The biography of Zurab Tsereteli is monumental, as is his work. The list of works of this outstanding artist includes hundreds of sculptures, monuments, panels, mosaics, and canvases all over the world; over 40 personal exhibitions of the monumentalist took place. The list of honorary titles, awards, bonuses and other merits of the master is long. Today Zurab Tsereteli lives in Moscow and heads Russian Academy Arts and Moscow Museum contemporary art, continues to work fruitfully.

Childhood and youth

The most famous muralist of our time was born on January 4, 1934 in Tbilisi. The formation of young Zurab on the path of creativity was determined by the atmosphere in which the boy spent his childhood. The parents did not belong to the world of art: mother Tamara Nizharadze devoted her life to home and children, father Konstantin Tsereteli worked as a mining engineer and taught at a technical university.

But his mother’s brother, Georgiy Nizharadze, was a painter. While visiting his house, little Zurab not only learned to draw, but was also imbued with the aura of conversations about art, because leading people of that time came to visit his uncle. At the age of 8, Zurab entered the Tbilisi state academy in arts, which he graduated with excellent marks in 1958.

Creation

It seemed that time itself dictated the artist’s development in the style of the monumental genre. The era of the 60s, industrialization, the development of virgin lands, the solution of global problems, mass construction and resettlement - all this was reflected in Tsereteli’s desire to introduce novelty into what he was doing. And the first position - artist-architect - gave me such an opportunity.

Among the works completed at this time were artistic decorations for resort complexes in Georgia (Gagra, Sukhumi, Borjomi, Pitsunda). Mosaic painting becomes a feature of the master’s work. A striking example of this was the bus stops in Abkhazia, created during the early creativity in the early 60s and representing amazing art objects in the form of fantastic sea creatures.

Along with artistic and decorative work, Tsereteli participates in exhibitions. The first success was brought by the painting “Guardian of the World” at the exhibition of the same name in Moscow. In 1967, the personal exhibition masters At the same time he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR.

At the same time, Tsereteli is actively expanding the geography of its activities. One by one, orders were received for the design of a wide variety of buildings and structures: the House of Cinema in Moscow (1967-1968), the Palace of Trade Unions in Tbilisi, the Seabed swimming pool in Ulyanovsk (1969), the resort complex in Adler (1973), the hotel " Yalta-Intourist" in Crimea (1978) and much more.

During the 70-80s, the master worked a lot and fruitfully. Since 1970, being the chief artist of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has been engaged in decoration embassies of the Soviet Union abroad, travels a lot, meets famous foreign artists. There is also a lot of work at home, especially after being appointed chief artist of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. All this brings the master an honorary title People's Artist USSR in 1980.

The artist began working on monumental sculptures back in the late 70s. The bright conclusion of the work was the sculptural composition “Happiness for the Children of the World.” In 1983, the “Friendship Forever” monument was opened in Moscow, marking the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of St. George between Russia and Georgia.

In the same year, in honor of this date, in his native Georgia, the artist built and opened the Arch of Friendship - a mosaic panel that to this day delights tourists on the Cross Pass near the Georgian Military Road.

The master dedicated a number of sculptures to prominent figures of history and modernity. Among the striking creations of this trend: a monument to the poetess in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (France) and Moscow, a monument in Apatity, a monument to John Paul II (France), in Moscow.

In 2017, the Alley of Rulers opened in the Russian capital - a gallery of bronze busts by Zurab Tsereteli depicting leaders Russian state from the era of Rurik to the revolution of 1917.

But the monument involved Tsereteli’s name in a scandal. The capital's public reacted extremely negatively to both the sculpture and the idea of ​​its construction, calling the former, as Izvestia wrote, “disfiguring the city.” The king is depicted at full height, standing on the deck of a giant sailboat.

The question of demolishing the monument was even raised, but today passions have subsided, and the monument continues to stand on an artificial island on the Moscow River, remaining one of the largest in the capital (height - 98 m, weight - over 2000 tons).

Tsereteli is no stranger to being criticized: the master’s works are sometimes accused of gigantomania and bad taste, as was the case, for example, with the “Adam’s Apple”, located in the Art Gallery he opened, or with the “Tree of Fairy Tales” in the Moscow Zoo. The author himself takes this calmly.

Personal life

While still studying at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, Zurab Tsereteli met his future wife Inessa Andronikashvili, who came from a princely family. The couple have been married for more than 45 years. In 1998, after the death of Inessa Alexandrovna, the artist organized his first personal exhibition in Moscow, named after his wife.

The daughter of Zurab Konstantinovich and Inessa Alexandrovna, Elena, and her children Vasily, Victoria and Zurab live in Moscow. Today there are already four great-grandchildren in the Tsereteli family: Alexander, Nikolai, Philip, Maria Isabella.

Charity

Zurab Tsereteli's life is closely connected with charity. Some of the works were created by the master free of charge, as a gift to one or another city, institution, or foundation.

The artist participates in charity exhibitions and auctions, donating funds from sold works to the fight against childhood diseases.

By the way, in 2007, The Georgian Times included Zurab Tsereteli among the ten richest persons of Georgian nationality in the world, indicating the artist’s fortune at $2 billion.

