigogidze) at the second International Theater Festival of Maltepe in Istanbul. The founding members are: the Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Romania, and Northern Cyprus. The association already has 23 representatives from various countries. Its main goals are: to develop collaboration between member countries in the fields of art and culture, primarily in theater, to increase solidarity, to create collaborative projects, to enhance cultural diversity and dialogue between different cultures.

The member countries of the Eurasian Theaters Association are the Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Romania, Northern Cyprus, Southern Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Italy, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Galicia (Spain), Kosovo, Serbia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, India, France, Poland, Kirgizstan, and Tajikistan.

In the framework of the third Nodar Dumbadze International Festival, the Eurasian Theaters Association made a statement in Ozurgeti addressing the theaters of the world: “We, representatives of the Eurasian Theaters Association and participants of the Nodar Dumbadze International Theater Festival, would like to address the world and the people of Ukraine. Humanity is tired of this

- 54 -

ar monawileobdnen. amitomac, maTgan ramdenime gamorCeuli Teatri festivalis xelmZRvanelobam nodar dumbaZis priziT daajildova. maT Soris, aqtobes (yazaxeTi) Tojinebis Teatri „alayai~ speqtaklisTvis „ZaRli~ (reJisori anton zaicevi), xolo akmolas dramatul Teatrs gadaeca prizi saukeTeso samsaxiobo ansamblisTvis, romelmac nodar dumbaZis moTxrobebis mixedviT dadgmuli speqtakli „iswavle cxovreba RimiliT~ warmoadgina (reJisori olRa luciva). festivalSi aseve stumris statusiT monawileobda lvovis (ukraina) maria zankaveckas akademiuri dramatuli Teatri speqtakliT „cxovreba poskriptumi~, rokiSkisis (lietuva) dramatuli Teatri speqtakliT „bavSvi~, malTefes (TurqeTi) municipaluri Teatri speqtakliT „kacobrioba aq aris SenTvis“ da bragas (portugalia) Teatraluri kompania ori warmodgeniT. stumris statusiT festivalSi qarTuli dasebic monawileobdnen, romelTac gaamravalferovnes ara mxolod safestivalo programa, aramed didi sixaruli moutanes mayurebels. festivali rusTavelis erovnulma Teatrma robert sturuas speqtakliT „vano da niko~ gaxsna, xolo vaso abaSiZis axalma Teatrma savizito baraTad qceuli speqtakli-hiti (15 welze metia moqmed repertuarSia), musikaluri komedia

heavy atmosphere, belligerent ambitions, political rhetoric, and confrontations between states. We categorically condemn the war that Russia has started in the Ukraine. We condemn the bombing of peaceful cities, the killing of children and of peaceful citizens.

We, artists, would like to meet each other not on battlefields, but in theater halls, at festivals. We would like children to be born, not to die! Families to be created, not destroyed! We would like theaters to be built, and not to fall in ruins! We would like the world to wake up in peace, and not under a sky full of bombs. Nobody can overcome the artistic soul that speaks about world peace with a language of kindness and love.”

According to the decision of the festival’s organization committee, no foreign theaters were participating in the competition program this year. Therefore, some of the most distinguished foreign plays were awarded the Nodar Dumbadze prize by the festival’s organizers, including the puppet theater ‘Alakai’s’ (from Aktobe, Kazakhstan) for their play ‘Dog’ (director Anton Zaitsev), while the Akmola Drama Theater received the prize for the best actor’s ensemble – they staged ‘Learn to live with a smile’ (based on Nodar Dumbadze’s works, director Olgha Lutsiva). Other participants, who had a guest status at the festival, were the Maria Zankavetska Academy Drama Theater from Lvov (Ukraine) with the play ‘Life Post-scriptum’, the Rokishki (Lithuania) Drama Theater with the play ‘Child’, the Maltepe (Turkey)

- 55 -

„gayra~ (reJisori daviT doiaSvili, kompozitori rusa morCilaZe) warmoadgina. festivalis farglebSi gaimarTa `onlain~ Cveneba xelovnebis saymawvilo centr „art holis~ da mixeil TumaniSvilis kinomsaxiobTa Teatris koproduqciisa nodar dumbaZis „helados~ (reJisori goga pipinaSvili). maspinZelma, ozurgeTis Teatrma ki, festivalis farglebSi, ori warmodgena uCvena mayurebels: elene macxonaSvilis saavtoro speqtakli „cis kari~ (Sereuli planis speqtakli nodar dumbaZis cxovrebasa da Semoqmedebaze) da nikoloz sabaSvilis saavtoro speqtakli „respublika guria~ (araverbaluri warmodgena guriis respublikis Seqmnaze). sakonkurso programaSi monawileobdnen: sandro mrevliSvilis Tbilisis municipaluri Teatri (egnate ninoSvilis „partaxi“, reJisori sandro mrevliSvili); zestafonis uSangi CxeiZis dramatuli Teatri (nodar dumbaZis „nu gaaRviZeb“, reJisori elene macxonaSvili); zugdidis Salva dadianis dramatuli Teatri (TamTa melaSvilis „SaSvi SaSvi mayvali“, reJisoro nikuSa CikvaiZe); cxinvalis ivane maCablis dramatuli Teatri

Municipal Theater with the play ‘Humanity is there for you’, and the Braga (Portugal) Theater Company with two plays. Georgian theater companies were also taking part in the festival with a guest status, thus not only diversifying the festival’s program, but also brought great satisfaction to spectators. The festival was opened by the Rustaveli State Theater with Robert Sturua’s play ‘Vano and Niko’, while the new Vaso Abashidze Theater presented its hit-play ‘Divorce’, which it has been staging for more than 15 years (director Davit Doiashvili, composer Rusa Morchiladze). An online broadcast also took place in the framework of the festival, streaming Nodar Dumbadze’s ‘Hellados’ (director Goga Pipinashvili), a coproduction between the youth art center ‘Art Hall’ and Mikheil Tumanishvili’s cinema actors theater.

As for the host, the Ozurgeti Theater, it arranged two plays for the spectators during the festival: Elene Matskhonashvili’s ‘Tsiskari’ (a spectacle combining Nodar Dumbadze’s life and works) and Nikoloz Sabashvili’s ‘Republic of Guria’ (a non-verbal play about the creation of the Republic of Guria).

The following plays were taking part in the competition program: Sandro Mrevlishvili’s Tbilisi Municipality Theater (Egnate Ninoshvili’s ‘Derelict Place’, director Sandro Mrevlishvili); Zestaponi’s Ushangi

- 56 -

(mixeil javaxiSvilis „jayos xiznebi“, reJisori goCa kapanaZe); baTumis ilia WavWavaZis dramatuli Teatri (nodar dumbaZis „helados“, reJisori petre CargeiSvili), Telavis vaJa-fSavelas dramatuli Teatri (ilia WavWavaZis „kacia-adamiani?!“, reJisori levan wulaZe), nodar dumbaZis saxelobis Tbilisis mozard mayurebelTa Teatri (revaz miSvelaZis „ar damiviwyo“, reJisori dimitri xvTisiaSvili). festivalze muSaobda saerTaSoriso Jiuri, romelsac Tavmjdomareobda Teatrologi, xelovnebaTmcodneobis doqtori, saqarTvelos SoTa rusTavelis Teatrisa da kinos saxelmwifo universitetis profesori, dimitri janeliZis saxelobis samecniero-kvleviTi institutis direqtori giorgi cqitiSvili; Jiuris wevrebi iyvnen: Teatrologi, xelovnebaTmcodneobis doqtori, saqarTvelos SoTa rusTavelis Teatrisa da kinos saxelmwifo universitetis asocirebuli profesori, gamomcemloba „kentavris“ xelmZRvaneli, Teatris kritikosTa saerTaSoriso asociaciis saqarTvelos seqciis pasuxismgebeli mdivani maka vasaZe; xelovnebaTmcodne, xelovnebaTmcodneobis doqtori, saqarTvelos SoTa rusTavelis Teatrisa da kinos saxelmwifo universitetis profesori lela oCiauri;

Chkheidze Drama Theater (Nodar Dumbadze’s ‘Don’t wake it up’, director Elene Matskhonashvili); Zugdidi’s Shalva Dadiani Drama Theater (Tamta Melashvili’s ‘Blackbird, blackbird, blackberry’, director Nikusha Chikvaidze); the Tskhinvali Ivane Machabeli Drama Theater (Mikheil Javakhishvili’s ‘Jaqo’s dispossessed’, director Gocha Kapanadze); the Batumi Ilia Chavchavadze Drama Theater (Nodar Dumbadze’s ‘Hellados’, director Petre Chargeishvili); Telavi’s VazhaPshavela Drama Theater (Ilia Chavchavadze’s ‘Is a man a human?!’, director Levan Tsuladze); Tbilisi’s Nodar Dumbadze Youth Theater (Revaz Mishveladze’s ‘Don’t forget about me’, director Dimitri Khvtisiashvili).

An international jury was working at the festival, the head of which was Giorgi Tskitishvili, theater specialist and art history doctor, professor of Georgia’s Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University, and director of the Dimitri Janelidze Scientific Research institute. Members of the jury were: Maka Vasadze, theater specialist, doctor of art history, associate professor at the Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University, head of the publishing house ‘Kentavri’, and the person responsible for the Georgian section at the Theater Critics International Association. Lela Ochiauri, art historian, doctor of art history, and professor at the Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University. Theater specialist, doctoral student at the Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University, and secretary at

- 57 -

Teatrologi, saqarTvelos SoTa rusTavelis Teatrisa da kinos saxelmwifo universitetis doqtoranti, saqarTvelos Teatraluri sazogadoebis pasuxismgebeli mdivani nuca kobaiZe; kritikosi, Teatris kritikosTa saerTaSoriso asociaciis wevri daviT buxrikiZe; evraziis Teatrebis asociaciis Tavmjdomare, mukola kuliSis saxelobis xersonis musikisa da dramis akademiuri saxelmwifo Teatris generali direqtori, ukrainis saxalxo artisti oleqsandre kniga; reJisori, bragis (portugalia) Teatraluri kompaniis direqtori rui madeira, ganjis (azerbaijani) saxelmwifo dramatuli Teatris direqtori agil baxramli.

