Home Modernists Shalva Kikodze Biography
Biography

Shalva Kikodze (1894 – 1921) 

Painter, graphic designer, one of the important representatives of the Georgian avant-garde art.

Was born in 1894 in the village of Bakhvi, Georgia.

In 1902-1912 he studies at Tbilisi Noblemen’s Gymnasium.

In 1914 in order to get higher education he was admitted at the faculty of Law at Moscow University as a grantee of the “Society for Dissemination of Reading and Writing among Georgians”.

In 1916-1918 he studies at the department of painting at the Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in Moscow.

He collaborates with the theatrical journal “Рампа и Жизнь'' (Footlights and Life) in Moscow where he publishes graphic and portrait sketches under the pseudonym “Chaliko”. He also collaborates with the Moscow theatre-cabaret “Bat”.

In 1916 he participates in the activities of the first professional social-cultural organization “Society of Georgian Artists” as well as in the artistic-scientific expeditions arranged by Ekvtime Takaishvili and Dimitri Shevardnadze.

After returning to Georgia in 1918 he was elected as the secretary of the “Society of Georgian Artists”.

As early as 1914 during the studies in Moscow he collaborates with Georgian periodic press – with comic magazine “The Lash”, “Devil’s Whip”; with famous theatrical journals: “theatre and Life”, “Theatre and Music”; Russian journal “Art” published in Tbilisi. He publishes very special and full of humor caricatures and cartoons on artists, writers, poets, theatre directors. He is a member of editorial board and writes reviews.

From 1918 he works as a stage designer at the theatrical studio formed by the former Paris Antoine Theatre stage-director Giorgi Jabadari. The stills of the performances have not survived.

In 1919 the “Society of Georgian Artists” sent him to Paris to complete artistic education.

Already in 1921 he exhibits his works in Paris art galleries: La Licorne and Salon des indépendants.

In Paris Shalva Kikodze performed two stage-scenery orders from the stage-director Vaso Kushitashvili - one for the theatre L’Ateliere which was led by Charles Dulen and Vaso Kushitashvili, and the other for the Odeon.

In August 1921 Shalva Kikodze was diseased with tuberculosis and went to Freiburg, Germany from Paris and died there.

His grave is lost.