Zurab Tsereteli today

In 2018, Zurab Konstantinovich turned 84 years old. But the rhythm creative life doesn't subside. The master creates, organizes exhibitions, gives master classes for children, gladly participates in interviews and poses for photos, but most importantly, he is full of new ideas and projects. In 2016, the Tsereteli house-museum opened in the village of Peredelkino near Moscow.

In 2014, the muralist became a full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, receiving the IV degree award. The sculptor calls the main secret of health and longevity permanent job“without any vacations or vacation breaks.”

Works

• 1997 - Monument to Peter the Great (Moscow, Russia)
• 1995 - Memorial “Tear of Sorrow” (New Jersey, USA)
• 1983 - Monument “Friendship Forever” (Moscow, Russia)
• 1990 - Monument “Good conquers evil” (New York, USA)
• 2006 - Monument to St. George the Victorious (Tbilisi, Georgia)
• 1995 - Victory Monument on Poklonnaya Hill (Moscow, Russia)
• 1995 - Monument “The Birth of a New Man” (Seville, Spain)
• 1995 - Monument “Tragedy of Nations” (Moscow, Russia)
• 2016 - Monument to Shota Rustaveli (St. Petersburg, Russia)
• 2013 - Sculptural composition dedicated to women (Moscow, Russia)

Childhood and family

Tsereteli Sr. took part in the Great Patriotic War. For excellent service he was awarded orders, medals and commendations. But due to injury, he was transferred to the reserve with the rank of colonel. After the war, Konstantin Ivanovich Tsereteli took part in the restoration of destroyed objects. At the same time, he taught at the Polytechnic Institute in Tbilisi.

Zurab's mother, Nizharadze Tamara Semyonovna, came from a princely family. She devoted her entire life to raising her children, as is customary in the Caucasus. Zurab grew up in an environment artistic creativity. His uncle, his mother’s brother, Georgiy Nizharadze, a famous painter, constantly took his nephew to his house. Here George introduced the boy Zurab to cultural figures, Georgian artists: David Kakabadze, Sergo Kobuladze, Ucha Japaridze, Apollo Kutateladze, Chiko Kazbegi, Dursun Imnashvili. Communication with such a contingent of people did not pass without a trace for Zurab Tsereteli.

During lessons at school, young Zurab drew a lot. In many of his works, even then, a feeling of belonging to history, to the life of the country arose. Often during the summer holidays, Tsereteli went to Western Georgia to visit his grandmother; she lived in the village of Gubi. Here the future artist saw folk culture, the beauty of everyday objects, the diversity of nature. Only in Gubi did Zurab feel free without the bustle of the city. He was amazed by the variety of colors that were impossible to see in Tbilisi. All this formed the foundation of creativity for the artist.

Academy of Arts

IN free time Zurab Tsereteli visited museums where he studied the exhibits on display. He traveled a lot, learned new things, rode horses a lot, walked a lot. Tsereteli, in order to get to know nature better, listened to the murmur of mountain rivers and remembered the smell of the earth. Thus, Tsereteli went around the places that attracted artists: Kakheti, Imereti, Tusheti, Svaneti, Racha, Khevsureti, Abkhazia, Adjara, Guria.

All this played an important role in the development of Zurab Konstantinovich as an artist. In 1958, the artist graduated from the Academy of Arts. His diploma work was "Song of Tbilisi". But she was not allowed to defend herself due to “elements of conditionality.” Tsereteli had to change the topic of his thesis, and in a couple of weeks he wrote new picture"Portrait of an Athlete." The work was highly appreciated.

Works of Zurab Tsereteli

In the 60s, Zurab Tsereteli quickly took a position in Soviet art. Once the architect Shota Kalandarishvili gave Zurab the task of painting a children's cinema in Tbilisi. The artist felt a child’s fantasy, where there are fairy tales and fiction, but the painting was not done in real life.

Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery

Zurab was interested in the architects who were working on the creation of a large resort complex in Pitsunda. It was Tsereteli who was invited as the main artist of this unique object. In this work he appeared as a muralist. All Zurab Tsereteli in Pitsunda became a new step in the development of monumental art in Russia.

This was followed by large mosaic works by the artist Tsereteli in many regions of Georgia. The famous work was the mosaic panel “Man, Labor - the Meaning and Beauty of Life,” located on the facade of the Palace of Culture of Trade Unions. Then the decorative design of the restaurant in Tbilisi “Aragvi” appeared. This work was awarded the State Prize. Zurab Tsereteli took part in the design of the Borjomi resort. In the 70s, the sculptor participated in the creation of Victory Park in Tbilisi; his work “Banners” is hung in the park on a tiled wall. Zurab Konstantinovich also worked in Adler on a monumental complex. The artist used a new technique of working with metal. He developed techniques that allowed him to create large reliefs. Tsereteli drew a relief on sheet copper, then hammered it out, and then cut out all the figures and pushed them forward. The relief was large and clearly visible from a great distance.

Zurab Tsereteli and his work

By new technology works were made: a monument in Abashi, the composition “Colchis”, “Man and the Sun”, “Ties of Friendship”. Zurab Tsereteli took part in the creation of the Izmailovo hotel complex in Moscow. The sculptor is widely known abroad. He was personally acquainted with Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, David Siqueiros, and met with Robert Rauschenberg, Kenzo Tange and many other famous artists and architects of the 20th century. Politicians and cultural figures who came from various countries of the world visited his workshops and continue to visit them. Tsereteli worked in different countries peace. He designed the interior of the USSR Mission to the UN in New York. A huge panel “Moscow the capital, my Moscow” made of stainless steel decorates the embassy hall in Tokyo. In the USA, the success of Tsereteli's works was enormous. The creator worked as a teacher at the Faculty of Arts. For Tsereteli's teaching work, Tsereteli created monumental works in Moscow.

