My Portrait
Levan Lagidze, Klassnaia, 2020, oil and glazing on canvas, 35 x 32cm, author’s private collection
As we are preparing for a London exhibition of all new works by Georgia’s iconic Levan Lagidze, it’s a good time to share the story of this portrait - Lagidze’s portrait of me to be precise.
It began with a bit of a mishap. I fell in love with a painting (Composition 23, below) from Lagidze’s My Journey series of small works (little bite-size jewels each 35 x 32cm) and bought it as soon as I saw the photograph in preparation for our 2020 exhibition (a gallerist’s advantage). As it happens, a very good client and friend also loved that particular painting and I conceded it to her (a gallerist’s disadvantage - no complaints). Since I already paid for the artwork, Levan offered another work of the same size and as an intriguing challenge suggested it should be an abstract portrait of how he sees me - my personality in colours and textures. I readily agreed.
It took a few tries but when the painting above (titled Klassnaia, Levan’s nickname for me) was completed we both immediately knew this was it. The burst of oranges, yellows, and blues are broadly speaking me - drawn both to effervescence and people and to long, luxurious moments of quiet. Of course this description - when put in words - can describe most of us. Yet the colours might be different for each and these specific colours are very much me. Isn’t it interesting how abstraction, being free from the limitations of language, shows that others’ perceptions of us are far more accurate that we might imagine.
Levan Lagidze, Composition 23, My Journey series 2020, oil and glazing on canvas, 35 x 32cm, private collection
Conceived in 2019, Levan Lagidze’s My Journey subseries of playful small pieces references his creative journey and captures his philosophy of sharing experiences in harmony and gratitude. These paintings allow Levan’s art to shine in small spaces while also inviting art lovers to create a mosaic from several works whose colours and textures speak specifically to them.
Works from the My Journey series from the London 2022 exhibition; all now in private collections around the globe.
Levan Lagidze, Labyrinth, My Journey series 2021, oil and glazing on canvas, 35 x 32cm, private collection
In Levan’s words,
I feel like I’m creating a mosaic from these small paintings. It is an interesting journey, bringing it to life. Each piece is independent and yet an integral part of the whole. I feel an excitement, a happy feeling throughout the process. Creating this mosaic is a puzzle that is inspiring and freeing. Let’s be directed by this motto: ‘Let’s create something great - and even better’.
Mark your calendars for Levan Lagidze’s upcoming London exhibition, Macondo, 23 October - 18 November, click here for details. The exhibition will comprise three large format paintings (130 x 105cm), five medium format works (73 x 60cm), and twenty paintings from the My Journey 2023 series of 35 x 32cm works.
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