Monument for late artist Irakli Charkviani unveiled in Tbilisi
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Visitors of a popular recreational park in central Tbilisi can now see a special monument that pays homage to one of the most prominent late Georgian artists who shaped the contemporary local music scene.
At a special ceremony on Saturday, a 3D sculpture dedicated to the memory of poet and singer Irakli Charkviani was unveiled at Dedaena Park in Georgia's capital to mark the late artist's birthday.
Created by artists Valo Imerlishvili and Rocko Iremashvili, the sculpture included a visual representation of Charkviani based on photographs by Guram Tsibakhashvili and Zinka Barnov.
The monument shows Charkviani based on photographs and a video still featuring the late artist. Photo from Tbilisi City Hall.
The monument featured a number of portraits of Charkviani on its surface. The creators also said a still image from a music video featuring the late artist was also used to recreate his appearance on the monument.
The sculpture used steel, wood and iron materials, while Charkviani's portrait was created in monochrome colours.
In addition to the visual representation, the monument also included an audio system that allowed visitors to listen to some of Charkviani's most celebrated musical creations.
The project for the monument was financed by Tbilisi City Hall.
The 3D sculpture shows Charkviani from many angles. Photo from Tbilisi City Hall.
Born in Tbilisi in 1961, Charkviani joined the contemporary Georgian musical scene in the 1980s and rose to prominence as one of the leading Georgian musical artists in the 1990s.
Working in the alternative and electronic music genres, Charkviani recorded a number of albums in the 1990s and 2000s and wrote several poems and stories.
The artist was found dead in his Tbilisi apartment in February 2006. The cause of death was attributed to heart problems.
Charkviani was posthumously awarded Georgia's Shota Rustaveli State Prize in 2013 for his contribution to the development of contemporary Georgian culture.
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