On January 10, 2017, the four halls of the Dmitri Shevardnadze Gallery of the National Museum of Georgia showcased 96 paintings by talented painter Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov. The exhibition, which was organized by the National Museum of Georgia, according to the plan of and facilitated by President of the Union of Armenian Artists of Georgia, gifted painter Iren Ohanjanova, was dedicated to the 125^th birth anniversary and to the 50^th death anniversary of Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov.

The halls were packed. Art lovers of Tbilisi had come to view the exceptional paintings by the genius Georgian painter of Armenian descent that brilliantly benchmarked the career of the indigenous citizen of Tbilisi. Bazhbeuk-Melikov gradually added more and more colors to his palette and made his paintings glossier. His portraits of women stood out with their unique taste and articism.

Bazhbeuk-Melikov’s art served as serious ground for the development of new and contemporary painting.

The exhibition only showcased the classic painter’s works preserved in Georgia. Among the works were the paintings kept within the funds of the National Museum of Georgia (Shalva Amiranashvili Art Museum and Dmitri Shevardnadze National Gallery) and the Giorgi Leonidze Georgian Literature Museum and the paintings of private collectors.

The fans of Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov and those who appreciate his art had the chance to feel the charm of the great artist’s paintings and see his tasteful paintings that stand out with their exceptional mastery, the artist’s extraordinary knowledge of the style of painting and in-depth perception of the history of painting.

The exhibition, which was also attended by the clergy of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, the diplomats of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, intellectuals, artists and fans of various nationalities, was opened by General Director of the National Museum of Georgia Davit Lortkipanidze. Attaching importance to the development of the Georgian and Armenian cultures and the mutual relations, the General Director appreciated the art of Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov and the fact that he was a contemporary and colleague of Georgian painters Lado Gudiavili, Avtandil Varaz, Mose Toidze, Ilia and Kiril Zanevichs, whose exceptional works helped Georgian arts become internationally recognized.

Giving his blessings, leader of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, His Grace, Fr. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan attached importance to the uniqueness of the colors and the mastery of reproducing moods and presenting the assimilation and harmonization of the cultures of the two Christian nations as a universal art, the evidence of which was this exhibition.

Organizer, facilitator and observer of the project, President of the Union of Armenian Painters of Georgia Iren Ohanjanova expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Monument Preservation of Georgia, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia, the National Museum of Georgia and the Armenian Diocese of Georgia for helping make the exhibition a success. The project director also expressed gratitude to the project’s observer Janna Sarukhanova and art critic Davit Andriadze for their assistance.

The exhibition of merited Georgian artist Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov will run in Tbilisi until February 24, 2017.

Source: armenianchurch.ge