Erekle Chinchilakashvili

Erekle Chinchilakashvili was born in Georgia, the former Soviet Republic, during a precarious time between two civil wars. Erekle was a talented illustrator who loved to draw, but his family did not encourage him to pursue his craft because they felt it would not guarantee an income on which he could survive. Erekle heeded the advice, despite his love for creating, and traveled to Germany to attend Jacobs University to study cultural studies. However, his lack of interest in a non-artistic major resulted in a poor performance that made him leave the University after two years.

Erekle moved back to Georgia and finally permitted himself to pursue a creative path. He transferred to the local Academy of Arts to study art history. Even though his studies were theoretical, he began writing and producing experimental films that explored nature, people, textures, and sound. Looking back now, Erekle believes his experimentation with filmmaking was an attempt to paint.

Chasing Shadows by Erekle Chinchilakashvili

When Erekle graduated from the Academy, he began working in theater set design. He shared a studio space where he explored painting on different surfaces and using various styles. "When I started to play with different materials, I started breaking free and letting go, and it felt good," states Erekle. Before long, he developed a clear intention for his work and a unique creative process that embraces change and avoids a particular artistic style. His method of continuous experimentation pushed him to challenge himself and work in a realm of perpetual discovery of color, texture, and form.

Erekle's desire to explore transformation stems from his thoughts and the awareness he's gained from art. He says, "My mind is always moving and transforming. But everything is always changing, like molecules and matter. I am sensitive to the transformation because art has made me more aware of the changes." Erekle believes that immersing himself in art has made him pay more attention to the subtle variations in everything he encounters. He also feels it makes life easier when acknowledging that change is possible because it reduces the anxiety of uncertainty.

Despite Erekle's profound connection to his work, he is always conscious of his audience. He is fascinated by the boundary between the people we call artists and non-artists. He feels the edge is fragile because, "all art comes from life and people experiencing life." Erekle believes artists give themselves a little more time to pay attention to the aspects of life and share what they experience. However, Erekle is careful not to offer too much. He says, "I want to create something that shares how I experience reality, and I hope the audience can continue the experience through the artwork and the feeling it brings." Erekle is so conscientious about his audience's experience that he stopped titling his artwork to refrain from providing too much of a narrative. Instead, Erekle says, "I want the viewer to continue the story themselves."

Today, Erekle's unyielding pursuit of discovery has led him to a doctoral program at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts focused on artistic research. The highly creative study allows postgraduate candidates to research a broad range of artistic mediums and focuses on documenting the entire research process from beginning to end. Unsurprisingly, his research focuses on art's role in self-criticism, reflection, and questioning pre-existing notions. Erekle started the program in September 2020 and will continue until 2024, when he presents his dissertation. The intensive program requires a significant time and financial commitment, so Erekle has decided to discount a few select works at Objets Trouvés to help pay for his studies. Several of his pieces, including Chasing Shadows, are currently offered at 50% off, so it is an incredible opportunity to own his stunning artwork and support him on his tireless quest to push the boundaries of his perceptions.

Please visit the Objets Trouvés website to learn more about Erekle Chinchilakashvili and view his original paintings on sale.