Jiurim gamarjvebulebi gamoavlina eqvs nominaciaSi: saukeTeso msaxiobi qali (marina daraselia, eTeros rolis SesrulebisTvis speqtaklSi „SaSvi SaSvi mayvali“, reJisori nika CikvaiZe, zugdidis Salva dadianis saxelobis saxelmwifo profesiuli dramatuli Teatri) da mamakaci (ramaz xomasuriZe, jayos rolis SesrulebisTvis speqtaklSi „yajo“, reJisori goCa kapanaZe, cxinvalis ivane maCablis saxelobis saxelmwifo profesiuli dramatuli Teatri); saukeTeso scenografia (lomgul murusiZe, qeTevan ciciSvili; mixeil javaxiSvilis „jayo“, cxinvalis ivane maCablis saxelobis saxelmwifo

Georgia’s Theater Society Nutsa Kobaidze. David Bukhrikidze, critic and member of the International Association of Theater Critics. Head of the Eurasian Theaters Association, general director of Kherson’s Mukola Kulishi Music and Drama Academic State Theater, Ukraine’s people’s artist Oleksandre Kniga. Rui Madeira, director, and head of the Braga (Portugalia) Theater Company. Agil Bakhramli, director of the Ganja (Azerbaijan) State Drama Theater. The jury awarded winners in six different categories: best actress (Marina Daraselia for her role as Etero in the play ‘Blackbird, blackbird, blackberry’, director Nika Chikvaidze, from Zugdidi’s Shalva Dadiani State Professional Drama Theater), best actor (Ramaz Khomasuridze, for his role as Jaqo in the play ‘Jaqo’s dispossessed’, director Gocha Kapanadze, from Tskhinvali’s Ivane Machabeli State Professional Drama Theater); best scenography (Lomgul Murusidze, Ketevan Tsitsishvili; Mikheil Javakhishvili’s ‘Jaqo’s dispossessed’, Tskinvali’s Ivane Machabeli State Professional Drama Theater, director Gocha Kapanadze); best directing (Elene Matskhonashvili, Nodar Dumbadze’s ‘Don’t wake it up’, from Zestaponi’s Ushangi Chkheidze State Professional Drama Theater); best scenic interpretation of a Georgian literary work (Tamta Melashvili’s ‘Blackbird, blackbird, blackberry’, director Nika Chikvaidze, from Zugdidi’s Shalva Dadiani State Professional Drama Theater) and best play – the grand prix (Ilia Chavchavadze’s ‘Is man a human?!’, Telavi’s Vazha-Pshavela State Drama Theater, director Levan Tsuladze). Apart from a solid monetary prize (the prizes were created and handed by the head of the Georgian Theater Society, Giorgi Gegechkori), each winner received the Nodar Dumbadze prize (author and sculptor Gogi Jghenti), while the Telavi Theater received a monetary prize of 10 000 laris, which was created with the support of Smart Capital Group and the Kartuli Galoba foundation. The company Askaneli also awarded a special prize amounting to 5000 laris, which was handed to director Robert Sturua as a recognition of his accomplishments for the development and popularization of Georgian theater.

The closing ceremony of the third edition of the Nodar Dumbadze International Film Festival took place on the 15th of July. One could hear grateful words from the stage, the spectators were thanking the participants of the festival, the participants were thanking the organizers; as for the organizers, they were thanking the founders and sponsors. There were both regretful and sad people (as in all competitions and festivals), but a strong motivation appeared to put Georgian literary works on stage, and for theaters to be ready for the festival. During 11 days, there was a lot of sun in Ozurgeti, and stages and streets were full of love and life…

Nodar Dumbadze’s fourth international festival will take place next year, and it will be dedicated to the 155th year after the creation of the Ozurgeti Theater, and 95 years after Nodar Dumbadze’s passing. It will, again, combine scenic interpretations of Georgian prose by both national and foreign theaters in one space.

Lasha Chkhartishvili

- 58 -

profesiuli dramatuli Teatri, reJisori goCa kapanaZe); saukeTeso reJisoruli namuSevari (elene macxonaSvili, nodar dumbaZis „nu gaaRviZeb“, zestafonis uSangi CxeiZis saxelobis saxelmwifo profesiuli dramatuli Teatri); qarTuli mwerlobis saukeTeso scenuri interpretacia (TamTa melaSvilis „SaSvi SaSvi mayvali“, zugdidis Salva dadianis saxelobis saxelmwifo profesiuli dramatuli Teatri, reJisori nika CikvaiZe) da saukeTeso speqtakli _ gran pri (ilia WavWavaZis „kacia - adamiani?!“, Telavis vaJa-fSavelas saxelobis saxelmwifo dramatuli Teatri, reJisori levan wulaZe). TiToeul maTgans solidur fulad premiasTan erTad (premiebi daawesa da gadasca saqarTvelos Teatraluri sazogadoebis Tavmjdomarem giorgi gegeWkorma) gadaeca nodar dumbaZis prizi (avtori, moqandake gogi JRenti), xolo saukeTeso speqtaklisTvis Telavis Teatrs gadaeca fuladi jildo 10 000 laris odenobiT, romelic daawesa „smart kapital grupma~ da fondma „qarTuli galoba~. aseve kompania „askanelma~ daawesa specialuri prizi fuladi jildo 5000 laris odenobiT, romelic gadaeca reJisor robert sturuas qarTuli Teatris ganviTarebasa da popularizaciaSi

Setanili gansakuTrebuli wvlilisTvis. nodar dumbaZis mesame saerTaSoriso Teatraluri festivali sazeimod 15 ivliss daixura. scenidan ismoda samadlobeli sityvebi, mayurebeli festivalis monawileebs emadliereboda, monawileebi organizatorebs, organizatorebi ki festivalis damfuZneblebsa da sponsorebs, iyvnen guldawyvetilebic da sevdianebic (rogorc yvela konkurs-festivalze), magram gaCnda Zlieri motivacia qarTuli mwerlobis scenaze ganxorcielebisTvis, raTa Teatrebi festivals momzadebulebi Sexvdnen. 11 dRis ganmavlobaSi ozurgeTSi iyo `bevri~ mze, scenaze da quCaSi sufevda siyvaruli da cxovrobda adamiani... nodar dumbaZis meoTxe saerTaSoriso festivali, momaval wels gaimarTeba da is ozurgeTis Teatris daarsebis 155 da nodar dumbaZis 95 wlisTavs mieZRvneba. is kvlav erT sivrceSi gaaerTianebs rogorc erovnuli, ise ucxouri Teatrebis qarTuli prozis scenur interpretaciebs.

- 59 -

laSa CxartiSvili

Shalva Chkheidze

Salva CxeiZe

winaTqma: qveyana yovel wels aRniSnavs did mweralTa, mecnierTa, xelovanTa Tu sazogado moRvaweTa saiubileo TariRebs. es bunebrivicaa _ pativi miago mamuliSvilebs, yoveli Semdgomi Taobis Rirsebis saqmecaa, Tumca istoria inaxavs iseT saxelebsac, romelTac miuxedavad imisa, rom yvela winapiroba hqondaT, srulfasovnad eRvawaT _ ubeduri SemTxvevis, janmrTelobis an ubralod gaumarTleblobis gamo es ver moaxerxes. aseTi gaxldaT kote marjaniSvilis dasis erT-erTi damaarsebeli, msaxiobi Salva CxeiZe, romelsac wels 120 weli Seusruldeboda. misi didi pedagogis, kote marjaniSvilis saiubileo wlis (dabadebidan 150 wlisTavi) konteqstSi gavixsenoT didi reJisoris Rirseuli mowafe, romelsac rom dascloda, SesaZloa im did CamonaTvalSi, marjaniSvilelTa varskvlavuri dasi rom erqva, misi saxelic gaJRerebuliyo, Tumca es ase ar moxda... jer kidev debiutantis asakSi Sewyda misi axalgazrda sicocxle da amiT Salva CxeiZec SeuerTda qarTuli scenis daviwyebul saxelebs.

Foreword: Each year, our country celebrates the jubilees of great writers, scientists, artists or public figures. This is natural – to pay one’s respects to great compatriots is a question of honor for each following generation, though history sometimes also remembers the names of people who, although they had every precondition to achieve great accomplishments, could not do so because of an incident, health problems, or simply because they got unlucky. This was the case of actor Shalva Chkheidze, one of the founders of Kote Marjanishvili’s theater company, who would have been 120 years old this year. In the context of the 150th jubilee year since the birth of his great mentor Kote Marjanishvili, let us remember the great director’s honorable student, who, had he been allowed enough time, would most probably have appeared in the list of the stellar actors of the Marjanishvili theater company. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen…

His young life ended when he was still a debutant, and this is why Shalva Chkheidze joined the forgotten names of the Georgian stage.

Shalva Chkheidze was born in 1902 in the family of nobleman Kalenike Chkheidze, in the village Puti, in the county of Shorapani.

- 60 -

Salva CxeiZe 1902 wels Sorapnis mazris sofel fuTSi, aznauris kalenike CxeiZis ojaxSi daibada. vaxuSti batoniSvili „aRwera samefosa saqarTvelosa“-Si, aRwers imereTis im mxares, romelSic uZvelesi droidan CxeiZeebi cxovrobdnen. „xolo argueTis samჴriT ars saCxeiZo, pirvelad argueTadve wodebuli, merme fersaTis kerZod. Semdgomad pyrobiTa mTavarTa CxeiZeTagan saCxeiZod isaxela. aramed ganhyofs saCxeiZosa da argueTs CdiloT Cxerimela, Zirula da yvirila, merme saCxeiZosa da vakes _ mdinare rioni saCinomde. xolo aRmosavliT mzRvris saCxeiZos fersaTidam Camosuli mcire mTa, CdiloT Zirulamde, xarageuls queiT...~ swored aq mdebareobs mdinare yvirilas marcxena sanapiros, Sorapnis Tavze, mcire mTaze Sefenili sofeli fuTi. aznaur CxeiZeTa fuTis ezo-kari namdvili savane iyo, damSvenebuli xexilis baRebiT, mravalsaukunovani didi saCrdilobeli kopitis xeebiT (ifans imereTSi kopits uwodeben), venaxebiT, TuTis xeebiTa da

In Vakhushti Batonishvili’s ‘Description of the Kingdom of Georgia’, he describes the Imeretian region in which the Chkheidze lived from time immemorial.

“And to the south of Argueti, there is the place of the Chkheidzes, which used to be called Argueti. Afterwards, it became known as the place of the Chkheidzes as a result of their rule. To the north, the Chkheidze lands and Argueti was bordered by rivers Chkherimela, Dzirula and Kvirila, while it was separated from Vake by the river Rioni, until the village of Sachino...”

It is precisely there that the village of Puti stands, lying on a small hill, on the head of Shorapani, on the left bank of river Kvirila. The property of the noble Chkheidzes in Puti was a real refuge, adorned with orchards, centuries-old ash-trees providing shade, vineyards, mulberry trees and cornfields in the plains.

It is worth noting that in 1957, it is in Shalva Chkheidze’s childhood yard that the first scenes of Shota Managadze’s film ‘Sabudareli Chabuki’ were shot, those that were accompanied with Rezo Laghidze’s unforgettable song.

Shalva Chkheidze’s uncle, his father’s brother, was notable political

- 61 -

figure Nikoloz (Karlo) Chkheidze. Karlo and Kalenike Chkheidze’s father, Simon Chkheidze, was a real advocate of education, and was trying to provide a good education to his children.

Starting from 1887, Karlo Chkheidze was actively involved in the revolutionary movement, because of which he was dismissed from the Kutaisi Gymnasium, then from the universities of Novorossiiski and Kharkov. Nikoloz Chkheidze was passionate about Karl Marx’ ideas. This is why the future politician was nicknamed ‘Karlo’. Karlo Chkheidze, a talented publicist and public speaker, was participating in the founding reunion of the Third Group (‘Mesame Dasi’). He was an invited member from Georgia to the third and fourth Russian ‘Duma’, as well as the leader of the Menshevik faction.

In 1917, after emperor Nikoloz II stepped down, Karlo Chkheidze was one of the members of the temporary committee’s presidium, which took the responsibility to rule the country until the creation of a temporary government. He was the president of the Petrograd Soviet of workers and soldiers’ deputies. Afterwards, he was elected as the president of the Executive Committee of Russia. He was even known as the author of the 1917 February revolution.

But to Karlo Chkheidze, the most important was the independence of his country of Georgia, and freeing it from the Russian Empire.

He thought that the dissolution process of the Russian Empire was an opportunity for Georgia to regain its independence. He had a kalenike CxeiZe da SuSanika devdariani, mSoblebi KALENIKE CHKHEIDZE AND SHUSHANIKA DEVDARIANI, THE PARENTS

ferdobebze simindis yanebiT. sayuradReboa is faqti rom 1957 wels, Salva CxeiZis mSobliur ezoSia gadaRebuli SoTa managaZis filmis „sabudareli Wabukis~ pirveli kadrebi rezo laRiZis dauviwyari simReris fonze.

