Simulation, 2024

George Areshidze (Reshka)  

George Areshidze (Reshka) is a Georgian artist born in 1977 who lives and works in Tbilisi, Georgia. His painting technique goes beyond abstract expressionism, and it would be most appropriate to view his work as an individual, experimental genre. Reshka's art stands far from the classical academic style. The distinctive feature of his painting manner lies in spontaneity. You can go anywhere, cross over, and see everything. For him, touching the canvas is a form of meditation. The artist's painting technique encompasses the synthesis of color and form, shaping ideas and entire worlds on the canvas. Inspired by the idea of complete freedom, for him the process itself is central, because movement creates life. Perhaps this is the artist's philosophy and the driving force behind his work. His first solo exhibition was held in 1998 at the “Tbilisi History Museum," Karvasla. The exhibition, titled “Iron Hat", featured around 50 paintings and graphic works. The continually diverse and innovative style of the works presented by the artist appeared overly ambitious for his age and environment.From 1998 to 2000, he actively participated in various exhibitions. His solo exhibition / performance titled “Flow" was held in 2000 at “N Gallery" (National Gallery). At this exhibition, the artist turned to experimental techniques, combining the languages of color, sound, and body movement. Between 2000 and 2002, he worked on video art projects. The first project, “Assimilation," emphasized social issues and was much more aggressive than the second one, titled “He is Home." The video project featured a photo collage. Both video projects were presented at the 2002 contemporary art festival “Caravanserai" in Thessaloniki, Brussels, and Paris.
In 2004, at another exhibition at “N Gallery" he presented a project titled “Cosmic Dust", which differed radically from his previous performance on an ideological level. While in “Flow" the artist emphasized the idea of movement in space, in “Cosmic Dust" he described the concept of stillness. During this period, texture also began to play an important role in his work. From 2006 to 2009, he was invited to participate in international projects in Moldova and Latvia. He created a whole series of paintings characterized by expressiveness and boldness. His individual style echoes abstract expressionism. He continued experimenting with texture, stylized portraits, and further developed the theory of individual technique.

In 2007, his work was exhibited in Berlin as part of the project “Gesicht der Zeit". In 2009, he had an exhibition in Vienna, where he presented ideologically diverse paintings. In 2012, the project “Parallel World" - “Dual Verse" was held at the Exhibition Hall of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. The exhibition featured about 30 paintings and a two-hour performance accompanied by poetry and music. The performance involved the artist creating a two-meter painting in front of the audience. 

In 2013, his solo exhibition was held at the “Art Avenue" gallery. The exhibition was later sent from Tbilisi to Stockholm. In 2016, at the “G. Gamrekeli" gallery, he presented the exhibition “SUGAR FREE" featuring works created over two years, dedicated to the memory of his father. The exhibition has no single specific concept and is free from the main collective message, which in the end still crystallizes into a single image in the viewer's mind. The metaphorically presented art, as a kind of product, distances itself from any kind of concretization. And only its changeable, sonorous impulsive core unites it. This paintings do not dictate, art has no imperative form. It's main characteristic lies solely in its energetic content, and therefore, each work ultimately reaches subjective perception, requiring only the viewer's associative thinking. In 2017, Reshka traveled to China, where he developed a conceived collection created through live experience and cultural exchange. These works were selected as diplomatic gifts for various official institutions in China, reflecting a dialogue between intuitive creation and symbolic representation. In 2019, Reshka participated in the collective exhibition - Art Tent: Anatomy of Existence, held at Mtatsminda, in Tbilisi. The project explored the human condition through collective artistic voices, focusing on the anatomy of presence, perception, and existential search. In September 2022, the artist took part in the exhibition “Magsmen Tales" at Eristavi Gallery in Antwerp, Belgium. This exhibition emerged from an intense inner energy, inviting viewers to reflect on their own emotional and perceptual responses to color, shape, and the deeper narrative layers of painting. Reshka's works are held in private collections across various countries, reflecting his ongoing exploration of texture, abstraction, and artistic freedom. Currently, Reshka works in his studio “-2", in Tbilisi, where his work is being in constant evolution. New pieces are continuously enriching with new touches — reflecting the passage of time and the artist's ongoing dialogue with transformation.