Gogareshka

In a process of creation... She was`t at home, but she is at home now and we living happy together.

1997 – Tbilisi Historical Museum “Karvasla” Personal Exhibition – “Iron Hatchet” (Painting, Drawing)
1999 - Tbilisi Historical Museum “Karvasla” Joint Exhibition dedicated to the 9th
Of April Tragedy (Painting, Drawing)
2000 – “N Gallery” Performance & Exhibition – “Stream” (Performance, Installation, Painting, Drawing)
2000-2001 Video-Art Projects: “Assimilation” & “She is at Home” Performed in Paris, Brussels, Saloniki. Contemporary ART Festival “Caravan Sarai”
2002 – Moscow “Gallery L” Mixed Exhibition (Painting, Drawing)
2004 - “N Gallery” Project – “Cosmic Dust” (Photo, Performance, Installation, Painting, Drawing)
2006 – Tbilisi Gallery “House” Project – “First Steps”
2006 - International Art Campus for Artists “Euro integration through Art” Moldova

George Areshidze (Gogareshka) was born in 1977 in Tbilisi, Georgia. After the completion of secondary education he left for Moscow where he made his first steps in fine arts. After his return from Russia in 1996 he entered Tbilisi State Pedagogical University, faculty of Scenic art.

His first personal exhibition "Iron Hatchet" took place in 1998 (Tbilisi Historical Museum). More then 40 works were presented at the exhibition. These works were different in style and quite ambitious for his age.

1998-2000 Areshidze participated in various mixed exhibitions and at the same time worked on a new project "The Stream". This project was hosted by N Gallery in 2000. Unlike his first exhibition the author used new means of expression – performance evolving against the background of the artist’s paintings and graphic works. This kind of exhibition-performance is not limited by the minimalist approach to the concept.

Areshidze continues to use the elements of theatrical show, emphasizes the role of music and experiments in his art up to day.

From 2000 to 2002 he worked on two different projects. A 15-minutes video "Assimilation" emphasizes social problems and is more aggressive than the second project "She is at home" were the author uses photo collage to convey the changes in his private life. In 2002 both projects were presented at the experimental art festival "Caravan Sarai" in Saloniki, Brussels and Paris.

At the same time Areshidze attended classic arts course in drawing at Ledi Lapachi’s studio. Most of the works of this period are drawings in sanguine.

The following project was "Cosmic Dust" in 2004. George betrayed the main concept of movement, which dominated in his project "The Stream". The new project conveyed the idea of immovability. "Stop to perceive the texture" - became a main philosophical priority of the artist.

In 2006 Areshidze presented a resume of his past projects and works. The exhibition "First Steps" and the catalogues with same name chronologically represented George's growth as an artist.

There was a man, he came into being, and he lived… He was born every morning and died every night. He created to see, otherwise he couldn’t perceive … People moved around him, and he painted their motions. People moved so fast that they saw only the visual side of things and made a big thing out of it. The man wasn’t interested in that. Why? - Because he couldn’t stop. He had no alternative.

People thought he did what he did for pleasure, for beauty, others thought he had nothing else to do. Only one person knew what he was actually looking for and that person was him…Who is hurt by permanent protest but the one who protests? I know that but only confrontation can reveal the truth…

And there was a Trout that swam against the current. As the time passed he felt the world around him. He used to go where the live emotions swam and caught them. Then he would return to canvas. Emotion deadly but short. In a few hours everything was over - the man was happy. But for half an hour only…

One hour passed and he would return to fishing on emotions again complicating his existence. Who needs that, but him? He walked in the streets mechanically and thought of compositions, symbols, forms and most importantly, he thought of colors. He worshipped and sacrificed the cult of color everyday.

Art is just a word, it doesn’t bite, doesn’t humiliate; for some it’s a harmonious unity of sounds, some need it as a Shelter, others enjoy art after lunch. Only few can get into its heart, than climb out on your shore and perceive your works.

I believe such people exist. I started with caressing colorful tubes on my way home. I loved it but I squeezed it at home all the same. Color is most powerful substance in the world and it survives everything, even time… I like the idea that one can’t pass the same river twice.

Rules are is static and dead. Who can see the horizon? I’m trying and I am glad. Not a work is similar to any other. It’s very interesting to me. When artist acquires one specific face, one image - he is destroyed. To learn painting is to analyze one’s own feelings. I don’t want to be granted tasteless, ready information. Painting is not a profession. It means moving forward to one’s own personality! The road is very long, hard and interesting at the same time.

Canvas is a source of information the spectator shouldn’t get annoyed with the first emotion. It is a process of perception, a dialogue not with the artist, but with ones own personality through the work of the artist.

My works have little in common with beauty - painting is more important. We all have our own criteria of beauty. My criterion is individualistic, curved and marvelously broken.

George Areshidze