Denmark's Louisiana Museum hosting display of Georgia's iconic painter Pirosmani
Pirosmani is recognised for portraits and works showing social gatherings in Tbilisi, as the artist worked to make a living while struggling with poverty in the Georgian capital during the early decades of the 20th century. Photo via Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia
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The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark's most popular venue of the kind, is hosting the first display in Northern Europe of Georgia's iconic self-taught painter Niko Pirosmani, bringing his works from collections of the Georgian National Museum network to the venue.
Launching on Thursday in the Museum located in Humlebæk, north of Copenhagen, the exhibition unveiled 48 pieces by the early 20th century artist who became widely known after his works were discovered by celebrated Georgian and international artists after his death in 1918.
His paintings of social gatherings, individual portraits and images of animals have been sourced from Georgian-based venues to introduce visitors of the Danish Museum to his practice with vivid colours and simple focus.
There is something almost mythical about the story of Pirosmani, who lived and worked in Tbilisi around the turn of the last century. As the exhibition will show, the simple, gleaming depictions of people and wildlife by this self-taught sign painter and penniless vagabond place Pirosmani as an outstanding exponent of early modern art
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art summary
A summary from organisers said the "simple, yet sophisticated" power of Pirosmani's works would be seen in the selections that showcased the painter's use of his tools and vision to transform "the mundane into something extraordinary, creating icons of glowing intensity".
To a rare extent, already in his lifetime Pirosmani's art spoke to all, from people in the street and in taverns to avant-garde artists and writers. His art bridged worlds, it celebrated a feeling of belonging and dedication
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art summary
A film on Pirosmani was screened to mark the opening of the display at the venue, one of the major European Museums that houses thousands of works from 1945 onwards, and artists ranging from Andy Warhol to Yves Klein and Anselm Kiefer.
The exhibition, set to run to August 20, brings the Georgian painter to wider audiences following other displays in Europe over the recent years.
The self-taught painter is also known for his works showing both domesticated and wild animals, included in the selection for the Danish venue. Photo via Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia
In 2019, Pirosmani was showcased at Tallinn's Mikkeli museum, while the year prior his legacy was celebrated in a dual exhibition alongside the famed Dutch impressionist Vincent van Gogh in Arles, France, and expositions at Vienna’s Albertina Museum and Düsseldorf‘s Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Born in the village of Mirzaani in eastern Georgia’s Kakheti province in 1862, Pirosmani took an early interest in painting, however he never received formal art training.
Moving to the capital Tbilisi, he made a living painting shop plaques, portraits and landscapes for bar owners but never managed to escape poverty during his life in Georgia's capital, struggling to find work opportunities.
His work was discovered by prominent Georgian artists Lado Gudiashvili, David Kakabadze and Kirill Zdanevich before Pirosmani's mark on the art scene of the early decades of the 20th century began to be recognised widely.
Following the exhibition in Denmark, the Pirosmani display is set to be brought to Switzerland by the Beyeler Fondation, with the showcase running in the country between September 17-January 28, 2024.