He took part in the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. According to representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, Zurab Tsereteli brilliantly completed all the tasks assigned to him, and appearance The elements of the artistic decoration of the temple he recreated correspond to the old ones.

Awards

Personal life of Zurab Tsereteli

By Decree of the President of the USSR dated November 11, 1990

Awards

Honorary titles

Public awards

The works of Zurab Tsereteli

Muralist

Riviera Park in Sochi (1970)

Sculptor

Natural Museum, Novosibirsk

January 2013 - Tver City Museum and Exhibition Center, Tver

February 2013 - Museum of Local Lore, Yekaterinburg

April 2013 - Omsk Museum fine arts them. Vrubel, Omsk

February 2014 - Moscow Museum of Modern Art, Moscow

September 2014 - National Art Gallery, Yoshkar-Ola

September 2014 - Nadya Brykina Gallery, Zurich

September 2014 - Astrakhan Art Gallery named after. P. M. Dogadina, Astrakhan

October 2014 - MBUK "Exhibition Center", Vladimir

December 2014 - Tver city museum and exhibition center, Tver

May 2015 - North Caucasus branch of the State Museum of Oriental Art, Maykop

June 2015 - Tophane-i Amir Culture and Arts Center, Istanbul

October 2015 - State Museum of Art of the Republic of Kazakhstan named after. A. Kasteeva, Almaty

October 2015 - Moscow Days in Riga, Riga

February 2016 - Voronezh regional Art Museum them. I. N. Kramskoy, Voronezh

June 2016 - Art gallery of Cherkessk, Cherkessk

July 2016 - Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, Pskov

August 2016 - Museum and Exhibition Complex " New Jerusalem", Istra

September 2016 - Museum of Contemporary Art “House of Muses”, Yaroslavl

December 2016 - Gran Guardia Palace, Verona

April 2017 - Lipetsk Regional Art Museum, Lipetsk

June 2017 - State Museum-Reserve Tauride Chersonese, Sevastopol

September 2017 - Novy Urengoy City Museum of Fine Arts, Novy Urengoy

November 2017 - Russian center Science and Culture in Paris, Paris

March 2018 - Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Center (BIECC), Bahrain

March 2018 - “Klyuev’s House”, Moscow Zoo, Moscow

July 2018 - Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery, Moscow

July 2018 - Landscape Museum, Plyos

August 2018 - Museum-estate of A. M. Gerasimov, A. M. Gerasimov and Z. K. Tsereteli. Exhibition of works by two presidents of the Academy of Arts, Michurinsk

November 2018 - Patriot Park, Kubinka

January 2019 - ESTE ARTE, Punta del Este

January 2019 - Saatchi Gallery, London

February 2019 - Academy Gallery, Krasnoyarsk

March 2019 - Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Center (BIECC), Bahrain

April 2019 - International exhibition of contemporary art “Art Paris”, Paris

April 2019 - Tomsk Regional Art Museum, Tomsk

April 2019 - Municipal cultural institution "Podolsk Exhibition Hall", Podolsk

May 2019 - Tbilisi Museum of Contemporary Art, Tbilisi

May 2019 - Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku

June 2019 - Liechtenstein State Museum, Liechtenstein

June 2019 - Art gallery "Dias", Irkutsk

July 2019 - Primorsky branch of the Union of Artists of Russia, Vladivostok

July 2019 - Vyatka Art Museum named after V. M. and A. M. Vasnetsov, Kirov

September 2019 - International Сontemporary Art Exposition, Istanbul

September 2019 - Museum and Creative Center “Korbakov House”, Vologda

October 2019 - D10 Art Space, Geneva

November 2019 - Museum of Contemporary Art “House of Muses”

Family of Zurab Tsereteli

Wife - Inessa Alexandrovna Andronikashvili (born 1937), princess.
Daughter - Elena (Lika) (born 1959), art critic.

Grandchildren: Vasily (born 1978), Zurab (born 1987), Victoria (born 2000).

Great-grandchildren: Alexander (born 2003), Nikolai (born 2005), Philip (born 2008), Maria Isabella (born 2009).

03.01.2020

Zurab Tsereteli
Tsereteli Zurab Konstantinovich

Russian Artist

Sculptor

Hero of Socialist Labor

Russian muralist. Sculptor. Painter. Teacher. Professor. UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. President of the Russian Academy of Arts. Hero of Socialist Labor. People's Artist Russian Federation. Laureate of State Prizes.

Zurab Tsereteli was born on January 4, 1934 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The boy grew up in the family of a civil engineer. Creative influence The child was influenced by his uncle, the artist Giorgi Nizharadze, in whose house he spent a lot of time. Also, many famous Georgian artists often visited there, who became his first teachers in painting.

After graduating from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts in 1958, Tsereteli began his creative career. First he worked as an artist at the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, which played a significant role in his development as an artist and monumentalist. Even then, Zurab began to participate in various exhibitions, and in 1964 he completed a training course in France, where he had the opportunity to communicate with Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall.

Since the late 1960s, Tsereteli great attention devoted work in the field of monumental and mosaic art, which for many years became the master’s favorite techniques and brought him fame both in Russia and abroad. Among the first works that brought fame to the master: the design of a resort complex in Pitsunda in 1967, mosaic and stained glass compositions in Tbilisi in 1972, an ensemble of a children's resort town in Adler in 1973. Also in 1970-1980 he worked as the chief artist of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, performed chief artist of the 1980 Olympics and participated in the creation of the Izmailovo hotel complex.

In subsequent years, Zurab Konstantinovich worked more in metal and sculpture, actively using large metal high reliefs. Its geography monumental works This technique covers the territory of several countries around the world. In addition to Russia, his sculptural works are in the UK, Spain, USA, France, Japan, Brazil, Georgia and Lithuania. Among them are the most significant monuments: “Happiness to the Children of the World”, “Science, Education for the World” and “Tear of Sorrow” in the USA, “Breaking the Wall of Mistrust” in London, “Man and the Sun” and “History of Georgia” in Tbilisi, “Birth New Man" in Seville, "Friendship Forever" in Moscow, a monument to the memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Beslan. At the same time, he continued to create stained glass windows.

By Decree of the President of the USSR dated November 11, 1990 For his great personal contribution to the development of Soviet fine art and fruitful social activities, the Chairman of the Union of Designers of Georgia, Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli, was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal.

Back in the early 1990s, Tsereteli moved to Moscow, where, having received the support of Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, he actually became the main monumentalist of the capital. Zurab Konstantinovich participated in the construction of the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Gora and in a number of other projects: the Okhotny Ryad shopping and recreation complex, the sculptural decoration of Manezhnaya Square, the monument “In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the Russian Navy,” the design of several new metro stations. In addition, Tsereteli created a number of monuments to figures of the past and lifetime sculptural portraits contemporaries, which are installed in cities of Russia and the world.

It is worth noting his painting and graphic art. In total, more than 5,000 paintings are known, which are on display in many museums, galleries and private collections and overflow the artist’s workshops.

In addition to creativity, Tsereteli is actively involved in social activities. Since 1997, he has been president of the Russian Academy of Arts, where, first of all, he works to develop academic art education. The biggest undertaking of the President and the entire Russian Academy of Arts was participation in the restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

Since 1999, Tsereteli has also been the director of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, which he created, and in 2001, the Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery opened. Also, he was president of the Moscow International Assistance Fund and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, academician International Academy creativity, Russian Academy of Arts, Georgian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and the French Academy of Fine Arts, honorary professor of many academies and universities, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation.

Zurab Tsereteli's life is closely connected with charity. Some of the works were created by the master free of charge, as a gift to one or another city, institution, or foundation. The artist participates in charity exhibitions and auctions, donating funds from sold works to the fight against childhood diseases.

The house-museum of Zurab Tsereteli in Peredelkino opened in 2016. The museum is an open-air sculpture garden and the author's creative workshop.

Russian Institute theatrical arts On July 17, 2019, he received the sculptural composition “Monument to Future Stars” as a gift from the monumental artist, President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli. The monument was erected near the historical mansion of GITIS in courtyard Institute in Maly Kislovsky Lane.

Awards and Recognition of Zurab Tsereteli

State awards of the Russian Federation and the USSR

Hero of Socialist Labor with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Hammer and Sickle gold medal (November 11, 1990) - for his great personal contribution to the development of Soviet fine arts and fruitful social activities

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st class (July 26, 2010) - for outstanding contribution to the development of fine arts and many years of creative activity

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd class (January 4, 2006) - for outstanding contribution to the development of fine arts

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (April 29, 1996) - for great personal contribution to the creation and successful completion of the complex of works of the Victory Monument on Poklonnaya Hill

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (February 20, 2014) - for great contribution to the development of fine arts, many years of creative and social activity

Order of Friendship of Peoples (November 14, 1980) - for great job on preparation and holding of the Games of the XXII Olympiad

Breastplate of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation “For contribution to Russian culture” (2018)

Encouragements from the President of the Russian Federation

Certificate of Honor from the President of the Russian Federation (December 1, 2008) - for great services in the development of fine arts, many years of creative and social activity

Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (November 18, 1997) - for Active participation in preparing and holding the celebration of the 850th anniversary of the founding of Moscow

Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (August 14, 1995) - for active participation in the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945

Awards from constituent entities of the Russian Federation

Insignia “For Services to Moscow” (Moscow, December 30, 2003) - for great personal contribution to the development of fine arts, many years of fruitful activity in the interests of the city and Muscovites

Order named after Akhmat Kadyrov (Chechnya, 2005) - for personal contribution to perpetuating the memory of the first president of the Chechen Republic, Hero of Russia Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov, activities promoting the strengthening of peace, friendship and cooperation between peoples

Medal For the Glory of Ossetia (North Ossetia, 2010) - for the monument to the victims of the 2004 terrorist attack in Beslan

Order "Key of Friendship" (Kemerovo region, 2012)

Medal of the Tula City Duma “For merits in the field of culture and art” (2019)

Orders and medals of foreign countries

Knight of the Legion of Honor (France, 2010)

Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters (France, 2005)

Order of Friendship (Azerbaijan, May 20, 2019) - for fruitful activities in strengthening cultural relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Azerbaijan

Medal "Astana" (Kazakhstan, December 11, 1998) - for great contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between peoples

Order of Gabriela Mistral (Chile, 2002) - for special merits in the field of education and culture

Order of Bernardo O'Higgins (Chile, 2007)

Vermeil Medal - the highest award of the city of Paris (1998)

Large bronze medal of the city of Paris - for outstanding contribution to culture, art and the rapprochement of the peoples of Russia and Georgia with France (1998)

Cross of Honor of the Charitable Interregional Association of Veterans of the French Resistance “Volunteer Combatant” (2000)

UNESCO Picasso Gold Medal (2007)

Gold Medal of Honor (National Society of the Arts) - for outstanding contributions to the arts (2010)

Honorary badge “Golden Age” - for exceptional contribution to Bulgarian culture and the development of cultural cooperation, (Bulgaria, November 18, 2012)

Awards

USSR State Prize (1970) - for mosaic compositions of the Lenin Memorial in Ulyanovsk (1969) and in the Palace of Trade Unions in Tbilisi (1969-1970)

Lenin Prize 1976 in the field of literature, art and architecture (April 20, 1976) - for the spatial and decorative design of the children's area of ​​the resort town in Adler (award for works of literature and art for children)

USSR State Prize (1982) - for participation in the creation of the Izmailovo hotel complex in Moscow (1980)

State Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art (June 21, 1996) - for the memorial complex “Monument to Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow

Contemporary Art Prize 2000 " International recognition" - "Golden Arm" (France) (2000)

State Prize of Georgia (2004)

National Award “Russian of the Year” - for the formation and establishment in the world of the image of a single Russian nation with common historical and cultural roots and rich spiritual traditions (2005)

Public award of the newspaper "Izvestia" - "Izvestia" (2009)

Public Prize "Golden Bridge" - for making the most significant contribution to the strengthening and development of relations between the Italian Republic and the Russian Federation (2009)

Nominated for the Rome Academy of Fine Arts Award "For a Lifetime in Art - 2012"

Peoples' Friendship Award "White Cranes of Russia", 2015

Honorary titles

Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR (1967)

People's Artist of the Georgian SSR (1978)

People's Artist of the USSR (March 28, 1980) - for great services in the development of Soviet fine art

Professor at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts (1982)

Full member of the USSR Academy of Arts (1988)

People's Artist of the Russian Federation (January 4, 1994) - for great services in the field of fine arts

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador (1996)

Full member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences (1996)

Corresponding Academician of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando (Madrid) (1998)

Full member of the Academy of Arts of the Kyrgyz Republic (1998)

Corresponding member of the Academy of Fine Arts (Academy of Immortals) of France (Paris) (2002)

Honorary Professor of Moscow state university (2004)

Full member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (Austria) (2009)

People's Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania (2019)

Awards from international organizations

Anniversary medal “IPA CIS. 25 years" (CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, November 29, 2018) - for services to the development and strengthening of parliamentarism, for contribution to development and improvement legal framework functioning of the Commonwealth Independent States, strengthening international relations and interparliamentary cooperation

Badge of Honor “For Merit in the Development of Culture and Art” (CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, May 19, 2016) - for significant contribution to the formation and development of the common cultural space of the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, to the implementation of ideas of cooperation in the field of culture and art

Public awards

Order "Glory to Russia" (2003)

Medal "For Labor and Fatherland" (2003)

“Russian National Olympus” - the title “Super Star” - with the presentation of the Order “For Honor and Valor”, the “Radiant Star” award and a diploma (2003)

Order "Patron" charitable foundation“Patrons of the Century” (2003)

Order of St. Anna, 1st degree - for fruitful professional and charitable activities both in Russia and abroad (Russian Imperial House, March 4, 2013)

Samara Cross (Public Council of Bulgaria, 2013)

Cross of Honor for Culture and Art (Austrian Albert Schweitzer Society, 2014)

Order of Friendship of Peoples "White Cranes of Russia", 2015

Honorary Civil Order - Silver Star “70 Years of the Great Victory” (2015)

Breastplate of the National Association of Surveyors and Designers, 2016 “For outstanding contribution to domestic and world culture”

Order "Honor and Glory of Great Russia" (Foundation "Strength of the Fatherland", 2016)

The works of Zurab Tsereteli

Muralist

Sculptural compositions “Legends of Crimea” above the entrance to the Yalta-Intourist Hotel (1977)

Resort complex in Pitsunda (1967)

Riviera Park in Sochi (1970)

Palace of Trade Unions in Tbilisi (1970)

Hotel “Venets” (mosaic pool “Sea Bottom”) (1970, Ulyanovsk)

Lenin Memorial in Ulyanovsk (1970; USSR State Prize 1970)

Resort town of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions in Adler (Sochi) (1973; Lenin Prize 1976)

Hotel complex "Yalta-Intourist" in Yalta (1978)

Permanent Mission of the USSR to the UN (1980, New York)

Hotel "Sport" (1980, Moscow)

Trade mission of Hungary to the USSR (1982, Moscow)

Hotel complex "Izmailovo" in Moscow (1980; USSR State Prize 1982)

