Catalogue accompanying the 2023 London solo exhibition by Levan Lagidze, one of Georgia's most significant living artists.
Macondo
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Macondo
23 October – 18 November, 2023
Open Monday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm After-hours and Sunday by appointment
Katrine Levin Galleries at Marie Jose Gallery 16 Victoria Grove, W8 5RW London
www.katrinelevin.com katrine@katrinelevin.com | +44 (0) 7789 001 378
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“I like looking at landscape from above”. As seen from a high perspective, all elements - the earth, the sky - are equally important and every detail contains within itself an expression of the whole.” Inspired by the light and landscapes of Georgia, Lagidze does not paint specific cities yet people from around the world see their city in his canvases. He sometimes titles his works “Macondo” - the perfect city of an imperfect memory whose colours and textures evoke the essence of a special place in our hearts. Each viewer finds their own Macondo – be it a city, a feeling, or a memory - in Lagidze’s multi-faceted paintings. By evoking and sharing experiences at the very core of being human, his art creates a bond transcending cultural and socioeconomical differences. The life philosophy of uniting and sharing while looking deeper beyond the surface is central to Lagidze’s art. Each element within his abstracted canvases has equal importance and every fragment forms a part of a universal whole. This creates a sense of paintings within paintings, as the smaller elements within larger canvases draw the eye and appear to stand alone. As Nana Jorjadze, the Academy Award nominated Georgian film director and scriptwriter aptly put it, “inside every square of Levan Lagidze’s work is a separate universe.” For Lagidze, creating a composition is like “measuring eternity with careful steps”, where a blank canvas demands and promises complete immersion into the subject matter. Following a grid like structure, he applies paint thickly using a palette knife to create texture, depth, and a sense of things hidden. Reflecting the multicoloured nature of the world, blocks of colour are both in the forefront and also concealed, to be re-discovered by the viewer. Lagidze’s unique rhythm of line and colour creates a harmony and a sensation of being drawn into an ever- unfolding depth. “Macondo” is an exhibition of all new works comprising 3 large format paintings (130 x 105cm), 6 medium format works (73 x 60cm), and 21 paintings from the “My Journey” series of 35 x 32cm gems. Conceived in 2019, the “My Journey” series of playful small works allows Lagidze’s art to shine in small spaces while also inviting you to create your own mosaic of several works whose colours and textures resonate with you. L evan Lagidze is one of Georgia’s most significant living artists with work in the permanent collections of major museums including the Tretyakov Gallery and Museum of Modern Art in Russia, the National Picture Gallery in Georgia, and the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in the United States. The British Museum library acquired his book of retrospectives launched in London last year and in May 2024 Tbilisi’s Museum of Fine Arts will open post- renovation with a large-scale exhibition of Lagidze’s works.
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“In today’s world, art carries a mission
for harmonious existence and happiness.”
Levan Lagidze
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“City in the Mountains”. Oil on canvas. 130 x 105 cm, 2023
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“Macondo”. Oil on canvas. 130 x 105 cm, 2023
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“The Blue”. Oil on canvas. 130 x 105 cm, 2023
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“April”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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“Autumn”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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“City in the Mountains 2”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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“Horizon”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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“November”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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“Old City”. Oil on canvas. 73 x 60 cm, 2023
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My journey
All paintings - Oil on canvas. 35 x 32 cm, 2023
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Composition 1
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Composition 2
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Composition 3
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Composition 4
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Composition 5
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Composition 6
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Composition 7
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Composition 8
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Composition 9
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Composition 10
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Composition 11
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Composition 12
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Composition 13
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Composition 14
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Composition 15
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Composition 16
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Composition 17
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Composition 18
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Composition 19
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Composition 20
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Composition 21
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“For him painting is a form of gaining a greater awareness ... looking at his paintings, you desire time in quiet contemplation.”
Georgian National Museum, Maka Bezhuashvili, Curator
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LEVAN LAGIDZE is a national treasure i n his native country of Georgia with work in the permanent collections of major museums in Georgia, Russia, and the United States. Born in 1958 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Lagidze graduated from Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in 1981. He founded and led an artist’s studio at the Tbilisi Artists’ House in 1983 and served as Chairman of Georgia´s Young Artists’ Union from 1986 to 1989. In 2011, he founded the Lagidze gallery in Tbilisi. He is widely collected worldwide. Coming up in 2024, Georgia’s leading museum of fine arts - the Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts in Tbilisi often referred to simply as The Art Museum - will open post-renovation with a large-scale exhibition of Lagidze’s works.
Public Collections
Georgian Museum of Fine Arts, Tbilisi, Georgia The Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia; The Modern Art Museum, Moscow, Russia; The National Picture Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia; The Batumi State Gallery, Batumi, Georgia; The Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University, NJ, United States The Gertsev Gallery, Moscow, Russia;
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London-based KATRINE LEVIN GALLERIES is not a place, it is a destination to experience extraordinary contemporary art from places less explored.
Our promise is art and beyond. In our pursuit of unique masters, we immerse ourselves into their cultures, intimate stories, and places that inspired and informed their art. Katrine commits long-term to a small selection of masters of diverse styles. Her focus is on art of enduring value that brings joy through originality, inspiration, and depth.
We believe that such artists are rare. It is our privilege to share with you our discoveries of art and beyond.
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Presented by Katrine Levin Galleries Contact details: Katrine Levin www.katrinelevin.com | katrine@katrinelevin.com | +44 (0) 7789 001 378 Follow us: Instagram: Katrine Levin Galleries Twitter: Katrine Art Speak Facebook: Katrine Levin Galleries
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Photographs by Mirian Kiladze and Gia Chkhatarashvili Creative design by Sandro Chkhaidze | Layout by Martina Poiana
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Katrine Levin Galleries www.katrinelevin.com
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