Salva CxeiZis biZa, mamis Zma, gamoCenili politikuri moRvawe nikoloz (karlo) CxeiZe iyo. karlo da kalenike CxeiZeebis mama, simon CxeiZe ganaTlebis didi qomagi gaxldaT da cdilobda SvilebisTvis kargi ganaTleba mieca. karlo CxeiZe 1887 wlidan aqtiurad iyo Cabmuli revoluciur moZraobaSi, ris gamoc jer quTaisis gimnaziidan, Semdeg novorosiiskisa da xarkovis universitetebidan garicxes. nikoloz CxeiZe karl marqsis moZRvrebiT iyo gatacebuli. amis gamo momaval politikoss zedmetsaxeli „karlo~ Searqves. karlo CxeiZe, niWieri publicisti da oratori, monawileobda mesame dasis damfuZnebel krebaSi. iyo ruseTis saTaTbiros „dumis~ mesame da meoTxe mowvevis wevri saqarTvelodan, „menSevikTa” fraqciis lideri.

1917 wels imperator nikoloz II gadadgomis Semdeg, karlo CxeiZe Sedioda saTaTbiros droebiTi komitetis prezidiumSi, romelmac droebiTi mTavrobis Seqmnamde qveynis xelmZRvaneloba ikisra. iyo petrogradis muSaTa

- 62 -

natalia guncaZe, bebia NATALIA GUNTSADZE, GRANDMOTHER

sasceno xelovnebis institutis pirveli kursdamTavrebulebi, 1924 FIRST GRADUATES OF THE SCENIC ARTS INSTITUTE, 1924

da jariskacTa deputatebis sabWos Tavmjdomare.

Semdeg ki, sruliad ruseTis aRmasrulebeli komitetis pirvel Tavmjdomared airCies. mas 1917 wlis Tebervlis revoluciis avtorsac uwodebdnen. magram karlo CxeiZisTvis umTavresi Tavisi qveynis, saqarTvelos damoukidebloba da ruseTis imperiisgan misi gaTavisufleba iyo. miaCnda, rom ruseTis imperiis rRvevis procesSi saqarTvelos hqonda SesaZlebloba aRedgina saxelmwifoebrioba. igi negatiurad iyo ganwyobili bolSevikuri revoluciisadmi da mas sastik da uazro rusul buntad axasiaTebda. 1917 wels, saqarTveloSi dabrunebulma, Zmis, kalenike CxeiZis kiTxvaze _ ra xdeba ruseTSi? upasuxa, rom es aris _ `Пугачевщина марксовской окраски~ _ marqsizmis ideebiT SefuTuli sastiki bunti. misTvis cxadi iyo, rom saqarTvelos araferi saerTo ar SeiZleboda hqonoda ruseTTan da daiwyo aqtiuri mzadeba saqarTvelos damoukideblobis gamocxadebisTvis.

1918 wels karlo CxeiZe amierkavkasiis seimis Tavmjdomared airCies, Semdeg demokratiuli saqarTvelos parlamentis pirvel Tavmjdomared. iyo damfuZnebeli krebis Tavmjdomare da didi wvlili

negative opinion of Bolshevik revolutionaries, and was referring to them as a brutal and senseless Russian rebellion. After returning to Georgia in 1917, to his brother Kalenike Chkheidze’s question – “What is happening in Russia?”, he answered that this was “a brutal uprising bearing the mask of Marxism”. To him, it was clear that Georgia could have nothing to do with Russia, and he started active preparations for the declaration of Georgia’s independence.

In 1918, Karlo Chkheidze was named the president of the Transcaucasian Sejm, then the president of the first parliamentary assembly of the Democratic Republic of Georgia. He was the president of the Constituent Assembly, and played an important role in the creation of the Democratic Republic’s first constitution.

After the incursion of Bolshevik Russia’s 11th army in Georgia and the annexation of the latter, Karlo Chkheidze emigrated to Paris together with his wife and young daughter. Two of his daughters, as well as siblings’ families and relatives all stayed in Georgia. Because of his country’s fate, and bearing the weight of his daughters and relatives left in Georgia, Karlo Chkheidze ended his life tragically in Leuville, by suicide. He left a farewell note, stating that he was accusing no one for his death. Karlo Chkheidze is buried at the Père Lachaise cemetery for public figures in Paris.

- 63 -

karlo CxeiZe KARLO CHKHEIDZE

Seitana demokratiuli respublikis pirveli konstituciis miRebaSi. saqarTveloSi bolSevikuri ruseTis me-11 armiis SemoWrisa da saqarTvelos aneqsiis Semdeg, karlo CxeiZe, meuRlesTan da mcirewlovan qaliSvilTan erTad parizSi, emigraciaSi gaemgzavra. saqarTveloSi mas darCa ori qaliSvili, da-Zmis ojaxebi da naTesavebi. qveynis bediT, Svilebze da axloblebze dardiT damZimebulma karlo CxeiZem tragikulad, TviTmkvlelobiT daasrula sicocxle levilSi. gamosamSvidobebel werilSi dawera, rom aravis adanaSaulebs Tavis sikvdilSi. karlo CxeiZe dakrZalulia parizis sazogado moRvaweTa per-laSezis sasaflaoze. saqarTvelos gasabWoebis Semdeg karlo CxeiZis Zmis, kalenike CxeiZis ojaxs rTuli periodi daudga. gaZarcves karlo da kalenike CxeiZeebis saxl-kari sofel fuTSi. Semdeg wlebSi karlo CxeiZis saxlSi soflis dawyebiTi skola iyo ganTavsebuli. kalenike CxeiZe principuli kaci gaxldaT da miuxedavad SeTavazebuli samsaxurisa, ar ikadra bolSevikebTan TanamSromloba. mas CamoarTves miwebi, dautoves mxolod

After the sovietization of Georgia, Karlo Chkheidze’s brother Kalenike Chkheidze’s family went through difficult times. Karlo and Kalenike Chkheidze’s home in Puti was burglarized. During the following years, a primary school was arranged in Karlo Chkheidze’s village home.

Kalenike Chkheidze was a man of principles, and despite being offered a good position, he refused working with the Bolsheviks.

He was stripped of his lands, and left with only his house, and, as an exception, the large yard with shading ash-trees.

Kalenike Chkheidze had four children. The elder, Shalva, who was called ‘little boy’ by his family members, decided to become an artist, and graduated from the Theater University in 1924. His fellow students were Tamar Tsulukidze, Akaki Khorava, Pierre Kobakhidze, Vaso Godziashvili, Cecilia Takaishvili, Maliko Mrevlishvili. This was the first generation of the Theater Institute.

After graduating from the institute, Shalva Chkheidze started working as an actor at the ‘Workers’ Theater’s’ Georgian troupe.

Because being an artist was not really considered as a serious profession in the Chkheidze family, Shalva entered the Tbilisi State University’s faculty of agronomy, following his family’s supplication, and in parallel to his studies, he was acting at the ‘Workers’ Theater’.

But art was his passion, and in 1927, he was introduced in Kote Marjanishvili’s new troupe. In the years 1927-29, he became an actor for the Kutaisi-Batumi Theater.

In the Kutaisi-Batumi State Drama Theater, Shalva Chkheidze took part in the following plays: ‘Hopla, we are alive’, ‘Holy Maiden’, ‘Kvarkvare Tutaberi’…

The latter was staged by Kote Marjanishvili in 1929. Polikarpe Kakabadze’s ‘Kvarkvare Tutaberi’ was based on the Georgian folk tale ‘Natsarkekia’, which provided the director with the opportunity to introduce diverse and visually innovative elements on the stage.

The play’s scenic dynamics were built simultaneously on the sharp contrast between banality and grotesque, and that between reality and the invented. The main role was played by Sandro Zhorzholiani (though because of his illness, during the first representations in

- 64 -

saxli da gamonaklisis saxiT, didi saCrdilobeli kopitebiani ezo. kalenike CxeiZes oTxi Svili hyavda. ufrosma vaJma Salvam, romelsac ojaxSi biWikos eZaxdnen, artistoba gadawyvita da 1924 wels daamTavra Teatraluri instituti. masTan erTad swavlobdnen Tamar wulukiZe, akaki xorava, pier kobaxiZe, vaso goZiaSvili, sesilia TayaiSvili, maliko mrevliSvili. es iyo Teatraluri institutis pirveli gamoSveba. institutis damTavrebis Semdeg Salva CxeiZem msaxiobad daiwyo muSaoba „muSaTa Teatris~ qarTul dasSi. vinaidan CxeiZeebis ojaxSi artistoba seriozul profesiad didad ar iyo miCneuli, Salva, ojaxis daJinebuli TxovniT, tfilisis saxelmwifo universitetSi agronomiul fakultetze Sevida da swavlis paralelurad „muSaTa TeatrSi~ msaxiobobda.

Tumca artistobam mainc gadasZlia da 1927 wlidan, kote marjaniSvilis axal dasSi iqna miRebuli. 1927-29 wlebSi quTais-baTomis Teatris msaxiobi gaxda. quTais-baTomis saxelmwifo dramis Teatris dasSi Salva CxeiZe TamaSobda speqtaklebSi: „hopla, Cven vcocxlobT“, „wminda qalwuli“, „yvaryvare TuTaberi“... es ukanaskneli kote marjaniSvilma 1929 wels dadga. polikarpe kakabaZis „yvaryvare TuTaberi“, qarTuli xalxuri zRapris, „nacarqeqias“ siuJetis safuZvelze Seiqmna, rac SesaZlebels xdida reJisors mravalferovani da axali gamomsaxvelobiTi saSualebebi Semoetana scenaze. speqtaklis scenuri moqmedeba erTdroulad yofiTi suraTiTa da groteskiT, realobasa da gamogonils Soris mZafr kontrastze iyo agebuli. speqtaklSi mTavar rols sandro JorJoliani asrulebda (Tumca misi avadmyofobis gamo, sapremiero speqtaklebSi, romelic baTumSi gaimarTa, yvaryvares rolSi mayurebelma uSangi CxeiZe ixila), xolo kakutasa da quCaras rolebze ganawilebulni iyvnen Salva CxeiZe da akaki kvantaliani. es scenuri wyvili sakmaod komikurad gamoiyureboda _ dabali akaki kvantaliani da Zalian maRali Salva CxeiZe erTmaneTisTvis groteskamde Seuferebelni iyvnen. amas emateboda scenuri kostiumebi da grimi, romelic amZafrebda kakutasa da quCaras isedac karikaturul saxeebs.

Salva da uSangi CxeiZeebi axlo naTesavebi iyvnen. uSangi aRniSnavda, rom Salva Zalian niWieri msaxiobi iyo da mas didi momavali hqonda. igi gamoirCeoda momxibvleli garegnobiT, bunebrivi plastikiT, kargi metyvelebiT. 1929-30 wlebis sezonSi Teatrma gamarTa koncertebi, romelSic sxvadasxva nomriT kote marjaniSvilis dasis msaxiobebi monawileobdnen. maT Soris iyo Salva CxeiZec. msaxiobisTvis qoreograf daviT (tuzika) maWavarians sacekvao nomeri originalurad hqonda dadgmuli. Tavidan is Camuxluli cekvavda da nomris Sesrulebis procesSi nel-nela welSi imarTeboda da vinaidan Zalian maRali

mamika devdariani MAMIKA DEVDARIANI

Batumi, Kvarkvare’s role was fulfilled by Ushangi Chkheidze), while Shalva Chkheidze and Akaki Kvantaliani were performing the roles of Kakutsa and Kuchara, respectively. This scenic couple looked quite comical – the short Akaki Kvantaliani and the very tall Shalva Chkheidze looked unfit for each other to the grotesque. Add to that the costumes and makeup, which was underlining the already caricatural faces of Kakutsa and Kuchara.

