© Gagosh
Pirosmani's Zebra
Today, in the National Gallery, I hung a 'Zebra' right beside Pirosmani’s 'Giraffe.' The Giraffe stands as a metamorphosis of grand creation.
Do you want to know why I did it? Because this is the exact degradation that some Georgian artists are currently enduring. Many artists have either sold out or simply fallen silent, choosing to say nothing about the reality unfolding around them. Perhaps that is why we Georgians love Pirosmani so deeply because he captured the social life around him.
Why did I hang it in the National Gallery next to Pirosmani? Because there is no comparison more striking than when the authentic and the degraded hang side by side; next to the original, the decay becomes undeniable.
Why a Zebra? That shouldn't even be a question anymore.
GagoshNiko Pirosmani (1862-1918) was a self-taught Georgian painter and one of the most important representatives of Georgian naïve art. His simple yet expressive paintings often depict animals, feasts, rural life, and everyday scenes, and have become an essential part of Georgia’s cultural heritage.
The Giraffe is one of Pirosmani’s most famous animal paintings. Created in the early 20th century, it shows a giraffe in his characteristic naïve style. Although Pirosmani had never seen a real giraffe, he created the image from his imagination, turning it into a symbol of his unique artistic vision.
More about Pirosmani
Niko Pirosmani in der Fondation Beyeler | Artinside.ch 02/2025Artists
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