Thursday, June 11, 2009

ARTIST: The Georgian Artist Vakhtan Oniani (oniani.net)

Vakhtan Oniani (patronymic Stephane) was born on August 30, 1932 in the village Zhakhundeli (Svaneti) – Republic of Georgia. In 1951 he enrolled in Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Art, faculty of sculpture, which graduated in 1958.

Since his studentship, he participates in Republican, Union and Foreign exhibitions. He is Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Georgia, Holder of an Order of Dignity, Designer of International Exhibition Art. Member of the Council of Artists of Soviet Union and Georgia. Real Member of National and Technologic Academies.

He, as an author of many monuments, manufacturer of machine art and Georgian mythological epos and maker of illustrations, continues creative work to the present day.


Vakhtang Oniani is too interesting even in art. The sculptor and the painter… he is too original total nature. His graphical series is a product of almost unknown popular artists, who paints churches, palaces, simple huts. Oniani’s each drawings are a part of Svaneti life… The deep roots of old folk art are such natural in his works as in Niko Pirosmani’s creative work. The Art Academy couldn’t make leveling of his talent; he mastered the technique of sculpture but content remained independently, as it corresponded to his nature.”
Artist-art critic Kirile Zdanevich

Vakhtang Oniani appeared in the field of action for 50th ages and declared on his formed mastery, own style and ideology. Subject matter of him especially is distinguished in the flow of strong painting. Vakhtang speaks with nature for three languages: by a brush, cutting tool and a pan. What is the dignity of his mastering? It is fusion of novelty and the ancient popular decorative form, convinced, exact, simplicity of stingy colours merged in composition, indivisible connection with popular creative work, formed technique, symbolicalness. Its palette connects characters, nuances, problems in own profile, which was touched by anyone before him. All above certifies mastering and dimensions of him. “The country where such artists are born can’t be small” said once an Academician of the Academy of Science of USSR, former Vice-president Alexander Konstantinov at Vakhtang Oniani’s exhibition in Leningrad. It is difficult to find better estimation.
Writer and Public figure Akaki Gelovani

In order to estimate Oniani’s art, it is enough to look at any of his drawings. Even if a daughter’s portrait. You will never forget it. I have imagined how she was seen by the astonished artist and brought the astonishment to us – really there is such youth and such beauty in the world. It does take place not so easily; the daughter displays ancient task of a woman’s spirit with its whole simplicity, by which Leonardo Da Vinci Jokonda charmed humanity. Oniani is a profound, national artist. Its basic topic is high universal beauty but clearly limited from eastern pseudo-exotics and he is real modern. He is bought up on classics, though he doesn’t blindly adore to authorities. Vakhtang Oniani is only thirty years old but he already has made a lot of wide creative work. He is a sculptor, paints canvases and he is keen on graphics. Vakhtang Oniani is a representative of a generation of young soviet artists, who are different from each other and deserve to be acknowledged.
Writer T. Gladkov

Internet: www.oniani.net

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