Shalva and Ushangi Chkheidze were also relatives. Ushangi used to mention that Shalva was a very talented actor, and that he had a bright future. He stood out with his attractive physique, natural movements, and good pronunciation.

In the 1929-30 season, the theater organized some concerts, in which actors from the Kote Marjanishvili troupe would sometimes take part. Shalva Chkheidze was also among them. Choreographer Davit (Tuzika) Machavariani had arranged a dance part specifically for

- 65 -

the actor in an original way. He would start dancing on his knees, and during the performance process, he would gradually get up. Because he was very tall, he could only dance with his full body at the end of the performance. This part was very successful with the spectators.

During one of the concerts, Shalva Chkheidze had a heart problem, and he couldn’t get up after the part was finished. After the concert, they transported the actor to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a heavy form of heart failure. In a few days, Shalva Chkheidze passed – he was 27 years old. The actor’s family has preserved a letter from Kote Marjanishvili, which the latter addressed to Shalva’s father Kalenike Chkheidze. In the letter, Kote Marjanishvili was discussing details about Shalva’s funeral in the village Puti with the head of the family.

Shalva Chkheidze was buried in the end of his own home’s yard, in a piece of land that still belonged to the Chkheidzes. It would later become the family cemetery of Kalenike Chkheidze’s family.

mariam da qeTevan CxeiZeebi MARIAM AND KETEVAN CHKHAIDZE

iyo, mxolod cekvis dasasrulisTvis axerxebda mTeli taniT cekvas. nomeri mayurebelze did efeqts axdenda. erT-erTi koncertis dros Salva CxeiZes guli gauxda cudad da nomris Sesrulebisas veRar SeZlo fexze adgoma. koncertis Semdeg msaxiobi saavadmyofoSi gadaiyvanes, sadac mas daudginda gulis mankis mZime forma, ramdenime dReSi Salva CxeiZe, 27 wlis asakSi gardaicvala. msaxiobis ojaxSi SemorCenilia kote marjaniSvilis werili, romelic didma reJisorma Salvas mamas kalenike CxeiZes miswera. werilSi kote marjaniSvili ojaxis ufross Salvas panaSvidebsa da sofel fuTSi gadasvenebis detalebs uTanxmebda.

Salva CxeiZe dakrZales sakuTari saxlis ezos boloSi, CxeiZeebis SemorCenili sagvareulo mamulis nawilSi. axla iq kalenike CxeiZis ojaxis sagvareulo sasaflaoa. samwuxarod Salva CxeiZis Sesaxeb cnobebi mxolod ojaxs aqvs SemorCenili. mas pirdapiri STamomavali ar darCa. misi Zalian saintereso samsaxiobo kariera gulis Tandayolili mankis gamo, Zalian xanmokle aRmoCnda.

yvaryvare 1928 KVARKVARE 1928

- 66 -

Salva CxeiZe kolegebTan erTad sofel fuTSi SHALVA CHKHEIDZE WITH COLLEAGUES IN VILLAGE PUTI

gasuli saukunis mZime istoriis qartexilebSi aravin icis, ra bedi eweoda Salva CxeiZes. erTi ram cxadi iyo _ kalenike CxeiZis ojaxi sul elodeboda represiebs. im droebaSi, karlo CxeiZis Zmis ojaxisTvis es bunebriv mdgomareobad iTvleboda. Salva CxeiZis debi, ramdenjerme garicxes universitetidan da mxolod garkveuli periodis Semdeg aRadgines isini, swavlis gasagrZeleblad. ojaxSi didxans ixsenebdnen im mZime periods, rac gasuli saukunis 1920-30-iani wlebidan moyolebuli 1950-iani wlebis CaTvliT iyo qveyanaSi. gansakuTrebuli simZafriT hyvebodnen im avbediTi Ramis ambavs, roca SorapanSi matarebelSi xalxis masiuri daxvretisas srolis xma sofel fuTamde aRwevda. ramden mZime gansacdels gauZlo im Taobam vin moTvlis, Tumca gansakuTrebulad gausaZlis droSi im ojaxebs uwevdaT cxovreba, romelTa axlo naTesavebic bolSevikebis winaaRmdegni iyvnen. kalenike CxeiZis didi ojaxic aseT mZime yoveldRiurobaSi agrZelebda arsebobas da mxolod saswauliT gadaurCa srul ganadgurebas. xaTuna kikvaZe

Unfortunately, only his family has preserved documents about Shalva Chkheidze. He doesn’t have a direct descendant. His very interesting acting career turned out very short because of his heart problem.

Nobody knows what other fate would have awaited Shalva Chkheidze in the heavy and stormy history of the past century. One thing was clear – Kalenike Chkheidze’s family was constantly expecting repressions. During that period, this would have been considered normal for the family of Karlo Chkheidze’s brother. Shalva Chkheidze’s sisters were dismissed several times from university, and they were only allowed to continue their studies after a long pause. In the family, they were often reflecting about the difficult period that spanned from the 1920-30s to the end of the 1950s in Georgia. They were telling the story of one fateful night, when the sounds of the rifle shots during the massive execution in the train of Shorapani could be heard in the village of Puti, with particular emotion. One cannot count the number of difficult situations faced by that generation, but the families with close relatives who had confronted the Bolshevik regime were in an even worse situation. Kalenike Chkheidze’s large family too was continuing its life in these harsh conditions, and it is a miracle that it could survive complete annihilation.

- 67 -

Khatuna Kikvadze

kote gZeliSvili Kote Gdzelishvili - 68 -

c

nobilia, rom qarTveli mxatvrebi dimitri SevardnaZis xelmZRvanelobiT jer kidev 1916 wlidan iRvwodnen TbilisSi umaRlesi samxatvro saswavleblis dasaarseblad. leninma 1922 wlis 12 marts xeli moawera amierkavkasiis socialisturi respublikebis federaciuli kavSiris Seqmnas, rac im periodSi, savaraudod, saerTo amierkavkasiis umaRlesi saswavleblebis daarsebasac iTvaliswinebda. ambavi, romelsac axla giambobT, dokumenturad ar dasturdeba. mas Zveli Taobis mxatvrebi apolon quTaTelaZe, nikoloz kandelaki, vaxtang jafariZe da givi mizandari hyvebodnen. sabWoTa xelisuflebas surda amierkavkasiis samxatvro akademia gaxsniliyo ara TbilisSi, aramed erevanSi, radgan Tbilissa da zogadad mTel kavkasiaSi ukve arsebobda ori umaRlesi saswavlebeli _ saxelmwifo konservatoria (1917 w.) da saxelmwifo universiteti (1918 w.). am sakiTxTan dakavSirebiT operis TeatrSi sxdoma gaimarTa, romelzec sityviT kremlis warmomadgeneli gamovida. TiTqos yvelaferi gadawyvetili iyo. am dros scenaze avida momavali mxatvari, 20 wlis kote gZeliSvili da gamomsvlels saxeSi ise uTavaza, rom Zirs daagdo. sxdoma CaiSala da TiTqos am nokautma gansazRvra momavali akademiis adgilmdebareoba. konstantine konstantines Ze gZeliSvili daibada TbilisSi 1902 wels. 1921 wels daamTavra realuri saswavlebeli da swavla ganagrZo axlad daarsebul samxatvro akademiaSi, gamoCenili mxatvris, profesor gigo gabaSvilis klasSi. 1925 wels gadavida akademikos evgeni lanseres saxelosnoSi. jer kidev akademiaSi Sesvlamde sruliad axalgazrda xatvasa da xazvas aswavlida Tbilisis samxatvro teqnikumSi, safabriko saqarxno saswavlebelsa da pirvel saSualo skolaSi. mxatvrulad aformebda speqtaklebs, wignebs, Jurnalebs.

1924 wlidan sistematurad monawileobda saqarTvelos mxatvarTa gamofenebSi, misi namuSevrebi igzavneboda moskovSi mxatvarTa sakavSiro, leningradis, xarkovisa da sxva qalaqebis gamofenebze. akademiis damTavrebis Semdeg igi aswavlida Tbilisis samxedro-saSefo studiaSi, sadac mTel Tavis niWsa da unars uSurvelad axmarda axalgazrda mxatvarTa gamovlenisa da aRzrdis saqmes. 1943 wels saSefo xaziT gaagzavnes frontze, sadac mxatvrul tiloebze aRbeWda omis saintereso epizodebi. qarTvel mxatvarTa gamofena saxelwodebiT `omis Canaxatebi~ 1944 wels TbilisSi gaimarTa. amis Semdeg is miiwvies Tbilisis samxatvro akademiaSi pedagogad. iyo ferweris kaTedris docenti, Semdeg _ profesori. konstantine gZeliSvilis Semoqmedebis Temaa peizaJi, arqiteqturuli Zeglebi, istoriul Temebze Seqmnili

A

s it is well known, Georgian painters started working on the foundation of a higher education institution of arts in Tbilisi since 1916, under the leadership of Dimitri Shevardnadze.

On the 12th of March 1922, Lenin signed the creation of the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, which, in that period, probably also involved the creation of common higher education institutions in Transcaucasia.

The story I will tell you is not corroborated by documents. It was told by painters from the older generation such as Apolon Kutateladze, Nikoloz Kandelaki, Vakhtang Japaridze and Givi Mizandari.

The soviet authorities wanted the Transcaucasian Academy of Arts to open not in Tbilisi, but in Erevan, because there were already two higher education institutions in Tbilisi, and more generally, in the Caucasus – the State Conservatory (1917) and the State University (1918).

A meeting was held at the Opera Theater about this matter, in which a representative of the Kremlin did a speech. Everything seemed already decided. At that moment, a future painter, 20-year-old Kote Gdzelishvili went on the stage, and hit the speaker in the face so hard that the latter fell on the ground. The meeting was called off, and this knockout seemed to determine the location of the future Academy.

Konstantine Gdzelishvili was born in Tbilisi in 1902. He graduated from the technical high school and continued his studies in the newly founded Academy of Arts under prominent painter Gigo Gabashvili.

In 1925, he started working in the atelier of academician Yevgeny Lanceray. In his youth, even before entering the Academy, he was teaching painting and drawing at Tbilisi’s technical school, at the factories and plants education platform, and at the classical Public School No. 1. He would illustrate spectacles, books, and newspapers.

From 1924, he would regularly take part in exhibitions by Georgian artists, and his works were sent to all-union exhibitions is Moscow, as well as cities such as Leningrad and Kharkov.

„mezarbazne a. ter-Smovanovis gmiroba 1795 weli”; tilo zeTi. erovnuli muzeumi.

