Artist Temo Japaridze’s “Niko Pirosmani – Life and Creativity” gets published

The presentation of the trilingual book album “Niko Pirosmani – Life and Creativity”, published with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, was held at Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery.

The trilingual (Georgian-French-English) book-album was printed by the publisher “Sezan Publishing”. The author of the text is the painter Temo Japaridze. Publisher “Sezan Publishing” was given free of charge by the Japaridze family.

The event was organized by the Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia, Thea Tsulukiani, the daughter of the artist Temo Japaridze, Lela Japaradze, Members of the Parliament of Georgia Mikheil Sarjveladze and Zaza Lominadze, founder of the publishing house “Sezan Publishing” Shorena Shaverdashvili, Rector of the Apollo Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts Karaman Kutatelidze, Director of the Writers’ House Kete Van Dumbadze and representatives of the art field attended.

The late writer and painter Temo Japaridze’s work about Niko Pirosmani was published in 1999 in a small format – an 80-page collection and today, it is already a bibliographic rarity. The work’s uniqueness is that the author, the painter himself, tells exciting stories about the life and work of Niko Firosman.

The text is filled with interesting biographical facts and insights, analyzing Pirosman’s life and work, the painter’s role and peculiarities in the context of modernity and European culture.

It means that the text has been translated into French and English. Students of Oxford University’s Georgian Language Program participated in English translation and editing, led by Lia Chokoshvili, who already has extensive experience translating Georgian literature.

This translation is also distinguished in both meaningful and artistic terms. The experienced translator and editor Sophie Turnon also performed the French translation.

The introduction to the book, which will help the reader understand the historical context and the Phirosman phenomenon, is by translator Joe Butler.

The author of the book design is the painter Besik Danelia. From a polygraphical perspective, the album uses up to 50 reproductions of Pirosmann from the National Museum’s collection.

It is essential that the work “Niko Pirosmani – Life and Creativity” is considered not only for Georgian readers but also for international audiences. The album will help represent Pirosman and the country with dignity outside the country.