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 an informal master's program at the Centre of Contemporary Art-Tbilisi (2014). 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, 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. Her artworks are in private collections worldwide including MSGM Collection, Alain Servais Collection, TBC Bank Collection, Collezione Taurisano, Maria Larsson Collection, Vasili Tsereteli Collection, Papashvili Collection, Agovino Collection, The State Silk Museum, Georgia.
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 Informal 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
AWARDS/RESIDENCIES/GRANTS
2022
Lottozero Textile Labs - Residency grant, Prato, Italy
2021
Prince Claus Foundation - Seed Awards recipient
2020
Exhibition Grant - Ministry of Culture Georgia
Forbes Georgia - 30 under 30 - visual arts
2019
Studio grant at Fotograf Gallery, Prague, Czechia
Studio grant at NARS foundation, NY, USA
2018
RESIDENCY GRANT at BINZ39, Zurich, Switzerland
2017
WINNER of Tsinandali award in Visual Art
RESIDENCY GRANT at Transcultural ArtLab, Juist, Germany
RESIDENCY GRANT at Frauenkulturburo NRW e.V., Dusseldorf, Germany
2016
RESIDENCY GRANT at Yarat, Contemporary Art Space, Baku, Azerbaijan
RESIDENCY GRANT at Batumi Back Yard Stories, Batumi, Georgia
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2023
I Hate Poetry - CH64 gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia (May)
My Aunt’s books on Magic- Munich, Germany ( June)
Tbilisi Art Fair - Tbilisi, Georgia (September)
Medicine for Guilt - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia ( September)
Shanghai Art Fair - Shanghai, China (November)
Me and my Brother Have Same fears - A01 Gallery, Naples, Italy ( December)
2022
Professionally hot- A01 gallery, Naples, Italy, (Solo, TBA)
I Dream of Fire - The why not gallery (Solo, May)
Munich, ( Two person show, TBA)
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 Performance Days, Tbilisi, Georgia
2017
SAVANNA SAVAGE at the Moving Gallery by 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:
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, (TBA, March)
Sorry, No Flowers Here, The why not gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia, February- March
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
2019
GROUP SHOW at gallery artbeat, Tbilisi, Georgia
UTILITIES, gallery Warehouse, Tbilisi, Georgia
2018
EENY, MEENY, MINNIE MOE at Project ArtBeat, Tbilisi, Georgia
IN AND OUT OF REALITY at Expo Georgia, Tbilisi Art Fair, Tbilisi, Georgia
2017
OCCURRENCES at Gallery Nectar, Tbilisi, Georgia
TAVIDAN at CCA TBILISI, Tbilisi, Georgia
NACHTFOYER at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Germany
SUFFOCATION VIA BUTTERFLY EFFECT at State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia
