Besik Arbolishvili

Besik was born on February 17, 1955, in Georgia. His father, Mikhail Arbolishvili, was an artist, and his mother was a piano teacher, nurturing his upbringing in a harmonious artistic environment.

Georgia is a country with a rich and ancient history. Georgians have lived in the Caucasus region since ancient times. Recently, anthropologists discovered a skull in eastern Georgia, dating back 1,700,000 years.

Artistic Philosophy

When asked if he plans his paintings beforehand, Besik says it’s not him who plans but his life experiences. He lets the surrounding information flow through him, and it manifests on the canvas. His most successful paintings are created in a way that he doesn’t remember the process. He rarely knows the outcome in advance. The information comes from above, passes through him, and belongs to everyone. He considers himself merely a transmitter.

To maintain his artistic form, Besik works every day, letting the information pass through him in its purest condition. Just as a priest prays daily, a painter must draw every day. He dedicates his time to his studio, always ready to receive an impulse that may become a painting.

Besik avoids categorizing his art into specific branches. In an interview, he stated that he is just as he is—a painter without any 'isms.' His art is driven by his feelings and mood, often influenced by love. For him, love is the most important thing, perceived as a living being that exists both in the world of imagination and reality. Love, though sometimes painful, is an independent force.

Exhibitions and Achievements

Since 1976, Besik has participated in republican exhibitions, and since 1989, in international ones. His first solo exhibition was at Hobby Gallery in Tbilisi (1997), followed by one at the State Picture Gallery in Tbilisi (1998). He also held private exhibitions at the Sheraton Metekhi Palace Hotel.

In the 1990s, Besik exhibited in Germany, including in Ruhr, Duisburg, Cologne, and Dusseldorf. In 1998, American company MVP International invited him to participate in a program aimed at improving American understanding of Georgian art, leading to an invitation to Virginia Commonwealth University, where he met young American painters.

In 1994, Besik was offered to publish his biography in the eleventh edition of the "Who's Who" guide. Three of his paintings were sold at Phillips auctions and featured in their catalogues. One of his most significant exhibitions was at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, with a permanent exhibition at Alla Roger's Gallery in Washington.

A collection of about thirty of Besik's paintings is in Richmond, Virginia. Renowned violinist Liana Isakadze, now residing in Munich, purchased about six of his paintings. Currently, around forty of his paintings are in Moscow, with about 200 distributed globally, from Australia to Canada.

One notable painting, "The White Peacock," was bought by George Harris's family and gifted to the Cathedral Church in Florida. They explained that the painting's depiction of white color carried profound religious meaning. For art lovers, it represents beauty, and for Besik, it’s a time machine, transporting him back to the moment of its creation. This feeling is not just pleasure; it’s happiness.