'HEROIC DEED OF GUNNER A. TER-SHMOVANOV, 1795'. OIL ON CANVAS. NATIONAL MUSEUM

- 69 -

„unagiras qedi da yarangoziSvilebis koSki „Seupovari“; qaRaldi, zeTi, 1958 w.; onis mxareTmcodneobis muzeumi 'UNAGIRA RIDGE AND THE KARANGOZISHVILI FAMILY TOWER 'SHEUPOVARI'. OIL ON PAPER, 1958. ONI REGIONAL MUSEUM

suraTebi, portretebi da sxv. mxatvari didi siyvaruliT asaxavs mSobliuri mxaris silamazes, bunebis siuxves, adamianTa garjas. misi naxatebi realisturia, gasagebi, mimzidveli, Rrmad Cafiqrebuli da martivad gadmocemuli. yuradRebas ipyrobs kompoziciis sisadave, ferTa siuxve, mudam igrZnoba mze, sinaTle, jansaRi optimisturi ganwyoba.

Rvawlmosili xelovani dajildoebuli iyo medlebiT da sigelebiT, mieniWa saqarTvelos (ssr) xelovnebis damsaxurebuli moRvawis wodeba. dakrZalulia mweralTa da sazogado moRvaweTa didubis panTeonSi. vinaidan mis Sesaxeb mwiri informacia SemogvrCa, Tavi movuyareT mis sanaTesavoSi gabneul cnobebs, saarqivo dokumentebze dayrdnobiT CavatareT kvleva, moviZieT masalebi gvarisa da ojaxis cnobili warmomadgenlebis Sesaxeb. gavesaubreT mis moswavlesa da megobars, saqarTvelos damsaxurebul mxatvar Tamaz (Tazo) xuciSvils da SevecadeT aRgvedgina mxatvris portreti.

Tazo xuciSvili: `1950-iani wlebis bolos Seiqmna Tbilisis samxatvro akademiis daxurvis safrTxe. akademiis

After finishing the Academy, he taught at the Tbilisi military-royal academy, where he was ceaselessly employing all his talent and skills for the education and development of young artists. In 1943, he was sent to the front as a cook, where he put interesting war episodes on the canvas. An exhibition titled ‘War sketches’ was arranged in Tbilisi in 1944. After that, he was invited as a pedagogue at Tbilisi’s Academy of Arts. He was a lecturer at the faculty of painting, and then a professor.

Konstantine Gdzelishvili’s main themes are landscapes, architectural monuments, paintings about historic events, among others. The painter affectionately depicts the beauty of his homeland, the abundance of its nature, the labor of its people. His paintings are realistic, understandable, attractive, deeply thought and simply transmitted. The simplicity of his compositions are worth noting, as are the abundance of colors – one can always feel the Sun, light, and a healthy optimistic attitude.

The honored artist was awarded many medals and distinctions, and was made a Honored Art Worker of the Georgian SSR. He is buried at the Didube Pantheon for writers and public figures.

- 70 -

imdroindeli reqtoris, prof. apolon quTaTelaZis aqtiuri mcdelobiT, Tbilisis samxatvro akademia daxurvas gadaurCa. amitom apolons xumrobiT `damaarsebels~ veZaxdiT, apoloni ki ityoda, ara, es yvelaferi kote gZeliSvilma gaakeTao da ixsenebda operis scenaze momxdar incidents. kote Tavmdabali kaci iyo, Tvalebs daxrida da gamogvxedavda. ki siamovnebda am ambis gaxseneba, magram wuxdeboda, radgan axalgazrdobaSi Zlieri da moCxubari yofila da bevr usiamovnebaSi exveoda. erTxel babuaCemma miTxra _ rom gavicani jibgiri megona, arada uwesieresi, ganaTlebuli pirovneba aRmoCndao. apolon quTaTelaZe marigebda, Tazo, kotesTan bolomde imegobre, es ubralo kaci ar gegonoso. ai rogor gaicnes maT erTmaneTi: Zvel TbilisSi, jer kidev ymawvili apolon quTaTelaZe or qalbatonTan erTad seirnobda. `peskebTan“ axlos,

Because unfortunately, there is not much information left about him, we have gathered material from his family members, made some research based on archive documents, looked for details about famous relatives of his, and have discussed with his student and friend, distinguished Georgian painter Tamaz (Tazo) Khutsishvili to attempt to revive the painter’s portrait.

Tazo Khutsishvili: “In the end of the 1950s, there was a risk for the Academy of Arts of Tbilisi to be closed. It was only saved because of the active endeavors of the rector of the time, professor Apolon Kutateladze. This is why we jokingly call Apolon the ‘Founder’. As for Apolon himself, he would say that the person responsible for this was Kote Gdzelishvili, and would remember the incident that happened on the stage of the opera theater. Kote was a humble man, he would look down before looking at us. He did enjoy remembering this story, but it also made him feel bad, because it appears he was strong and pugnacious during his youth, and took part in many unpleasant

peizaJi, tilo,zeTi. 1957 w.; onis mxareTmcodneobis muzeumi LANDSCAPE. OIL ON CANVAS. 1957. ONI REGIONAL MUSEUM

- 71 -

irodion evdoSvilis portreti; literaturis muzeumi PORTRAIT OF IRODION EVDOSHVILI. LITERATURE MUSEUM.

- 72 -

zurnisa da dolis xmis fonze, Widaobis organizatori acxadebda _ vinc Cven falavans waaqcevs, amden oqros miiRebso, apolonma gadawyvita SeWideboda falavans, Caicva saWidao forma da tatamze gavida. karvidan masze bevrad maRali, dakunTuli Tujis devkaci gamovida. apolons elda eca. magram ukan ar daixia. devkacma aitaca apoloni. haerSi myofi fiqrobda, raRa vqna axla, rom damaxeTqos, qalbatonebTan Sevrcxvebi da Tavi unda moviklao. rogorc Cans, es igrZno erTma mayurebelma, devkacs mivarda da jajguri dauwyo, dasvi, dasvi, yaimia, yaimio. gaognebulma devkacma apoloni dasva da Serkinebac dasrulda. devkaci vaxtang jafariZe aRmoCnda, xolo `gamSvelebeli~ kote gZeliSvili. momavalma mxatvrebma gaicnes erTmaneTi da damegobrebis aRsaniSnavad duqanSi wavidnen. im dRidan, sicocxlis bolomde ganuyreli megobrebi gaxdnen. akademiidan xSirad mivemgzavrebodiT bunebis wiaRSi. ZiriTadad kaxeTSi. gaseirneba manqanis `kapotze~

episodes. My grandfather once told me that when he met Kote, he thought he was a pickpocket, but it turned out he was a most polite, educated person.

Apolon Kutateladze had told me: “Tazo, you have to become Kote’s true friend. Don’t go thinking he’s a regular person”. This is how the two met each other: A young Apolon Kutateladze was walking with two women in Old Tbilisi. Near the ‘Peskebi’ area, with zurna melodies and percussion rhythms in the background, a wrestling show organizer was announcing – “The one who defeats our champion will get this much money”. Apolon decided to try his luck, he changed into wrestling clothes, and stepped on the tatami. A much taller and larger man, a giant who seemed made of iron, came out of a tent. Apolon was terrified. But he didn’t step back.

The giant took Apolon in the air, where the latter was thinking – “What can I do, if he throws me to the ground, I will be ridiculed in front of the ladies, and I will have to kill myself.” It seems that one spectator felt that, he ran to the giant and started shaking

- 73 -

trapeziT mTavrdeboda. apolon quTaTelaZe qsovilebis damuSavebis kaTedraze specialurad abeWdvinebda lamaz sufrebs. manqanas vaCerebdiT gzidan Sors, gadmoviRebdiT pur-marils da iwyeboda antikomunisturi saubrebi, vinmes rom gaego, cixe ar agvcdeboda. erTxel, 26 maiss, Zia kotem me da Cemi kurseli gogi gunia (valerian gunias Svili) wagviyvana kojris tyeSi, sadac dagvxvdnen Zveli Taobis mxatvrebi _ kolia kandelaki da apolon quTaTelaZe. Zia kotem gviTxra, daimaxsovreT, dRes saqarTvelos damoukideblobis dRea da momaval wels isev amave adgilas SevxvdeTo. ase aRvniSnavdiT wlebis ganmavlobaSi kojris tyeSi damoukideblobis dRes.

him: “Put him down, put him down, it’s a draw, it’s a draw!”. The surprised giant put Apolon down and the show was over. The giant turned out to be Vakhtang Japaridze, and the “separator” was Kote Gdzelishvili.

The future painters got to know each other, and to celebrate their encounter and the fact that they became friends, they went to feast in a traditional restaurant. From that day, they became lifelong friends.

We would often go to excursions in nature from the academy.

Mainly in the region of Kakheti. The excursions would end in feasts on the hood of the car. Apolon Kutateladze was making the faculty of textiles print beautiful tablecloths for the occasion. We would stop the car far from the road, take out the food, and start anti-communist

- 74 -

mamaCemis Taoba da maT Soris b-ni kotec erTmaneTs `JiJoebs~ uwodebdnen. me ar vicodi ras niSnavda `JiJo~ da erTxel Zia kotem amixsna: JiJoebi arian beRurebi. beRura erTaderTi Citia, romelic Tbil qveynebSi ar mifrinavs da zamTars samSobloSi atarebso. maTi Taoba emigraciaSi ar wavida, samSobloSi darCa. miuxedavad samSoblosadmi siyvarulisa, maT mainc uwevdaT kompromisze wasvla, rogorc kote ityoda, aqe, adide, Cumad iyavi, saqme akeTeo. Zalian damwyda guli, kote da misi megobrebi rom ver moeswrnen saqarTvelos damoukideblobis aRdgenas.

Tu rame vici ferweris Sesaxeb, yvelaferi kotes damsaxurebaa. is iyo mkacri pedagogi, amave dros rbili da Tbili, studentis mxareze iyo yovelTvis. b-n kotesTan da apolon quTaTelaZesTan Tu mindoda vinmesTvis proteqcia gamewia, veubnebodi, batono kote, iciT es visi Svilia? fexebze mkidiao _ ityoda, ar ainteresebda Tanamdebobis pirebi. _ ara, represirebuli ojaxidanaa, mama gadausaxles

discussions. If someone had heard us, we would definitely have gone to prison.

Once, on the 26th of May, uncle Kote took me and my fellow student Gogi Gunia (Valerian Guniashvili) to the Kojori forest, where artists from the older generation were waiting for us – Kolia Kandelaki and Apolon Kutateladze. Uncle Kote told us: “Remember, today is Georgia’s independence day, and next year, we will meet here again.”

This is how we were celebrating independence day each year, in the Kojori forest.

My father’s generation, including Mr. Kote, would call themselves “jijos”. I didn’t know what “jijo” meant, and uncle Kote once explained me: “Jijos are sparrows. Sparrows are the only birds that do not fly to warmer countries, they stay and spend the winter in their homeland.”

Their generation didn’t emigrate, they stayed in their homeland.

Despite their love for their country, they had to compromise – as Kote would say: “Praise it, glorify it, stay silent, and do what you have to do.”

I was very sad that Kote and his friends couldn’t see the restoration of Georgia’s independence.

- 75 -

an papa dauxvrites-meTqi. maSin gulanTebuli exmareboda yvelaferSi. gamofenis gaxsnaze, Cven axalgazrdebi mis gareSe ar mivdiodiT. ar gamoepareboda araferi, mniSvneloba ar hqonda visi namuSevari iyo, zustad dasvamda diagnozs _ ityoda, es kargi namuSevaria. araCveulebrivi maxsovroba hqonda. erTxel raRac gaixsena da kolia kandelakma hkiTxa, kaco saidan gaxsovs es ambavio. Cemo kolia, Cven iseTi cxovreba gaviareT kai mosagonari araferia amis garda. es Tu ar davimaxsovreT, aba ra unda davimaxsovroTo.. erTxel biZina avaliSvilTan viyaviT da sufrasTan vaxsene b-ni kote. biZinam miTxra, me da Sen calke rom SevxvdebiT, me koteze iseT rames mogiyvebi, ar daijerebo. _ imedia kargs-meTqi, _ kargs ki ara, misiT vamayobT yvelanio. mere biZina gardaicvala da guli damwyda, rom veRar Sedga Cvens Soris saubari.

