Young artist wins Georgia’s first photobook contest
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A photobook by contemporary artist Lado Lomitashvili will be published by an international printing house after the young creator won the country's first ever Photobook Dummy Award this week.
The competition was the first in Georgia and hosted by the Tbilisi-based Book Art Centre in cooperation with Art Caucasus Association, Ukrainian Photographic Alternative (UPHA) and Rodovid Press publishing house.
The contest was announced by organisers in October, while results were revealed on Tuesday, December 13.
Lomitashvili's winning work will be printed by the Rodovid Press publishing house early next year. Photo from the Book Art Centre.
Lomitashvili's winning design One Step Back was one of four works shortlisted by an international jury that included Sweden-based founder of UPHA Misha Pedan, Polish designer Rene Wawrzkiewicz and Book Art Centre manager Otar Karalashvili.
The other four works picked for the shortlist by the judges came from artists Rita Khachaturian, Giorgi Shengelia and Guram Tsibakhashvili.
Lomitashvili has received local and international attention for his contemporary photographic works. Photo from the Book Art Centre.
The four shortlisted works were reviewed by Rodovid Press staff. A joint decision of judges and the publishing house named Lomitashvili as the overall winner.
The young artist's design will be printed and published as a photobook by the Ukraine-based publisher in spring 2017, said the Book Art Centre.
Lomitashvili studied architecture at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts and has featured in personal and group exhibitions in Georgia and abroad in recent years.
A photograph of Lado Lomitashvili's winning design for the Book Art Centre contest. Photo from the Book Art Centre.
This year Lomitashvili has had his work displayed at the 14th annual Krakow Photomonth Festival in Poland and Project 12 at Fabrika in Tbilisi.
The Book Art Centre is a non-governmental organisation based in Tbilisi that aims to support development of book design and illustration in Georgia.
The group also works to establish and maintain ties between Georgian designers and local and foreign publishers.
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For one month starting May 12, works by Lado Lomitashvili and Atu Gelovani of Tbilisi State Academy of Arts will be on display within the 14th annual Krakow Photomonth Festival 2016.
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Georgian artist collective Group Bouillon has been awarded the first edition of the Zygmunt Waliszewski Visual Arts Award of the Polish Institute in Tbilisi, while artist Lado Lomitashvili was distinguished with the Special Prize from the judges.
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