Ioseb
(Soso) NADIRADZE
lives in Tbilisi, the capital of GEORGIA
TO CLARIFY: not American state of Georgia, but European country Georgia that rests on the shores of Mediterranean neighboring Black Sea, where the Argonauts from Greek mythology, in the years before the Trojan War, had voyaged for the Golden Fleece.)
Soso is a professional artist with Master's Degree from prestigious Tbilisi Academy of Fine Arts. Besides the painting, he works as art designer at Georgian Film – a movie company highly famed for its delicate artistic and philosophical concept (remember films of Iosseliani?)
Some critics note that works of Nadiradze are somewhat reminiscent of Mark Chagall. Although Soso considers it as a pleasing compliment, loves Chagall and deems him as very dear spiritual friend, he does not really find much "similarity" besides the broad parallels in general attitude to life.
Instead, Soso feels that his own artistic roots derived mainly from the frescos of the ancient Georgian churches (as official religion, Christianity was adopted there as early as in 4th century, and cathedrals were decorated by Georgian native – not Byzantine – painters); almost as his own "genetic memory," he undergoes the poetic and philosophical inspirations of Shota Rustaveli, the greatest Georgian intellectual of 12th century; Soso believes it is Pirosmani (1862-1918) who has enabled him to apprehend that reality is actually not as apparent as it seems to appear...
... While I am painting, there are moments when my hand suddenly starts to move by itself, without "asking my permission." And after it finally returns back under my conscious control, it surprisingly seems like the painting is mostly completed... Such mysterious episodes do not last long (otherwise, it would be insanity), but this is what I actually define as "Happiness."
... Paintings are, in fact, living creatures: they breathe, think and talk, (although, in some inexplicable international tongue). That's why I suppose the artists should better keep silence, letting the art to speak instead.
To note, his canvases seem to be alive indeed...
Ioseb (Soso) Nadiradze's paintings are in private collections across the Europe. After shows in Italy, Germany and Turkey, now for the first time his work can be seen in Canada, where he is exclusively represented by Chancery Art Gallery.
