Mamuka Japharidze


Mamuka Japharidze is a notable artist from the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. He is especially known for representing Georgia in the 48th Venice Biennale. He currently lives in Tbilisi and produces his art there.

Early life

Mamuka Japharidze was born in 1962 and raised in Tbilisi with his sister. His career was encouraged by his father, Jemali Japaridze, also an artist. He often collaborates with his artist and writer partner, Anthea Nicholson. He spends much of his time in England.

Collaborations/works

In 2003, he said:

"Since 1987 I have been working in an international arena; working with language; using language frame as the basic construction and conceptual base of a work. Often using bi-lingual sound-play to find new trans-cultural subjective meanings. The poetic language sound-play can be manifested as sound vibration, concrete text and also the actual object/event itself.
I am investigating the way that objects exist in a separate time/world beyond human´s utilitarian interpretation of time/object. The state of potential before objects/things are manifested is for me a real metaphysical state of existence. The idea of the object exists in ancient mythological dialogue and drama, which for me is still present. When the utilitarian conception of an object is cleared away, the deep metaphysical meaning is revealed.
One basic principle is an investigation of the threshold between an art event and ´non art´. And how the four-dimensional aspects of the work in the actual moment of the event, are for me the deep points of realisation.
My target is the actual moment of an event and not towards building a product.
The medium is changeable and includes: media production, e.g. posters, cards ; happenings/public events; collecting and archiving images over long periods of time; video projection; photography; printmaking; texts; drawing; sound works."