Zia kotes vkiTxe, saidan xarT warmoSobiT? me qalaqeli

If I know anything about painting, it is all thanks to Kote. He was a strict pedagogue, but at the same time, he was soft and warm, always on the students’ side. When I wanted to get some help for someone from Mr. Kote or Apolon Kutateladze, I would tell him – “Mr. Kote, do you know whose son this is?”. He would reply that he didn’t care the least bit; he wasn’t interested in any kind of status. Then I would tell him that he was from a repressed family, that his father was exiled, or that his grandfather had been executed, and he would help in any way he could.

Us young artists wouldn’t go to exhibition openings without him.

You couldn’t hide anything good from him, it didn’t matter whose work it was, he would always make the right diagnosis – and say, “it is a good work”.

He had an outstanding memory. Once, he remembered something and Kolia Kandelaki asked him how he could remember such a thing. “My Kolia, we had a life in which there is not much to be remembered. If we forget about good times too, what do we have left?”…

- 76 -

var orive mxridan, sofeli ar maqvso. ar damaviwydeba rogor gviyveboda bavSvobisdroindel ambavs. Turme, aRdgomis wina dRiT, bavSvebs bebiebi sagangebod dabandnen, mere specialurad gaSlil saerTo did loginze awvendnen. diliT daaxvedrebdnen wiTel kvercxebsa da paskebs. kote yovelTvis loginis napirze wveboda da Zirs gaSlil fardagebis ornamentebs akvirdeboda~. kote gZeliSvilis winaprebi raWaSi, sofel sevaSi cxovrobdnen da raWis erisTavTa karze sasuliero pirebi iyvnen. diakvan simon gZeliSvilsa da erisTavis asuls erTmaneTi SehyvarebiaT da raWidan Sida qarTlSi gaparulan. erisTavi ganrisxebula, qaliSvilsa da siZeze uari uTqvams. ase dasaxldnen axaldaqorwinebulebi sofel lamisyanaSi orbelianebis sasaxlis maxloblad. simoni karis mRvdeli gaxda. aq maT SeeZinaT 4 vaJi da 3 qali. me-19 s-is Sua wlebSi axalgazrdebma saswavleblad Tbilisisken gaswies.

Once, we were at Bidzina Avalishvili’s place, and I mentioned Mr. Kote. Bidzina told me that when we would be alone, he would tell me something about Kote that I woudn’t believe. “I hope it’s a good thing”, I told him. He answered me that it was better than good, that everybody was proud because of this story. Afterwards, Bidzina passed, and I was sorry that we couldn’t have this talk.

When I asked uncle Kote from which region he was, he answered me that he was from cities from both of his parents, and that he didn’t have a village. I will never forget the stories of his childhood. It turns out that the day before Easter, grandmothers would bathe children on purpose, then lie them down on a common large bed. In the morning, they would meet them with red eggs and Easter cakes. Kote would always lie at the edge of the bed and observe the ornaments of the carpets on the ground.”

Kote Gdzelishvili’s ancestors were living in the region of Racha, in village Seva, and were spiritual representatives at the court of the Duke (Eristavi) of Racha. Deacon Simon Gdzelishvili and the Duke’s

- 77 -

TbilisSi Camosuli mxatvris papa ivane simonis Ze gZeliSvili (1835-1889) gazeTebSi aqveynebda statiebs qarTuli folklorisa da adaT-wesebis Sesaxeb. dakrZalulia wm. petre-pavles eklesiis kedelTan. papis Zmebi ojaxis tradicias gahyvnen, zaqaria (?-1917) Tbilisis saqalaqo eklesiaTa meeqvse olqis blaRoCini, petre-pavles saxelobis taZris winamZRvari da dekanozi gaxda, meore, giorgi ki, mcxeTis samTavro dedaTa monastris winamZRvari. mama, tituliani mrCeveli, eqim-Terapevti, qarTvelTa Soris wera-kiTxvis gamavrcelebeli sazogadoebis namdvili wevri konstantine ivanes Ze gZeliSvili (1862-1908) TbilisSi daibada. 1888 wels. daamTavra xarkovis universitetis samedicino fakulteti. im periodis gazeTebi iuwyebodnen: `eqimi k. i. gZeliSvili miiRebs yelisa, cxvirisa da yuriT avadmyofebs dilis 9-11 s. da saRamoze 5-7 s. mixeilis quCaze, nemencebis eklesiis pirdapir~. aRsaniSnavia is faqti, rom RaribTaTvis rCeva-darigeba da receptis gamowera Tbilisis yvela klinikaSi ufaso iyo.

daughter fell in love with each other, and fled from Racha to Shida Kartli. The duke was furious, and disowned them. This is how the newlyweds settled in village Lamiskana, near the Orbeliani palace.

Simon became the priest of the palace. They had four boys and three girls. In the middle of the 19th century, their children moved to Tbilisi to study there.

The painter’s grandfather, Ivane Gdzelishvili (1835-1889), son of Simon, moved to Tbilisi, where he would publish articles about Georgian folklore and customs in newspapers. He is buried below the wall of the Saint Peter and Paul Church. The grandfather’s brothers followed the family’s traditions – Zakaria (?-1917) became the provost of Tbilisi’s churches’ sixth district and the abbot and deacon of the Saint Peter and Paul Church, while Giorgi became the provost of Mtskheta’s Samtavro Convent.

The father, Konstantine Gdzelishvili (1862-1908), a titled advisor, a doctor and therapist, an actual member of the Society for Spreading Literacy among Georgians, was born in Tbilisi. He graduated from Kharkov University’s faculty of medicine in 1888. During that period,

- 78 -

dedas, nina nikolozis as. TeTraZesa da mis debs ganaTleba manTaSevis da wm. ninos saswavlebelSi hqondaT miRebuli. TeTraZeebis cnobili saxli, romelSic daibada mxatvari, aSenda 1894 wels da dRemde idga sololakSi. saxlis mimdebared iyo TeTraZeanT wyaro. TeTraZeTa sakmaod SeZlebuli da ganaTlebuli ojaxidan iyvnen sasuliero, samxedro pirebi da eqimebi. magaliTad, kotes biZam, cnobilma qarTvelma eqim-dermatologma da venerologma, medicinis doqtorma, kavkasiis samedicino sazogadoebis wevrma, abram nikolozis Ze TeTraZem (1872-1915) 1898 wels daamTavra peterburgis samxedrosamedicino akademia. sxvadasxva dros iyo Tbilisis hospitlis ordinatori, 83-e qveiTi legionis eqimi. gardaicvala tifiT pirvel msoflio omSi. dakrZalulia kukiis sasaflaoze. mniSvnelovania misi narkvevebi qarTuli xalxuri medicinis sakiTxebze. meore biZa, nikoloz nikolozis Ze TeTraZe, gaxldaT samefo armiis oficeri da erTxans imperator nikoloz

one could read in the newspapers: “Doctor K. I. Gdzelishvili will receive patients with otorhinolaryngology problems in the morning from 9 to 11 and in the evening from 5 to 7 on Mikheil Street, in front of the German Church”. It is worth noting that consultations and prescriptions were free of charge for the poor in every clinic in Tbilisi.

The mother, Nina Tetradze, daughter of Nikoloz, and her sisters were educated at the Mantashevi and Saint Nino schools. The Tetradzes’ famous home, in which the painter was born, was built in 1894 and stood until recently in Sololaki. The Tetradze spring water source was located near the house. The quite prosperous and educated family produced religious servants, military men, and doctors. For instance, Kote’s uncle, famous Georgian dermatologist and venerologist, doctor of medicine and member of the Caucasus Medicine Society, Abram Tetradze (1872-1915), son of Nikoloz, graduated from the Saint Petersburg Military and Medicine academy in 1898. He worked as a department director at the Tbilisi hospital during several periods, and was the medic of the 83rd infantry legion.

- 79 -

meoris piradi dacvis wevri. komunistebma TeTraZeebs CamoarTves qoneba, diRmis mamulebi da sololakis saxlSi ramdenime oTaxi dautoves.

1968 wels, mTavrobam kojris gzis gafarToebis mizniT, sololakis amaRlebis taZari daangria, am taZarSi, 1903 wels, mounaTlavT momavali mxatvari, naTlia ki gaxldaT ruseT-TurqeTis omis monawile, misi udidebulesobis karis kamer-iunkeri, Tavadi aleqsandre mixeilis Ze bagrationmuxraneli. taZris ezoSi iyo kotes papis, nikoloz TeTraZisa da bebiis, natalia javaxiSvilis saflavebi. kotes biZa umaRlesi ganaTlebis veqili, iuristi, Jurnalisti, sazogado moRvawe giorgi gZeliSvili (1867-1916) TanamSromlobda qarTul da rusul JurnalgazeTebTan. 1912 wels TbilisSi mas gazeT `Закавказские ведомости“-is gamocemis ufleba misces. TavgamodebiT zrunavda qarTuli Teatris aSenebisaTvis. misi rCeviT, „axalma klubma“ qarTuli Teatris asaSenebeli Tanxis Sesagroveblad, Sesasvlel bileTsa da menius TiTo Sauri daumata, riTac erTi wlis ganmavlobaSi 40 000 maneTi Segrovda. es gadasaxadi Senobis dasrulebamde arsebobda. meore biZa simon gZeliSvili maTematikas aswavlida qalTa mesame gimnaziaSi. misi Svili milica (1912-1982)

He died from typhus during the first world war. He is buried at the Kukia cemetery. He produced important essays about Georgian folk medicine.

His second uncle from his mother’s side, Nikoloz Tetradze, son of Nikoloz, was an officer of the royal army, and a member of the personal guard of Emperor Nicholas II for some time.

The communists seized the Tetradzes’ possessions as well as their lands in Dighomi, and left them with a few rooms in their Sololaki home. In 1968, the government, with the objective of widening the road to Kojori, destroyed Sololaki’s Amaghleba Church, where the future painter was baptized in 1903. The godfather was prince Aleksandre Bagration-Mukhraneli, son of Mikheil, who took part in the Russo-Turkish war, and was an officer-cadet at his majesty’s court.

In the yard of the church, there were the graves of Kote’s grandfather Nikoloz Tetradze and grandmother Natalia Javakhishvili.

Another of Kote’s uncles was lawyer, jurist, journalist, and public figure Giorgi Gdzelishvili (1867-1916), who worked at both Georgian and Russian journals and newspapers. In 1912, they gave him the permission to publish his own newspaper, ‘Zakavkazskie Viedomosti’.

He was selflessly looking after the construction of a Georgian theater.

