UTA BEKAIA
Uta Bekaia (b. 1974) is a contemporary artist, he lives and works in New York and Tbilisi.
He had studied Industrial Design at Tbilisi Mtsire Academy. He debuted as an artist at AMA (Avant-GuardFashion Assembly) with a sculptural performance. Uta Bekaia engages multiple artistic mediums, creating wearable sculptures, performances, and videos, where the borders between the disciplines are blurred, andthe cultural references are synthesized in his own, personalized vision. With the background in fashion and costume making in the beginning of his career, Bekaia transformed these mediums into the main means, toapproach human body and fully emerge into performances. Inspired by ancient mythology, fairy tales, ItalianBaroque, and Georgian Dada, Bekaia with his exuberant, sculptural costumes, reinvents and re- stageslong lost, never-beforedocumented rituals. Believing in genetical transferability of communal memory, Bekaia attempts to re-connect with the ancient knowledge and impregnate it with his own experiences andnew meaning.
Among his exhibitions are Kiev 2nd Biennial, ArtIsterium 2015, Window Project, The Vasquez Building,Brooklyn; “Night Intervention” at State Silk Museum, Tbilisi (Goergia). Among performances «The Longest Day» performance based on summer solstice rituals. Turn park art space, NY, 2020. «Songs andDances» collaboration with Georgian Sinfonietta, baroque festival, National Opera House, Tbilisi, "TheReminiscence Parajanov" performance at close up cinema, London 2020.
BIOGRAPHY
Exhibitions
2022 Untitled Miami, Marisa Newman Projects
2022 “Wonderland” group show at Kimball Art Centre, Park city, Utah TAF Tbilisi Art Fair, Window Project
2022 ‘My Fragile Little Rabbit’ solo show at Marisa Newman Projects, New York, USA Art 2022 Dubai _ contemporary section ; Window Project
2022 Art Dubai _ Digital Section "Sacred Creatures Bajbajas" Window Project x Instigators
2021 ‘Between the Lines’ group show at MOMA Tbilisi
2021 “Sea, Sea Swallow Me”, Solo show at Window Project Untitled Miami, Marisa Newman Projects
2021 Spring Break Show, Marisa Newman Project, New York
2021 ‘The Longest Day’ solo exhibition at Turn Park Art Space, Massachusetts, USA
2020 "In Search of the Miraculouse " group show , MOMA Z.Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art, Window Project
2019 Art Berlin Fair, ERTI Gallery; Berlin, Germany;
2019 “The Present” from Superhumans trilogy; ERTI Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
2018 Vienna Contemporary, ERTI Gallery cosmoscow fair, ERTI Gallery
2018 “Inhabitantsof Childhood”; sight specific projectwith ceramic sculptures at Tbilisi Art Fair; ERTI Gallery
2018 “Superhumans” multimedia solo show, ERTI Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
2017 “Kinto Dreams” solo show, ARTAREA Tbilisi
2017 “Vestiphobia” workshopandexhibition atPar Gorria Gallery, HavanaCuba
2016 “PrecariousConstructs,” VenusKnitting ArtSpace, Brooklyn, NY;
2016 NewTiflis,commissionedbyTbilisiCityHallinoccasionofAnnualCity “Tbilisoba,” Uta Bekaia +LevanMindiashvili, Georgia
2016 Festival “Night Intervention” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, State Silk Museum,
Tbilisi, Georgia
2016 “Unintended Archeology” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, The Lodge Gallery, New York City
2015 “Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Center for Contemporary Art, Batumi, Georgia
2015 ArtIsterium –International Forum for Contemporary Art, Tbilisi Historical Museum, Georgia
2015 “The Schoolof Kiyv,” 2nd Kiyv Biennial, Ukraine
2015 “Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Kuad Gallery, Istanbul 14th Biennial parallel project part of Kiyv Biennial, Turkey
2015 “The Seventh Sky,” Solo Exhibition, The Vazquez Building, Brooklyn “Heritage,” Rich Mix Art Center, London, UK
2015 “Crossing The Boundaries.03,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2013 “Heritage,” Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia; “Pheromone,” Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL
2013 “Spotlights on Georgian Contemporary Art,” Dhadamus Contemporary,
Brussels, Belgium
2013 “A Map of My Heart,” Popiashvili Gvaberidze Window Project, Tbilisi, Georgia;
2013 “Morphing,” Berliner Liste13, Dhadamus Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
2013 “Crossing The Boundaries.02,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Performances
2022 Untitled Miami, Marisa Newman Projects
2022 “Healing Flames” TurnPark Art Space Summer Festival, Berkshires,
Massachusetts, USA
2022 “Roots” Tbilisi Culture Week
2021 ‘Journey Without Goals” Lifenstyle, Tusheti, Georgia “Lovers Ritual” Tsinandali Museum, Georgia
2019 "The Reminiscence Parajanov" performance at close up cinema, London
2017 ‘’The scarlet shadows” Performance at Mercedes Benz fashion week Tbilisi
2017 “The Steam city” performance at Tbilisi city fest. conditioned by City hall of Tbilisi
2017 “The one and almighty“ Performance at Zdanevich art center Batumi & The
Artisterium festival in Tbilisi
2017 “Paradise Lost 3+4” performance at Mercedes benz fashion week Tbilisi “Vestiphobia” Performance at Fabrica del Arte Cubano, Havana, Cuba
2016 “Uta Bauhaus UTA,” ODETTA, Brooklyn, NY
2016 “DaDa Ball,” homage to Iliad Zdanevich, Garikula Residency, Georgia
2016 “Night Intervention,“ State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia
2016 “The last chepter,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City
2016 “Unintended Archeology,” The Lodge Gallery, New York City
2016 “The Fairy Night,” Art Park Residency, New York City
2016 “Elements,” FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands
2015 “Berikaoba,” Tbilisi City Parade, Georgia
2015 “Fuasia Tatasia,” Movement Theater, Tbilisi, Georgia
2014 “Duality,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada; “Duality,” Art a Porter, Bryant Park, New York City
2014 “Fuasia Tatasia,” Peras de Olmo – Ars Continua, Buenos Aires,Argentina
2013 “Purple Jester,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada
2013 FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brighton Fashion Week, UK
2013 La Guillotine, Paris, France
2013 “Sweatshop Boogie,” Williamsburg Fashion Week, Brooklyn, NY
2012 “Wedding,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia
2012 “Days of a Dandy,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City
2012 “TRANSpolation,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada
2011 “Pheromone,” Laguanacazul Art Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2011 “Uta Levan,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia
2010 “Saint Hollywood,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City
2010 Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia
Residencies
2019 Art OMI residency, NY
2016 Residency at MAD Museum NYC