Building of the MNTK "Eye Microsurgery" (1983, Moscow)

New stage of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow (2002)

Moscow metro stations Trubnaya and Park Pobedy

Sculptor

The monument “Friendship Forever” in honor of the bicentenary (1783-1983) of Georgia’s annexation to Russia, immediately after its installation received an ironic nickname among Muscovites - “Shashlyk” (Tishinskaya Square in Moscow, the author of the architectural part is famous poet Andrey Voznesensky)

Monument “Good conquers Evil” in front of the UN building in New York;

"Breaking the Wall of Mistrust" Monument (London, UK);

Six-meter Monument to Peter the Great in St. Petersburg

Bronze sculpture “Birth of the New Man” (Paris, France);

Sculptural composition “Birth of the New Man” (Seville, Spain)

"Birth of the New World", Columbus Monument in Puerto Rico, 2016

Monument to John Paul II. France.

Sculptural design of the memorial complex on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow (1995; State Prize of the Russian Federation 1996)

The “Tear of Sorrow” monument (2006, New York) is a gift to the American people in memory of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Monument to Marina Tsvetaeva (2012, Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, France)

Monument to Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya (2013, Ruza)

Monument to Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill, based on the Yalta Conference (2015, Yalta)

Sculptural composition “Warrior Skier” in Patriot Park (2017)

Alley of Russian Rulers (2017, Moscow)

Monument to Pushkin (2017, Apatity)

Sculpture of A. S. Griboedov in the cultural and historical complex “Cyrillic Courtyard” (Pliska).

Monument to Peter I ( official name- The monument “In commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet”) was erected in 1997 by order of the Moscow Government on an artificial island built at the fork of the Moscow River and the Vodootvodny Canal. It marked the 300th anniversary of the Russian fleet. The total height of the monument is 98 meters, which makes it one of the tallest monuments in Russia and in the world

2009 - “One Hundred Works from Paris.” State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

September 2010 - Art Gallery, Tarusa, Kaluga region

July 2010 - Chuvash State Art Museum, Cheboksary

January 2011 - exhibition “This Wonderful World” as part of the Year of the Russian Language and Russian culture in Italy, Central Exhibition Hall,

March 2011 - Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum, Zvenigorod

March 2011 - Personal exposition as part of the exhibition “Russian Academy of Arts. People, events, facts of history", San Salvatore in Lauro, Rome, Italy

April 2011 - Tsereteli’s personal exhibition as part of the Russia-Italy Year 2011, Ancona, Italy

May 2011 - Konstantinovsky Palace, Strelna, St. Petersburg

May 2011 - personal exhibition Chelyabinsk City Museum of Art, Chelyabinsk

September 2011 - Sverdlovsk regional local history museum, Ekaterinburg

December 2011 - Tula Museum of Fine Arts, Tula

March 2012 - Museum of Contemporary Art, Tbilisi, Georgia

March 2012 - Novosibirsk State Artist

Natural Museum, Novosibirsk

September 2012 - Kemerovo Regional Museum of Fine Arts, Kemerovo

September 2012 - Ulyanovsk Museum-Memorial of V.I. Lenin, Ulyanovsk

July 2012 - Tomsk Regional Art Museum, Tomsk

December 2012 - State Museum Association " Art culture Russian North", Arkhangelsk

Zurab Tsereteli is one of the most famous Soviet artists, and now the president of the Russian Academy of Arts. The talented and creative Zurab Tsereteli was able to express himself in almost all spheres of modern art - the author owns paintings, frescoes, mosaics, bas-reliefs, sculptures, monuments and other works.

However, with special inspiration, the master creates monuments of monumental art, investing in them his talent, experiences and soul. Despite the successful career and enormous popularity of the monumental sculptor, his works still cause mixed reactions not only among ordinary people, but also among art critics, art critics and colleagues in the creative workshop. What is the genius and ambiguity of the person of Zurab Tsereteli, we will understand in this article.

Biography of Zurab Tsereteli

Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli was born on January 4, 1934 in the capital of Georgia. Both the father and mother of the future sculptor belonged to well-known princely families in Georgia, so the Tsereteli family belonged to the Georgian elite. Zurab Tsereteli's father Konstantin Georgievich was a successful construction engineer.

The mother of the future artist, Tamara Semyonovna Nizharadze, devoted herself to family and children. To choose from professional and creative path The future master’s key influence was Georgiy Nizharadze, Tamara Semyonovna’s brother and a famous Georgian painter.

In the house of George Nizharadze, where Zurab spent a lot of time, the Georgian creative elite D. Kakabadze, S. Kobuladze, U. Japaridze and others gathered. It was they who involved the young man in the world of painting and art, taught him the basics of drawing and creating sculptures, and inspired him to be creative development.

The brilliant sculptor graduated from the Academy of Arts in Tbilisi, but his career path began with work at the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of Georgia. In 1964, Zurab Tsereteli underwent advanced training in France, where he became acquainted with the work of outstanding painters of the era P. Picasso and M. Chagall.

At the end of the 60s, the sculptor decided to develop in the field of monumental and sculptural art, after which hundreds of well-known monuments, sculptures, steles, monuments, statues, busts were created, installed all over the world.

For his professional and personal merits, the sculptor was awarded a number of awards and titles: Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR, laureate of the Lenin Prize, State Prizes of the USSR, State Prize of Russia, Knight of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honor.