Following his piece of advice, in order to gather the amount needed for the theater’s construction, the ‘New Club’ (‘Akhali Klubi’) added

- 80 -

cnobili eqim-nevrologi, medicinis mecnierebaTa doqtori, iyo pirveli qali profesori baqoSi. mesame biZa aleqsandres damTavrebuli hqonda marselis universiteti da pirvel gimnaziaSi aswavlida berZnul da laTinur enas. misi vaJi ioseb gZeliSvili (1909-1968) cnobili arqeologi, geologia-mineralogiis mecnierebaTa kandidati, wlebis ganmavlobaSi xelmZRvanelobda Tbilisis arqeologiur eqspedicias. pirvelma Seadgina Tbilisis da misi midamoebis sainJinro geologiuri ruka da safuZveli Cauyara qvemo qarTlSi Sua saukuneebis nasoflarebis arqeologiur kvleva-Ziebas. man didi wvlili Seitana uZvelesi samTamadno da metalurgiuli warmoebis gamokvlevaSi, aRmoaCina da Seiswavla Sua saukuneebis rkinis maRaroebi da liTonis sadnobi qurebi. eqimebi iyvnen kotes mamis biZaSvilebi, dekanoz zaqarias Svili iakobi da svimon ilarionis Ze gZeliSvili (18641913). svimonma, igive sikom, 1886 wels daamTavra Tbilisis sasuliero seminaria, aqtiurad TanamSromlobda JurnalgazeTebTan, aqveynebda feletonebsa da Targmanebs, werilebs

five kopecks to each ticket and plate on the menu, which led to the accumulation of 40 000 rubles in one year’s time. This extra charge existed until the end of the building’s construction.

Yet another uncle, Simon Gdzelishvili, was a math teacher at the third gymnasium for girls. His daughter Militsa (1912-1982), a famous neurologist and a doctor of medicine, was the first female professor in Baku.

His uncle Aleksandre graduated from the Marseille University and was teaching Greek and Latin languages at the first gymnasium. His son Ioseb Gdzelishvili (1909-1968), a famous archaeologist, holder of a master’s degree in geology and mineralogy, was the head of Tbilisi’s archaological expedition for years. He was the first to create an engineering and geological map of Tbilisi and its surroundings, and laid the foundations for the study and research of settlements from the middle ages in Kvemo Kartli. He played a great role in the study of mining and metallurgical ores, and discovered and studied iron mines and metal foundries from the middle ages.

Kote’s father’s cousins, deacon Zakaria’s son Iakob and Svimon

- 81 -

sxvadasxva sakiTxze. Semdeg samedicino ganaTlebis misaRebad gaemgzavra ruseTSi. daamTavra tomskis universitetis samedicino fakulteti, muSaobda samazro eqimad. kargi samsaxurisa da Semosavlis miuxedavad, 1912 wels dabrunda saqarTveloSi da mudmivad exmareboda Rarib da gaWirvebul mosaxleobas. is iyo qarTvel eqimTa sazogadoebis erT-erTi damaarsebeli, sazogado moRvawe. ufrosi Zma, saxalxo gvardiis oficeri ivane gZeliSvili, 1921 wels kojorSi ZmebTan erTad icavda Tbiliss. gasabWoebis Semdeg, daniSnes sasoflo-sameurneo institutSi samxedro kaTedris gamged. iqve, biblioTekaSi muSaobda berias meuRlec, romelsac qmrisTvis uTqvams, samxedro mundirSi gamowyobil axovan ivaneze giJdebian qalebio. berias ukiTxavs, Senc xom ar giJdebio? etyoba eWvianobam aitana lavrenti pavles Ze da ivane 1937 wels daxvrita. ivanes vaJi vaxtangi cnobili inJineri iyo, jer kidev axalgazrda, engurhesis mSeneblobaze teqnikuri

Gdzelishvili (1864-1913), son of Ilarion, were also doctors. Svimon, who was also called Siko, graduated from Tbilisi’s seminar in 1886, and was actively working with journals and newspapers, publishing feuilletons and translations, as well as articles about various subjects.

Afterwards, he moved to Russia to receive an education in medicine.

He graduated from the faculty of medicine of the Tomsky University, and worked as a district doctor. Despite a well-paid and rewarding job, he returned to Georgia in 1912, and was serving the poor and disadvantaged population. He was one of the founders of the Society of Georgian Doctors, and a public figure.

His older brother, Ivane Gdzelishvili, was an officer of the People’s Guard, and defended Tbilisi together with his borthers in Kojori in 1921. After the sovietization, he was named as the head of the military chair at the agricultural institute. Beria’s wife was working next to it, at the library, and she is said to have told her husband that women were crazy about the well-built Ivane walking in his military uniform. Beria asked her if she was crazy about him too. It seems that

- 82 -

- 83 -

ganyofilebis xelmZRvanelad miiwvies. sadac man yvelaze rTuli, hidromSeneblobis skola gaiara, amis Semdeg dainiSna Jinvalis hidroeleqtrosadguris proeqtis mTavar inJinrad da miuxedavad didi winaaRmdegobebisa, 217 milionad Rirebuli mSenebloba warmatebiT daasrula.

TbilisSi muSti-kriviT cnobili iyo kotes ufrosi Zma nikoloz (kika) gZeliSvili, romlis meuRlec sonia bernandskaia represiebma imsxverpla. sami didan erTerTi olRa gaTxovda akaki wereTlis biZaSvilTa Stos warmomadgenel sergo nikolozis Ze wereTelze. kotes dedis mxridan hyavda kidev erTi da lidia, samxareo arqiteqtor, aznaur pavle nikolozis Ze astafievis asuli. lidia ambobda, Tbilisis samxatvro akademiis #1 diplomi kotes hqonda, radgan pirvel gamoSvebaSi siis mixedviT „a“ da „b“-ze aravin iyoo. kotes da mis meuRle Tamar guguSvils SeeZinaT erTi asuli nino (1950-2007) romlis Svilebi da SviliSvilebi TbilisSi cxovroben.

jealousy had the better of him, and he executed Ivane in 1937.

Ivane’s son Vakhtang was a famous engineer, and was appointed as the head of the technical department of the Enguri dam construction while he was still in his youth. There, he learned the intricacies of hydroelectricity construction, after which he was named the head engineer of the Zhinvali hydroelectric station project, and despite an active opposition, he successfully carried out the 217 million rubles construction.

Kote’s older brother Nikoloz (Kika) Gdzelishvili was known in Tbilisi for his boxing skills. His wife Sonia Bernandskaya was a victim of the repressions. From his three sisters, only one, Olga, married – the husband was Sergo Tsereteli, son of Nikoloz, a representative of a branch of Akaki Tsereteli’s cousins.

Kote also had a sister from his mother’s side, Lidia, the daughter of regional architect and nobleman Pavle Astafiev, son of Nikoloz. Lidia used to say that the first ever diploma issued by the Academy of Arts was that of Kote, because in its first graduation year, there were no names starting with the letters before “G” in the Georgian alphabet.

- 84 -

kote gZeliSvilis namuSevrebi daculia saqarTvelos erovnul muzeumSi (Salva amiranaSvilis sax. xelovnebis muzeumi, dimitri SevardnaZis sax. erovnuli galerea, simon janaSias sax. saqarTvelos muzeumi), aseve giorgi leoniZis sax. qarTuli literaturis saxelmwifo muzeumSi, saqarTvelos regionul muzeumebsa da kerZo koleqciebSi. mxatvris SemoqmedebiTi memkvidreobis garkveuli nawili 90ian wlebSi misi sacxovrebeli saxlidan moipares da dRemde miukvlevelia. aq ZiriTadad warmodgenilia namuSevrebi gadarCenili saojaxo koleqciidan. imeds vitovebT, am mogonebiT sazogadoeba Tavidan aRmoaCens qarTvel mxatvarTa saSualo Taobis saintereso xelovans da es patara statia safuZveli gaxdeba kote gZeliSvilis cxovrebisa da Semoqmedebis Sesaxeb katalogis gamocemisTvis. levan mizandari

Kote and his wife Tamar Gugushvili had one daughter, Nino (19502007), whose children and grandchildren live in Tbilisi.

Kote Gdzelishvili’s works are preserved at Georgia’s National Museums (the Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum, the Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery, and the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia), as well as at the Giorgi Leonidze State Museum of Georgian Literature, regional museums, and private collections. Part of the art heritage left by the artist was stolen from his home in the 1990s, and is still to be found. The works printed along this article were mainly preserved by family members.

We hope that with this article, our society will discover this interesting painter from the middle generation of Georgian artists anew, and that it will become a foundation for the publication of a catalogue about Kote Gdzelishvili’s life and work.

- 85 -

Levan Mizandari

- 86 -

safestivalo qronika postkovidis da omis mimdinareobis fonze

2022 wlis postpandemiuri da ukrainis okupaciis mcdelobis fonze mimdinare Tbilisis saerTaSoriso festivali arc Tu vrceli ucxouri programiT da, rogor yovelTvis, maRali rangis speqtaklebiT iyo warmodgenili. winaswar daanonsebul xuT speqtakls iranelTa warmodgena _ `qali var, gesmis Cemi~ gamoaklda. simboluri saxelwodebis dadgmis Camotana am qveyanaSi Seqmnili viTarebis gamo SeuZlebeli gaxda. wlevandel festivalze vrceli qarTuli programa iyo warmodgenili _ 28 Teatris 42 speqtakli. statiis formatidan gamomdinare maTgan mxolod or speqtakls ganvixilavT. festivalze samocdaxuTi qveynis warmomadgeneli iyo Camosuli (Teatraluri prodiuserebi, kritikosebi, Jurnalistebi, sxvadasxva festivalis samxatvro xelmZRvanelebi da direqtorebi). garda speqtaklebisa warmodgenili iyo vorqSofebi, romlebic Zalze mniSvnelovan rols asruleben qarTveli profesionalebis ganviTarebisTvis: rogorc teqnologiebis, aseve SemoqmedebiTi procesis gacnobis TvalsazrisiT. ruseTis agresiiT gamowveuli saomari moqmedebebiT gamowveuli krizisis fonze, xelovanebi cdiloben mokrZalebuli biujetiT Seqmnan imgvari sanaxaoba,

romelic erTi mxriv epoqis Sesatyvisi iqneba, da meore mxriv, saxelovnebo dones ar daakninebs. Tbilisis saerTaSoriso festivali swored amgvari warmodgeniT gaixsna _ „sikvdilis rokva~ moulodneli da, amave dros, saswrafo aucileblobaa xelovnebis saSualebiT win aRvudgeT omis saSinelebas. amgvarad gacxadda festivalis veb-gverdze ltolvili ukraineli xelovanebis, vlad da tatiana troickebis mier `dax doTerzTan~ ganxorcielebuli speqtakli. devnili Teatri megobrebma, le priu-normandiis nacionaluri dramaturgiis centrSi Seifares. maspinZlebTan erTad jgufma axali musikalurTeatraluri Sou Seqmna. Sou, romelic gangaSis xmebis paralelurad, gogonebis musikaluri ansamblis instrumentuli Sesrulebis da vokaluri nomrebis fonze mimdinareobs. SiSi, SfoTva, barg akidebuli qalebis uimedo sirbili... sirenisa da Cemodnebis gorgolaWebis xmebi warmodgenis erT-erT ZiriTad xmovan rigad iqca. sasowarkveTili da gadaqanculi qalebis sxeulebi, romlebic scenaze qaosurad moZraoben da TiTqos marTlac sikvdilis rokvas asruleben. aris ki gamosavali am koSmaruli sizmridan, romelic ukrainel xalxs realobad eqca da mosalodneli safrTxiT SeSinebuli

