Artists

Karlo Kacharava, Irena Popiashvili

Press release

Modern Art’s second exhibition of Karlo Kacharava features previously unseen drawings from his sketchbooks, created between 1991 and 1992, alongside paintings from 1988 to 1993. The show, titled _Sometimes Ballerina, Sometimes Priest, in Reality, a Murderer_, quotes the artist himself having been scrawled on one of his drawings. This exhibition provides a glimpse into Kacharava’s automatic writing approach to the artistic process, seamlessly intertwining text and visual elements. Recurring phrases written in Georgian, such as “Dreams of Mzhavanadze” – a reference to Vasil Mzhavanadze, the first secretary of Georgia’s communist party from 1953 to 1972 – reflect his wry sense of humour and the chaotic information consumption. Alongside these Georgian phrases, Kacharava references German Neo-expressionist painter Helmut Middendorf, as well as James Ensor, Francesco Clemente, and Norwegian writer and journalist Ivar Enoksen among others. In addition to the drawings, the exhibition presents paintings from 1992, including _Poet who Burned his Poems_ and a series of portrait drawings. These works show Karlo Kacharava’s curiosity and exploration of diverse characters, captured through their poses and facial expressions, which he later integrates in his paintings. While each drawing is striking in its own right, the piece titled _Anarchist’s Dream_ with its evocative text inscribed above the figures, stands out particularly. This drawing when compared to its corresponding painting reveals that none of the figures from the sketch appear in the final painting, which has an intriguing mix of texts in French, Georgian and German. These multilingual element adds a layer of complexity, suggesting a dialogue between different cultures and ideas. There are also several drawings that serve as preliminary sketches for the painting _Train Station_. Despite the fact that the painting was never realised, these sketches offer insight into Karlo Kacharava’s creative process. They illustrate his exploration of themes and compositions that never fully materialised, showing us the artist’s willingness to experiment. These pieces are inspiring documentations of the evolution of his ideas, making the viewers consider the connections between intention, creation, and the final work of art.