KAKABADZE David Nestorovich

August 20, 1889 (Kukhi, near Kutaisi) — May 10, 1952 (Tbilisi)

Painter, graphic artist, scene-designer, art theorist

David Kakabadze was born to a peasant family. He spent his childhood in Georgia. Since 1909 he studied at the physical and mathematical faculty of Petersburg University. In 1910–1915 he studied painting and drawing in the studio of L. E. Dmitriev-Kavkazsky, where he met painter P. N. Filonov. In 1914 Kakabadze together with Filonov founded association Intimate studio of painters and graphic artists, and published manifesto Sdelannye Kartiny (the Made Paintings) with main principles of analytic art.

At the same time Kakabadze was interested not only in art, but in studying of the national culture. In 1914 he published his first research essay about medieval chaser Beka Opizari.

In 1919–1927 Kakabadze lived in France. He studied history and culture of Byzantine Empire. In 1923 he became one of the inventors of stereoscopic film: he designed apparatus, which created illusion of relief image. Kakabadze was engaged in polemics with cubists; he considered the only curvilinear and dynamic line could reproduce the modern “spirit of industrialization”. He published several books Constructive Painting (Paris, 1923), Art and Space (Paris, 1925). Kakabadze painted landscapes of Paris and its suburbs, views of Brittany. He created collages with mirrors, lenses and lustrous metal in order to achieve effect of inner light, radiated by the picture.

In 1927 Kakabadze returned to Georgia. He worked as a scene-designer at the 2nd State Drama Theatre in Kutaisi (Hoppla, We’re Alive!, 1928; Kvarkvare Tutaberi, 1929), Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theatre (Ninoshvili’s Guria, Squadron’s Loss, both — 1934; The Stone Guest, Mozart and Salieri, both — 1937; The Invincibles, 1945), and the Theatre named after Sh. Rustaveli (For Those Who Are at Sea!, 1946; Station Master, 1947) in Tbilisi.

Kakabadze was engaged not only in scene design, but also in easel painting and graphic art. He painted landscapes, still lifes, portraits and genre scenes. He drew sketches of the Imeretian peasants’ life. He created a series of gouaches Svaneti (1939). Kakabadze was a member and exhibitor of the Society of Georgian Painters (since 1924).
Kakabadze taught at the class of decorative arts at Tiflis (Tbilisi) Academy of Arts (1928–1942), professor (since 1934).

David Kakabadze is one of the most significant Georgian artists of the Soviet period. His early works of 1910s are characterized by epic motifs of Caucasian nature. In 1920s he was interested in cubism, futurism, and constructivism. In 1930s the artist returned to ethnic romantic themes of his early works; he painted also in socialism realism style. The artist’s works could be characterized by decorative colors, detailed drawing, and harmonious combinations of different color planes.

Works by David Kakabadze are in many museum collections, including the State Art Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi, Kutaisi Fine Art Gallery and others.