Artist Giorgi Danibegashvili shortlisted for France’s Contemporary Talents competition

Georgian artist Giorgi Danibegashvili is among finalists of the annual competition organised by the Francois Schneider Foundation in France that aims to reveal some of the most fascinating works by contemporary creators from around the world.

Tbilisi-based Danibegashvili’s 2015 installation Crystals of the Sea is among 41 projects and completed works shortlisted for prizes at the 2017 Contemporary Talents contest next month.

The artwork by the graduate of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts has been shortlisted among a dozen creations in one of four sections of the competition.

The installation ‘Crystals of the Sea’ (wood, tempera, rice) by Giorgi Danibegashvili. Photo: courtesy of artist.

The section includes works of sculpture, installation, video and performance, and also features artists from France, Spain, South Korea, Italy and Brazil.

A maximum of seven winners will be selected from the four sections by the grand jury of the contest and revealed on May 19 by jury president Jean-Noel Jeanneney.

The winning artists will receive €20,000 each as their works are acquired by the foundation.

In addition, submissions by all finalists will be displayed at the foundation’s Contemporary Art Centre in the commune of Wattwiller in France’s south-east on May 20.

Danibegashvili is a graduate of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. Photo: courtesy of artist.

A release by the foundation said the shortlist of finalists had been drawn up by expert committees from over 840 initial submissions by artists from nearly 60 countries.

The selections for the category involving the installation by Danibegashvili were made by the committee involving Sophie Kaplan, Director of the La Criee Centre for Contemporary Art in Rennes, France and Gianfranco Schiavano, Director of the Haeusler Contemporary Gallery in Zurich, Switzerland.

This year’s Contemporary Talents contest will mark the sixth edition of the annual event from the foundation that "aims to discover, support and introduce new talents to the public".

Founded in 2000, the foundation hosts the competition before awarding "prizes amounting to €300,000”.

The foundation highlights works by selected artists in exhibitions at its Contemporary Art Centre. Photo: Guy Buchheit.

The support for the emerging art talent also comes from founder Francois Schneider, who acquires their artwork before they are displayed at Contemporary Art Centre exhibitions. The works also become part of a catalogue published by the foundation.

The foundation’s second aim is to benefit young high school students with difficult social backgrounds.

To this end the organisation provides scholarships to the socially disadvantaged individuals with the aim of giving them access to higher education.