Gvantsa Jishkariani Georgian, b. 1991

Dedicated to experimentation, Gvantsa explores traditional crafts, investigates her associations with them, researches their history and tradition to employ the knowledge gained through her process in creating her art. Gvantsa’s works often deal with her emotions and experiences and reflect the socio-political conditions of the world today. She employs humour to address deeply personal and highly relevant topics.

Gvantsa is a Tbilisi and Madrid based multimedia artist and curator. She graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Tbilisi State Academy of the Fine Arts (2013), then completed an informal master's program at the Centre of Contemporary Art-Tbilisi (2014). She is widely exhibited in Georgia and worldwide. 

 

In addition to her artistic practice, Gvantsa has a vibrant curatorial career. She is the founder of Tbilisi based Patara Gallery (2017) and the co-founder of The Why Not Gallery (2018), dedicated to supporting young Georgian artists. She was the curator of the Tbilisi Photo Festival Night of Photography (2017, 2018, 2019) and the founder of the first Georgian online magazine Gargar magazine on art and fashion (2013-18).

 

Selected Exhibitions

 

Solo and Duo Shows 

2023 Shanghai Art fair - Shanghai, China 

2023 Dress of a Thousand Oceans - CH64 Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia

2023 I Hate Poetry - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia

2023 Me and my Brother Have Same fears - Window Project, Tbilisi, Georgia 

2023 Medicine for Guilt - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia 

2023 My Aunt’s books on Magic- Munich, Germany

2023 Temple of Stray Cats - Catbox, New York, USA

2023 Angoli Secci Secci -  Stadtgalerie Brixen, Italy

2022 I DREAM OF FIRE - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia

2020 TOGETHER FOREVER - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia

2020 PERMANENT ADOLESCENCE - Balloon Rouge Club, Brussels, Belgium

2019 WHO WILL RECORD HISTORY? - Project Artbeat, Tbilisi, Georgia

2018 A TREE. - A01 Gallery, Naples, Italy
2018 REPTILIANS WITH WINGS - Template Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
2018 GOODS ARE LEFT ON THE SHELVES - Performance - Nectar Gallery Performance Days, Tbilisi, Georgia
2017 SAVANNA SAVAGE - The Moving Gallery by Project ArtBeat, Batumi, Georgia
2017 AVOIDING THE THOUGHT OF WHITE BEARS - Weltkunstzimmer, Dusseldorf, Germany
2016 WITCHCRAFT AND CURIOSITY - A01 gallery, Naples, Italy

2016 COUNTERFEIT GOODS - Yarat, Baku, Azerbaijan

 

Group Shows 

2023 Stories I Tell Myself - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
2022 Angoli Secci, Secci - Stadtgalerie Brixen, Brixen\Bressanone, Italy

2022 I AM NOBODY! WHO ARE YOU? - RHIZOME, Kortrijk, Belgium

2022 SOFT OPENING -  HALLE13, Vienna, Austria
2022 SORRY, NO FLOWERS HERE - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
2021 TWO SHAPES OF LEAF ON TREE - KAIR, Kosice, Slovakia
2021 ALL YOUR FAVOURITE WITCHES & BITCHES - CAS Batumi, Georgia

 

Awards, residencies and grants:

2022 LOTTOZERO residency, Prato, Italy

2022 RIA KEBURIA FOUNDATION residency, Kachreti, Georgia

2021PRINCE CLAUS SEED AWARDS for emerging artists and cultural practitioners - recipient

2020 EXHIBITION GRANT from Ministry of Culture Georgia Forbes 30 under 30 (culture)

2019 RESIDENCY GRANT at NARS foundation, NY, USA
2019 Curatorial RESIDENCY GRANT at Fotograf gallery, Prague, Czech Republic

2018 RESIDENCY GRANT at BINZ39, Zurich, Switzerland

2017 Tsinandali award in Visual Art - recipient
2017 RESIDENCY GRANT at Frauenkulturburo NRW EV., Dusseldorf, Germany

2016 RESIDENCY GRANT at Yarat, Contemporary Art Center, Baku, Azerbaijan

2016 RESIDENCY GRANT at Batumi Back Yard Stories, Batumi, Georgia

 

Selected Collections:

Alain Servais Collection

TBC Bank Collection

Collezione Taurisano

MSGM Collection
Vasili Tsereteli Collection

Maria Larsson Collection

Zurab Tsereteli Collection

Agovino Collection

Silk Museum of Georgia