Gvantsa Jishkariani (b.1991, Rustavi) is a Tbilisi-based multimedia artist and curator. She graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Tbilisi State Academy of the Fine Arts (2013), then completed master's program in Creative Mediation at the Centre of Contemporary Art-Tbilisi (2015). Dedicated to experimentation, the artist likes to explore traditional craft – investigate her own associations, research into the tradition and then employ the knowledge to create her art. Her works often deal with her personal emotions and experiences as well as reflect socio-political conditions of present-day world. The artist often employs humour to address these deeply personal and highly relevant topics.

Jishkariani is widely exhibited in Georgia as well as abroad including New York, Munich, Brussels, Vienna, Prague, Zurich, Dusseldorf, Naples among others. In 2021 she received Prince Claus Foundation Seed Awards. In 2020 she was selected for the Forbes 30 under 30 list, in 2019 she won the NARS Foundation Studio Grant, New York and in 2017 the artist received the Tsinandali Award in Visual Arts. 

​Apart from her artistic practice, Jishkariani has an equally vibrant curatorial career. She is a founder of Tbilisi-based galleries Patara Gallery(2017) and 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). Jishkariani was the founder of the first Georgian online magazine Gargar magazine on art and fashion (2013-18).

 

CV

 

EDUCATION:
 
2013-2014 M.A. in Creative Mediation, Center of Contemporary Art Tbilisi (CCA-T)
2009-2013 B.A. of Architecture and Design, Tbilisi State Academy of Arts
 
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
 
2023
  • Dress of a Thousand Oceans - CH64 gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
  • I Hate Poetry - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
 
2022
  • I Dream of Fire - The why not gallery
 
2020
  • Together Forever - Solo Show at Open Space, Tbilisi Georgia
  • Permanent Adolescence - Solo show in Ballon Rouge Club, Brussels, Belgium
 
2019
  • Who will record History? solo show at Project Artbeat, Tbilisi, Georgia
 
2018
  • a Tree.ხე at A01 gallery, Naples, Italy
  • REPTILIANS WITH WINGS at Template Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
  • GOODS ARE LEFT ON THE SHELVES-Performance at Nectar Gallery
 
2017
  • SAVANNA SAVAGE at Project ArtBeat, Batumi, Georgia
 
2016
  • Whales are Lonely at State silk museum, Tbilisi, Georgia
  • WITCHCRAFT AND CURIOSITY at A01 gallery, Naples, Italy
  • COUNTERFEIT GOODS at Yarat, Baku, Azerbaijan

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

 
2023
  • Nothing New in The East - AKT Pforzheim, Germany
  • Ring, Ring, Ring, - Pal Project, Paris, France
  • Forced Neighbourhood- Munich, Germany
  • Temple of Stray Cats - Catbox Contemporary, Ny,USA
  • Stories I Tell Myself- The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
 
2022
  • I've seen the future baby, It's sexy- at Skuc gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • I am Nobody, who are you?, at Rhizome, Kortrijk, Belgium
  • Soft opening, Halle13, Vienna, Austria
  • Sorry, No Flowers Here, The why not gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia

2021

  • ALL YOUR FAVOURITE BITCHES & WITCHES at CAS Batumi, Georgia
  • TWO SHAPES OF LEAF ON TREE at KAIR, Kosice, Slovakia
  • PUNK IS IN THE HEAD at A01 gallery, Naples, Italy
 
AWARDS/RESIDENCIES/GRANTS
 
2023
  • Prince Claus Fund x Tbilisi Multimedia Museum - Exhibition Grant
 
2022
  • Lottozero Textile Labs - Residency grant, Prato, Italy
 
2021
  • Prince Claus Foundation - Seed Awards recipient
 
2020
  • Ministry of Culture Georgia - Exhibition Grant
  • Forbes 30 under 30 - Culture
 
2019
  • Studio grant at Fotograf Gallery, Prague, Czechia
  • Studio grant at NARS foundation, NY, USA
 
2018
  • RESIDENCY GRANT at BINZ39, Zurich, Switzerland
 
2017
  • Tsinandali award in Visual Art
  • Frauenkulturburo NRW e.V., - RESIDENCY GRANT, Dusseldorf, Germany
 
2016
  • Yarat, Contemporary Art Center- RESIDENCY GRANT, Baku, Azerbaijan
  • Batumi Back Yard Stories- RESIDENCY GRANT, Batumi, Georgia