Mariam Aqubardia (b. 1991, Gali) graduated from the Faculty of Painting at the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (2013 BA, 2017 MA). As she describes, all of her artworks are about Abkhazia and her memories of the home she had to flee as a result of the Abkhazian Conflict (1993-1994). The hardest and most difficult feelings and experiences are painted in calm, foggy melancholy and discuss the topics of home, displacement, and questions of belonging.
Mariam’s works have been exhibited in Georgia and abroad, including the exhibition supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, 2020, Tbilisi Online Biennale, 2020, ‘Personal Structures’, parallel event at the 57th Venice Art Biennale, Palazzo Mora, Venice, 2017, ‘Art from Georgia’ group show, Phoenix Gallery, New York, 2016. In 2019, her project ‘Citrus Trees Covered against the Frost’ won the Heinrich Boell Foundation competition ‘Bauhaus’ and was implemented at the Station Square in Tbilisi and The Why Not Gallery hosted her solo show in 2021 “Sometimes Water Burst Out of Dried Up Fountains”, and second solo exhibition: "Painted Walls Create an Illusion of Reality" in 2022.
Exhibitions:
Items in gift shop:
EDUCATION
M.A FINE ARTS/PAINTING Tbilisi State Academy of Arts OCTOBER 2015 - JULY 2017
B.A FINE ARTS/PAINTING Tbilisi State Academy of Arts OCTOBER 2009 - JULY 2013
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Painted Walls Create an Illusion of Reality - at The Why Not Gallery. - Tbilisi, Georgia
2021
Sometimes Water Bursts out from dried up Fountains, at The Why Not Gallery - Tbilisi, Georgia
Presentation of the comics Book ‘6200’ - The Why Not Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
2019
Citrus Trees Covered Against the Frost - Tbilisi, Georgia (Winner of the Bauhaus Project/Heinrich- Boell Foundation South Caucasus)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2022 - Seven Sentences on Time, - Kachreti, Georgia
2020
ARTISTERIUM 13 - Tbilisi history museum Karvasla and online
The Art & Freedom project - the Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Tbilisi, Georgia
Tbilisi Online Biennale Home Alone - Tbilisi, Georgia
2018
Not a charity auction ‘’Who Does She Think She Is?’'- Tbilisi, Georgia
Group Exhibition-Latvia, Riga
2017
Life&Style International Print Festival; Tbilisi, Batumi, Telavi, Mestia, Georgia,
Personal Structures Parallel project of Venice La Biennale 2017; Painting Object Exhibition in the Palazzo Mora; Venice, Italy.
Artisterium 9 ‘’Kill Buddha’’ in the Artarea Gallery; Tbilisi, Georgia
2016
Phoenix Gallery; Chelsea, New York; NY, USA
2014
Fest-i-Nova 2014 - Center of Contemporary Arts; Video Art Installation; Georgia
SCHOLARSHIPS/ GRANTS/RESIDENCES
2022 One month residency - Kachreti, Georgia
2021 Three month residency - ‘’In the Shadow of the Big Trees ‘’ - Tbilisi, Georgia
2020 Tbilisi Online Biennale Residency - Tbilisi, Georgia
2019 Grant for the solo exhibition Citrus Trees Covered Against the Frost Tbilisi, Georgia - Winner of the Bauhaus Project/Heinrich-Boell Foundation South Caucasus
2018 Travel grant for Riga, Latvia- Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia
2017 Travel grant for Venice Biennale - Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia
2017 Participation grant for the exhibition of Venice Biennale - Adjara Group
2017 Residency grant Venice - The European Cultural Centre; Venice, Italy
2017 Travel grant for Internship - Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia; Tbilisi, Georgia;
2009 Full scholarship grant for 4 years Bachelor’s Degree - Tbilisi State Academy of Arts