Georgia:Â The Georgian Minister of Culture and Sports, Thea Tsulukiani, expressed her condolences to the deceased’s family at the civil funeral held in Saburtalo All Saints Church. The Mayor of Lentekhi Municipality, Gia Oniani, also honoured the artist’s memory.
Vakhtang Oniani was an honored Georgian painter. He was born on August 30, 1932, and studied sculpture at the Academy of Art in Tbilisi in the 1950s. He died on March 18 at the age of 93. From 1960-1961, he was the leading artist of the magazine “Flag”; from 1964-1980, he was the leading artist of the State Committee of Print Word.
He created sculptures, including “Buried Tear” (1958), “Swan Girl” (1958), “Makhvshi” (1967), “Pillar of Knowledge” (1981), and Mikheil Khergiani’s bust. Examples of Dazguriani sculptures are “Man from Lashkheti” and “Portrait of a girl”. In 1960, his bronze sculpture “Amirani” was installed in Signakhi, Georgia.
Among the graphic works, anyone can remember “Portrait of a Wife” (1965), “Red Clouds” (1967) and others. Artist artistically shaped and finished samples of Georgian folk epic: “Givargil”, “Amiran”, “Betkil”, “Ladler”, and “Dali Souflo”.
Since 1957, Vakhtang Oniani has participated in exhibitions in Georgia and abroad. He formed the Georgian section at the Algeria International Fair (1967, for which he was awarded a gold medal) and the Georgian Pavilion at the Izmir International Fair (1968).
The artist is the author of several works of art, including: “Golden Age”, “The Flight of the White Swallows or… “and another one.
Vakhtang Oniani was an honoured painter of the USSR of Georgia (1967) and a cavalier of the Order of Honor (2002).
Georgian Ministry of Culture and Sports especially appreciates Vakhtang Oniani’s contribution to the development of art and sends condolences to his family, relatives and society.
