On January 10, 2017, four major halls of the Georgian National Museum Dimitry Shevardnadze National Gallery hosted the exhibition showcasing 96 artworks of a talented artist, Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov. It was the first exhibition of the prominent painter’s artworks in Tbilisi. The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery in Tbilisi; a talented painter, Irena Ohanjanova, President of the Union of Armenian Painters of Georgia, planned and coordinated the event, which was dedicated to the 125th birthday anniversary and to the 50th years since the artist passed away.

The halls were crowded with visitors. Tbilisi art critics came to see the unique canvases of a prominent representative of XX century's Georgian art, who was ethnic Armenian. The paintings perfectly depicted the biography of a native of Tbilisi. Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov gradually enriched color and light palette, and reached approaching to golden iridescent range of colors. His portraits of women stand out with distinctive artistry and taste.

Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov formed a basis for the development of the new and modern Georgian painting.

The exhibition showcased artworks preserved in Georgia in the Georgian National Museum (Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts and Dimitri Shevardnadze National Gallery); Giorgi Leonidze State Museum of Literature; Georgian State Museum of Theatre, Music, Cinema and Choreography and private collections.

Admirers and connoisseurs of Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov’s work had a chance to feel the magiс of his paintings, delve into his rare artistic style, which stands out with unequalled artistic skill, unusual perception of art styles and a deep understanding of periods of history.

The event was attended by the clergy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia, representatives of intelligentsia, artists and art lovers of different nationalities. In his opening remarks David Lortkipanidze, General Director of the Georgian National Museum, emphasized the importance of development of Armenian-Georgian culture, its interdependence and harmonization. The General Director highly estimated Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov’s oeuvre, mentioning his contemporaries and colleagues - Georgian artists Lado Gudiashvili, Avtandil Varazi, Mose Toidze, Ilia and Kiril Zdanevich, who brought Georgian culture into the wider international arena.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan delivered a message of blessing and highlighted unique colors and skill to depict emotions, assimilation and harmonious blend of cultures of the two Christian nations, being presented as one universal art. The clear evidence of this was the exhibition.

The project planner, coordinator and observer, President of the Union of Armenian Painters of Georgia, Irena Ohanjanova expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia, Georgian National Museum and Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia, for the assistance that had been provided for the project implementation. The project manager extended her words of gratitude to the project observer Zhanna Sarukhanyan and art critic David Andriadze for assistance they had provided.

The exhibition of the artworks of the Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR, Alexander Bazhbeuk-Melikov, in Tbilisi will last until February 24, 2017.