Karlo Kacharava - Europalia Georgia

In the context of europalia georgia, S.M.A.K. organises the first museum solo exhibition of Georgian artist Karlo Kacharava (1964 – 1994) outside Georgia.

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Kacharava’s short life ultimately left an enduring mark on Georgia, inspiring a whole new generation of local artists amidst a vibrant cultural scene. He was born at a time when his native Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, and died in the early years of its independence. Kacharava provided an artistic response, emphasising cultural connections rather than rigid divides — and that is a philosophy with value far beyond Georgia. He left numerous paintings, works on paper and illustrated diaries. And although he was only 30 years old when he died, Kacharava also left behind volumes of poetry, art criticism and cultural commentary, not to mention the legacy of a unique style that helped usher in a new wave of Georgian avant-garde expression. 

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With this exhibition we open up Kacharava’s “inventive visual world” to a much wider audience. Within the framework of a public program S.M.A.K. will also invite a younger generation of ( diasporic Georgian ) artists to go into dialogue with his work.