- 87 -

ocdameerTe saukunis evropa ltolvilTa TavSesafrad aqcia? scenaze myof eqvs msaxiob qals, saerTodac, TiTqos yovelgvari individualoba waSliaT da gadarCenis instinqts ayolil brbod gadaqceulan. maTi mudmivad aCqarebuli moZraobebi, sinaTlis efeqtebi, romlebic gangaSis mauwyebel sirenebs axlavs Tan, mayurebels mudmivad daZabuls amyofebs da darbazSi myofT, „sikvdilis rokvis~ TiTqos „poetikis~ Sesabamisad, SiSisa da Tanalmobis gziT ganwmendisken mouwodebs... patara Teatri patara scenaze, patara TojinebiT da didi adamianuri satkivriT _ amgvari iyo merlin Tojinebis Teatris warmodgena „jambazebis saxlebi~. speqtakli marjaniSvilis Teatris mcire scenaze

warmoadgines. es sivrce namdvilad saintereso dadgmebis adgilia, Tumca sakmaod problemuria iq aRweva arakomfortuli maRali kibisa da mudmivad dazianebuli liftis gamo... speqtaklSi Tojinebs 2 msaxiobi aTamaSebda, demi papada da dimitri stamu. dimitri stamu am dadgmis reJisoricaa. speqtaklis personaJi Tojinebi erT saxlSi cxovroben, mezoblebi arian, Tumca erTmaneTs arc icnoben da arc urTierTobis survili aqvT. isini Caketil, naxevrad Cabnelebul garemoSi cxovroben da sakuTari SiSebis da kompleqsebis msxverplni arian. maTi binebi ki TiTqos saknebadaa qceuli, sadac sakuTari mankieri vnebebis gamo ixdian sasjels. es vnebebi ki bolos uRebT maT. xuTi novelisgan Semdgari

- 88 -

warmodgenis eqvsi personaJi, tuluz-lotrekis naxatebs gvagoneben. dadgma uaRresad efeqturi da, imavdroulad, damafiqrebelicaa. siyvarulis da adamianuri TanagrZnobis deficiti tragikul jambazebad aqcevda yvela personaJs da mayurebels TiTqos am naklovanebaTagan gaTavisuflebisken mouwodebda. holandiuri kompaniis damfuZnebeli jakob ahlbomis speqtakli „lebensraumi~ munji kinos varskvlavis, baster kitonis filmis „safrTxobelas~ STagonebiT da mibaZviTaa Seqmnili. ara erTi avtoritetuli kinos specialisti, Carli Caplins, baster kitonis Tanamedroves, mis mimbaZveladac ki Tvlis. baster kitoni yovelTvis seriozuli da uaRresad eqscentruli iyo. Tu mis

da Caplinis filmebis kadrebs SevadarebT, msgavsebas uciloblad davinaxavT. isRa rCeba davazustoT, romeli geniosis filmia ufro adre gadaRebuli... „lebensraumi~, rogorc namdvil munj films Seefereba, cocxali musikis fonze mimdinareobs. oRond instrumentebia Tanamedrove. garemoc da ori personaJi mamakaci da maT mier Seqmnili meqanikuri qalic meoce saukunis ociani wlebis adamianis habituss da Cacmulobas gvagoneben. msaxiobebi cxadad da gamiznulad hbaZaven baster kitonis manerebs. douv hibmas da jakob ahlbomis scenografia da amocanebi, munji kinematografis koncefciis da esTetikis saTeatro interpretaciaa da kino eqspresionizmis (aseve dokumenturi kinos) gavlena

- 89 -

igrZnoba. valter rutmanis filmSi „berlini: didi qalaqis simfonia~ meqanikuri nivTebiT „gamartivebuli~ yofa cocxal adamianebis meqanikur arsebebad aqcevs. „lebensraumSi~, piriqiTac xdeba _ meqanikuri Tojina friad momTxovn da pretenziul cocxal arsebadac gardaiqmneba, romelic uamrav problemas uqmnis baster kitonis plastikis mimbaZvel niWier mamakacebs... iaponuri cekviTi warmodgena „wyvetili figurebi~ wlevandeli festivalis yvelaze cnobili dadgma iyo. qoreografiisa da maTematikuri gaTvlebis sinTezi, romelic dauviwyar sanaxaobad iqca scenaze. geometriuli figurebi adamianis sxeulis moZraobas mihyveba. yvela mocekvaves aqvs sakuTari CarCo, romliTac is TiTqos gare samyarosgan aris SemosazRvruli. imavdroulad swored es CarCoa msaxiobis sxeulis amreklavi. xelovnuri inteleqti, sxeulis moZraobis paralelurad, qmnis msaxiobis gamosaxulebas, erTgvar mnaTob „Crdilebs~, romlebic mocekvave gogonebis qmedebis moZraobas imeorebs. ase gardaiqmneba Crdili mnaTob moZrav plastikur sinaTlis gundad, romlebic periodulad iSleba da ikvreba. speqtaklis msvlelobisas videos

saSualebiT xdeboda marjaniSvilis Teatris darbazis Cveneba, ufro zustad CarTva warmodgenis msvlelobaSi. monrealSi, tokioSi, san-franciskoSi, barselonaSi _ mayurebeli yvelgan xdeboda am warmodgenis nawili. videokolaJebSi speqtaklis reJisori mikiko WeSmariti iaponeli qalbatonis, ufro ki gogonas habitusiT da sruli simSvidiT hyveba im did emociebze, romlebic dronebis, videoinstalaciebis, sinaTlis efeqtebis, maTematikis, xelovnuri inteleqtis da saerTodac, yovelgvari teqnologiebis saSualebiT Seiqmna. realurad ki es sruliad axali da novatoruli samyaro iyo, romelic Sous elementebis da adamianuri gancdebis sinTeziT iqmneboda... marjaniSvilis Teatris dadgma „danaSauli da sasjeli~ qarTuli programis nawili iyo. speqtaklis repeticiebi pandemiis gamo cxra Tvis ganmavlobaSi mimdinareobda, amdenad msoflio klasikuri literaturis Sedevris siRrmiseuli wvdomisTvis sakmarisi dro iyo, rac namdvilad daetyo marjaniSvilelTa speqtakls. dostoevskis esoden saintereso nawarmoebis dadgma, qarTul TeatrSi namdvilad ar maxsendeba. reJisorebi

- 90 -

- 91 -

levan wulaZe da Temo kuprava speqtaklis vizualuri srulyofis garda, yvela msaxiobTan yvela rolis detaluri analizis Sedegs gvaCveneben. Sedegic uaRresad mniSvnelovania: dostoevskis personaJebis fsiqologiuri mdgomareobis gadmocema urTulesia, rodion raskolnikovi ki dostoevskis personaJebs Sorisac ki namdvilad gansakuTrebulia, radgan „raskolnikovis azriT arsebobs rCeul adamianTa garkveuli jgufi,

romelTaTvisac danaSaulis Cadena nebadarTulia~.

Tanac danaSauli yovelTvis samarTlianobis aRdgenis sababiT xdeba... rogor hgavs es msoflmxedveloba Tanamedrove ruseTis mmarTvelTa qmedebis gamarTlebis mcdelobas, Tanac saxelmwifoebriv doneze. gansxvavebiT raskolnikovisgan Tanamedrove „rCeulebs~ sindisi odnavac ar awuxebT da cxadia, arc paata papuaSvilis personaJis msgavsad gadian tanjvis gzas. nika kuWavas

- 92 -

- 93 -

porfiri gamorCeuli rolia, saerTodac, yvela monawile: anuka grigolia, besik baraTaSvili, giorgi kiknaZe, Tamar buxnikaSvili, lela meburiSvili, nata bereJiani scenaze dasrulebul saxeebs qmnian. speqtaklis mxatvruli gaformeba _ mecxramete saukunis da Tanamedroveobis sinTezia _ antikvaruli avejiT, Teatris sagrimioroTi da metros sadguris instalaciebiT (video instalacia daviT dvaliSvilisa). xelovnuri Tovli da wvima, speqtakls ulamazes saxilvelad aqcevs da uamindobad ar aRiqmeba. levan wulaZis scenografia ki misi reJisuris tolfasad SeiZleba Sefasdes. nino surgulaZis kostiumebSic epoqaTa sinTezia, speqtaklis koncefciis Sesabamisad. vaso abaSiZis saxelobis axali Teatris dadgmebs gansakuTrebulad eloda Tbiliseli mayurebeli _ uaxlesi teqnologiebiT aRWurvili scena, daviT doiaSvilis marTlac did fantazias udides gasaqans aZlevs, rasac reJisori SesaniSnavad iyenebs safestivalo programis, anton Cexovis „Tolias~ dadgmaSic. magram samwuxaro faqtia, rom darbazSi kvlav cudi akustikaa, iseTive rogorc es ZviradRirebul remontamde iyo. msaxiobebis xma ikargeba, calkeuli sityvebi ki ubralod ar ismis. vimedovnebT, momavalSi gamosavali moiZebneba... bolo wlebis araerTma Teatrma ganaxorciela „Tolias~ dadgma _ sxvadasxva koncefciiT Tu tempo-ritmiT. daviT doiaSvilis speqtaklis Janri tragediis da sisastikis Teatris zRvarzea. calkeuli epizodebi, yvelaze metad ki lotos scena, swored sisastikis Teatris Janrs miekuTvneba da Cexovis komediad wodebuli piesis Janri polusurad cvalebad JanrTa erTobliobadaa qceuli. konstantine treplevi (giviko baraTaSvili) oidiposis kompleqsiT Sepyrobili tragikuli gmiria, xolo arkadina (buba gogoriSvili) adamianebiT manipulirebis didostatadaa gaazrebuli warmodgenaSi. tragikomikur personaJTa Soris yvelaze saintereso sorinis _ aleko begaliSvilis invalidis savarZels mijaWvuli personaJia. speqtaklSi interaqciuli epizodebicaa. msaxiobebi mravalgzis Semodian darbazidan... auditoriasTan urTierTobis es forma erTgvarad TanamoazreTa Ziebasac waagavs. saxierad xdeba scenografiaSi saganTa „gacocxleba~. am mxriv pianino yvela personaJis TavSesafaria. aq ipovis treplevi maSas (nanka kalatoziSvili), pianino xdeba erTgvari kibe nina zareCnaiasTvis

- 94 -

- 95 -

(taso Wanturaia). giorgi ustiaSvilis scenografia da anano mosiZis kostiumebi Tanamedrove, gemovnebiani da ramdenadme Cexoviseulicaa, gansakuTrebiT trigorinis (daviT beSitaiSvili) samoseli. videoinstalacia, romelic lamis yvela axali qarTuli speqtaklis ganuyofel nawilad iqca, daviT doiaSvilis speqtaklSi zedmiwevniT organulia. maRali balaxi soflis yofis idealizaciis sapirispirod TiTqos axrCobs iq mcxovreblebs, romlebic verc ki gaurbian tragikul dasasruls. aq TiTqos met-

naklebad yvela Toliaa, sasikvdilod ganwiruli... qarTuli programa, romelic upiratesad ucxoeTidan Camosuli stumrebisTvisaa gankuTvnili, Rirseulad warmoaCenda Cveni saTeatro xelovnebis postkovidur periods. omis fonze ki dafiqrebis, samyaros sxvagvarad gadaazrebis Jams, 2022 wlis Tbilisis saerTaSoriso festivali, rogorc yovelTvis, kvlav realobis natifi grZnobiT warmosaxavda globaluri problemebis mxatvrul interpretacias. lela wifuria

- 96 -

el-fosta: kulturaplusm@gmail.com|

facebook.com/kulturaplusm | tel: (+995) 599 93 50 07; (+995) 599 33 02 01

kultura plus / CULTURE PLUS 3 (29) 2022

facebook.com/kulturaplusm