Italian town honours Georgian artist Prasto

A new sculpture by Georgian contemporary artist Vazha Mikaberidze, better known as Prasto, has been unveiled to the public in a central park of the Italian town Pietrasanta.

In a special ceremony on Sunday Prasto’s new oval sculpture was unwrapped in the La Versiliana Park in front of people representing the local social and cultural life.

The sculpture, measuring about four metres in height and following the artist's prominent theme of egg-shaped figures, was donated by the artist to Pietrasanta, the town where he resides.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism Dario Franceschini as well as prominent community figures of the Tuscany region town.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by local social and cultural figures. Photo from L'Enoteca Marcucci Pietrasanta/Facebook.

The new sculpture is the latest of several installations and monuments created by the Georgian artist for public display in Pietrasanta.

His works have been exhibited at displays at the town's Ponzetta Gallery and can also be found in the town’s streets.

Last year Prasto’s egg-shaped creations made of bronze, steel, aluminium and ceramic were exhibited within the town's Easter celebration.

A work by Prasto exhibited at the Francesco Ponzetta Gallery in Pietrasanta. Photo from www.prasto.eu.

Prasto has also exhibited works in St Petersburg and Moscow, Russia.

Born in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, Prasto graduated from the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts in 1992. He has lived in Italy for more than 20 years following his graduation from the Riaci Academy in Florence in 1995.

His works can be found both in public spaces and private collections in Italy.

Prasto’s works featured in the exhibition 'Equilibrium' at the Petrovsky Passage in Moscow, Russia in 2015.

Prasto is also known as the man who created the sculpture of prominent Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani in Mirzaani, in Georgia’s Kakheti region, and the sculpture of film director and artist Sergei Parajanov located in downtown Tbilisi at the Bambis Rigi.

The Italian town of Pietrasanta grew to importance during the 15th Century mainly due to its connection with marble.

Over the centuries and decades the town has enjoyed high regard from artists and sculptors from all over the world, with famous Renaissance period artist Michelangelo being the first to recognise the beauty of the local stone.