From 1997 to the present day, Zurab Tsereteli has headed the Russian Academy of Arts. In 2003, Zurab Tsereteli received Russian citizenship for his professional achievements and services to Russia.

The brilliant sculptor was successful and family life. Zurab Tsereteli is married to Inessa Alexandrovna Andronikashvili and has a daughter, Elena, who gave him three grandchildren. And in the early 2000s, the Tsereteli couple added four great-grandchildren.

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The most famous works Zurab Tsereteli

The author's creative heritage consists of more than 5,000 works, each of which is original, distinctive and unique. The hands of the great artist belong to dozens of landscapes, portraits, mosaics, panels, bas-reliefs, busts and hundreds of sculptural sculptures. All the works of the Georgian sculptor are dedicated to the most famous world history persons (Sh. Rustaveli, George the Victorious, M. Tsvetaeva, B. Pasternak, etc.) and the picturesque nature of Russia and Georgia.

Sculptures and monuments to the maestro were installed not only in his native Russia and Georgia, but also in France, Brazil, Spain, Lithuania, Great Britain and other countries. It was the sculptural sculptures that became iconic in Tsereteli’s work and the most famous works. Thus, the most successful works of Zurab Tsereteli are recognized as:

• The paired monument “Friendship of Peoples” is one of the sculptor’s earliest works. The monument was erected in Moscow in 1983 as a symbol of the 200th anniversary of the reunification of Russia and Georgia;
• Victory Stele - erected in 1995 on Poklonnaya Hill in honor of the victory over Nazi Germany. The height of the monument is 141.8 m and has symbolic meaning– each day of war corresponds to 1 decimeter;
• The sculptural composition “The Birth of a New Man” was installed in 1995 in Seville. This sculpture is considered one of the most famous works of Zurab Tsereteli throughout the world. A miniature copy of the monument was also installed in France;
• The monument “Monument to Peter I” was erected in 1997 on an artificially created island between the drainage canal and the Moscow River. The monument was commissioned by the Russian Government and dedicated to the memory of the great Tsar Peter I. The height of the monument is about 100 meters;
• The “Tear of Sorrow” monument was created by the sculptor as a sign of sympathy and memory of the victims of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. The monument was erected in the United States, and President B. Clinton was present at its opening.
• The “History of Georgia” monument was erected near the Tbilisi Sea. Work on the sculpture is not yet finished. Today, the monument consists of three rows of columns on which there are bas-reliefs and three-dimensional images of the most famous and iconic people of Georgia;
• The sculpture “Good conquers evil” was installed in the USA in front of the main UN building in 1990. The sculpture became a symbol of the end of the Cold War;
• The monument “St. George the Victorious” was erected in Tbilisi (Georgia) in 2006. The equestrian statue of St. George the Victorious is located on a 30-meter column on Freedom Square.

In the field of architecture, Zurab Tsereteli also created brilliant works. Under his leadership, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior was built. According to the sculptor's idea, the building was decorated with massive medallions made of polymer alloys, the cladding was made of marble, and the roof was made of a coating including titanium nitride.

One of the last creations of the sculptor was the Alley of Rulers, which is located in Moscow, on Petroverigsky Lane. On the Alley there are busts of all the rulers of Rus', created by the hands of Zurab Tsereteli.

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Tsereteli's scandalous works

The sculptor’s work also includes controversial, even scandalous works. A number of the most famous monuments aroused indignation and criticism from both customers and townspeople, and the installation of the monuments was shrouded in rumors and protests. So, loud scandals accompanied by the installation of the following monuments:

• Monument to Peter I - even before the installation, some Muscovites were against the installation of the monument in their city. Residents organized pickets and rallies and wrote requests to the President. Protests continued after the installation of the monument. There were also rumors that initially there was a statue of Columbus on the site of Peter, but it was never possible to sell the monument Latin America, nor to Spain. After this, Columbus was replaced by a statue of the first Russian emperor and safely installed in Moscow. The scandal of Tsereteli's statue was added by its presence in the Rating of the Ugliest Buildings in 2008. Opponents of the installation of the monument sarcastically nicknamed the monument “Peter in a Skirt.”
• The monument “Monument to the Gendarme” (or “Louis”) was installed in Moscow, next to the Cosmos Hotel. The monument was created in honor of the leader of the French Resistance, but the French authorities refused the gift, after which the monument was erected in Russia. Subsequently, both French and Russian media blasted the appearance of the statue to smithereens. Thus, the press wrote that the great leader looked more like a martyr or a slave, his face was distorted by all the torments of hell, and his silhouette generally looked comical. There was an opinion that the statue looked like Louis de Funes, the famous French actor who played main role in a series of films about gendarmes. Journalists debated whether the monument would cause an international scandal or amount to a diplomatic incident.
• The sculptural composition “Tear of Sorrow” was presented to the American people as a sign of sympathy for the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The author himself symbolically depicted the twin towers in his creation, but the Americans saw a completely different meaning in the monument. Thus, in one American publication it was written that the monument is visually similar to the genitals of a woman, and installing it would be an insult to the fair sex. Initially, the installation of the statue was planned at the site of the tragedy, but after such critical comments, the monument was installed in the state of New Jersey on the Hudson River pier.
• The “Tragedy of Nations” monument is a symbolic statue dedicated to the victims of Beslan. The sculpture represents a procession of genocide victims rising from their graves. This sculptural composition caused a mixed reaction among the population and critics. Thus, art critics positively assessed the statue, calling it best job Zurab Tsereteli. But Muscovites were categorically against its installation and organized pickets and protests. The townspeople called the marchers “zombies” and “coffins” and demanded that this “horror” be at least moved away. Subsequently, the sculpture was dismantled and moved deep into the park on Poklonnaya Gora.

