Tbilisi State Academy of Arts

Tbilisi State Academy of Arts

თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია
Type	Public
Established	1922
Rector	Gia Gugushvili
Location	Tbilisi , Georgia
Campus	Urban
Nickname	TSAA
Website	/en/ www.art.edu.ge

The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (Georgian: თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია) is one of the oldest universities in Georgia and Caucasus. It is located in Tbilisi city near the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre on Rustaveli avenue.

History

Based on the resolution of the People’s Commissariat on Education of 8 March 1922, the Art Academy of Georgia was founded. Four faculties were established, those of painting, sculpture, graphic arts and architecture. In 1927 the department of ceramics was added. In 1922 Mose Toidze founded an art school providing training to the young people wishing to enter the Academy. The Academy is housed in the former Kobulashvili mansion, completely reconstructed and refurbished by the architect Simon Kldiashvili in 1902.

From the beginning, the teachers and professors of the academy were renowned artists; the first were Gigo Gabashvili, Iakob Nikoladze, Eugene Lansere, Joseph Sharlemagne, Henryk Hryniewski, Egishe Tatevosyan, Nikolay Sklifosovskiy, Nicholas Antadze, Anatoli Kalgin, Nikolay Severove, Dimitri Shevardnadze, Michael Machavariani, Alexander Pitskhelauri, Michael Khananashvili, Boris Shebuev, Mose Toidze, Alexander Tsimakuridze, Nicholas Kandelaki, Valerian Sidamon-Eristavi, David Kakabadze, Lado Gudiashvili, George Sesiashvili, Ucha Japaridze, Shalva Amiranashvili, Apolon Kutateladze, Vasili Shukhaev, Sergo Kobuladze, Silovan Kakabadze, Shota Mikatadze, David Tsitsishvili, Zakro Maisuradze, and Lado Grigolia.

Tbilisi State Academy of Arts building by Dmitri Yermakov. 1884

Gigo Gabashvili in the centre of photo, 1922.

The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts is located in the former “House of Arshakuni”, since 1922 (architect G. Ivanov. 1856). The interiors were designed by Iranian masters (in Qajar art style) who were working in Tbilisi. In the same building (till 1937) there were placed the Ballet studio (the Mirror Hall) of Maria Perini, the spouse of an artist Henryk Hryniewski, as well as his own art studio; Studio of the academy professor – Gigo Gabashvili; and Kobulashvili family flats. In 1972 the new ten-floor academy block was built (architects A.Kurdiani, M. Chkhikvadze, L. Sumbadze, constructor D. Kajaia). In 2005–2006 the new block was restored by Cartu Bank .

Faculties

• Visual Arts - Dean: David Alexidze
• Media Arts - Dean: Gia Shengelia
• Design - Dean: Tinatin Kldiashvili
• Architecture - Dean: Nodar Amashukeli
• Restoration, Art History and Theory - Dean: Nino Chogoshvili

All educational programs at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts are conducted in the Georgian language. For applicants with a foreign upper-secondary school education that lack qualifications in Georgian a language test is required.

Rectors

• 1922–1926 – Giorgi Chubinashvili
• 1927–1930 – Alexander Duduchava
• 1930–1932 – Vakhtang Kotetishvili
• 1932–1936 – Grigol Bukhnikashvili
• 1936–1942 – Silovan Kakabadze
• 1942–1948 – Ucha Japaridze
• 1948–1952 – Mamia Duduchava
• 1952–1959 – Sergo Kobuladze
• 1959–1972 – Apolon Kutateladze
• 1972–1982 – Giorgi Totibadze
• 1982–1987 – Zurab Nizharadze
• 1987–1992 – Tengiz Peradze
• 1992–2003 – Soso Koyava
• 2003–2012 – Gia Bugadze
• 2012–2014 – Tinatin Kldiashvili
• 2014–to present – Gia Gugushvili

Exhibitions

The academy operates the following exhibition spaces:

• Big exhibition hall
• Museum – includes 618 paintings, course and diploma artworks. Among them are art-pieces by Gigo Gabashvili (8 works), Elene Akhvlediani, Ludwig Luigi Longo, Kirill Zdanevich, Tamara Balanchivadze, Mose Toidze, Aleksander Tsimakuridze, Korneli Sanadze, Reno Turkia, Koki Makharadze and Zurab Gikashvili.
• Tapestry Museum on Shardin street

References

• თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია (The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts).Tbilisi 2002. ISBN 99928-0-430-0.
• საქართველოს ძველი ქალაქები: თბილისი (second ed.). 2006. ISBN 99940-0-923-0.
• თბილისის სახელმწიფო სამხატვრო აკადემია (The Tbilisi State Academy of Arts). Tbilisi 2011. ISBN 978-9941-0-3304-9.

External links

• Tbilisi State Academy of Arts, official website
• Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. Online Radio Melomen.