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

Kacharava’s short life ultimately left an enduring mark on Georgia, inspiring a new generation of local artists amidst a vibrant cultural scene. The artist was born when his native Georgia was part of the Soviet Union and died in the early years of its independence. Karlo Kacharava provided an artistic response, emphasising cultural connections rather than rigid divides – a philosophy with value far beyond Georgia.

The exhibition will extensively feature Karlo Kacharava’s paintings, works on paper and illustrated diaries. Although the artist 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. With this exhibition, we open up Kacharava’s “inventive visual world” to a much wider audience. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue raisonné of Kacharava’s paintings and a dynamic public programme in which S.M.A.K. will invite a younger generation of artists from Georgia and its diasporas to enter into dialogue with his work.

In close collaboration with the Estate of Karlo Kacharava and Irena Popiashvili. With the support of Modern Art, London.

Free with museumPASSmusées