Another scandal surrounding Tsereteli’s work occurred in 2009, when it was planned to install a statue of Jesus Christ on Solovki. The management of the Solovki nature reserve argued against the installation of the statue. The monument was never erected.

The 360 ​​TV channel recalled the most controversial works of the sculptor.

Zhirinovsky was cast from bronze - the politician’s lifetime monument was presented by friends, and it was made by Zurab Tsereteli. The sculptor has long held the unofficial title of the main “Kremlin sculptor.” At the same time, Tsereteli’s fame in the country and abroad is very ambiguous. The 360 ​​TV channel recalled the controversial monuments to Tsereteli, which were abandoned by the customers.

Peter in a skirt

Photo: Evgenia Novozhenina/RIA Novosti

Even before its installation in 1997, the long-suffering monument caused a lot of controversy. According to rumors, initially there was a statue of Columbus on the boat, and Tsereteli unsuccessfully tried to sell the sculpture to the USA, Spain and Latin American countries.

Later, after installation, they tried to donate the monument to Peter to St. Petersburg, but the cultural capital refused the gift. They even tried to blow up the sculpture, but the terrorist attack was prevented by an anonymous call, and since then access to Peter has been closed.

In addition, ordinary Muscovites really didn’t like the monument. Residents of the capital organized pickets, rallies, protests, posted notices with the words “You weren’t standing here” and with requests to dismantle the 98-meter sculpture of the first Russian emperor from the Moscow River embankment.

And in 2008, the monument was included in the list of the ugliest buildings in the world. The rating was compiled based on voting results on the “Virtual Tourist” website.

"Louis", or "monument to the gendarme"

Near the Cosmos Hotel in Moscow there is another refusenik - a 10-meter monument to the leader of the French Resistance. The monument was intended as a gift, but Paris politely refused it. But on the other hand, President Jacques Chirac came to the opening of the monument to Charles de Gaulle at Cosmos in 2005, with whom many French media subsequently sympathized.

For example, “Le Figaro” published the following note: “... with his hands down and hunched over, a club-footed general rises, looking more like a scarecrow. Or like a robot. The entire Russian press has already made fun of the monument. From a distance, its silhouette is comical. One of the journalists, Dmitry Kafanov, says that the monument reminds him of Louis de Funes in the film about the gendarmes. But up close, the general’s face is frightening, all the torments of hell immediately flash before his eyes... Some compassionate souls, passing by the monument, sympathize with Chirac. Will he be able to resist laughing? Will he be offended? "What if such an unflattering portrayal of the hero who on June 18, 1940 called on the French to fight the Nazis causes a scandal? Or a diplomatic incident? Russians love to dramatize everything."

"Tear of Sorrow"

“Size matters” - Zurab often follows this rule when performing work. The artist sent the bronze sculpture with a titanium drop in the middle to New York as a sign of solidarity with the September 11 tragedy. According to the author's plan, a monument symbolizing the Twin Towers should stand at the site of the tragedy. However, the Americans saw a completely different symbol in this creation.

Here's what the Hudson Reporter writes: "... the monument looks like a giant vulva and would be offensive to women," "something between a scar and a female genital organ," "... the sculpture uses a banal symbol of sadness, and its banality is exacerbated by its large size." .

A group of activists wrote a petition to the New York authorities asking them not to install a structure at the site of the terrorist attack. The authorities met the residents halfway, then Tsereteli proposed erecting a monument to the city of Jersey City, located on the other side of the Hudson. But even there they refused the gift. In the end, the creation was installed in the state of New Jersey, neighboring New York, and now it flaunts on the abandoned pier of a former military base at the mouth of the Hudson River.

"Tragedy of Nations", a monument to the victims of Beslan or a procession of coffins

A colony of 8-meter tall victims of fascist genocide emerges from their graves and heads towards Kutuzovsky Prospekt. The tombstones on Poklonnaya Hill caused horror among Muscovites and requests to “move the zombies somewhere behind the museum.” Therefore, it was even decided to move the monument inside the park, away from the eyes of passers-by. However, critics called this sculptural composition “Tsereteli’s best work.”

Zurab Konstantinovich subsequently used the coffins again, when creating a monument to the victims of Beslan. According to the plan, angels from the coffins carry children to heaven. Children's toys are scattered on the sculpture's pedestal. This monument would not have caused criticism from anyone, but Internet users heartily walked over Pinocchio sitting on the pedestal.

Riddles from Tsereteli

And finally, we invite you to think about the questions that many people have when looking at some of the works of Zurab Tsereteli

Riddle from Tsereteli No. 1: how did St. George the Victorious chop the serpent on honor with a thin spear?

Riddle from Tsereteli No. 2: What are the people doing in the photo

Riddle from Tsereteli No. 3: how many kittens will there be?

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