We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of artist David Popiashvili at age 56. A distinguished member of the Georgian Artists’ Union, Popiashvili was a polymath of the visual arts—a master painter, a skilled restorer, a dedicated pedagogue, and a scenographer. His career was defined by a rigorous adherence to traditional techniques and a commitment to preserving Georgia’s cultural heritage while simultaneously contributing to its contemporary artistic narrative.
Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1969, Popiashvili’s artistic formation was grounded in academic discipline. He graduated from the I. Nikoladze Art School in 1989 before entering the Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Arts. There, he specialized in the Faculty of Fine Arts with a focus on Easel Painting Restoration, graduating in 1995. This dual education in creation and conservation became the hallmark of his professional life.
Popiashvili’s professional career began in the preservation of history. From 1996 to 1998, he served as an artist-restorer at the Restoration Center of the Tbilisi Gallery Union. His expertise later extended to academia; from 2007 to 2017, he served as a pedagogue of drawing and painting at the Tbilisi Theological Seminary within the Faculty of Iconography and Restoration, passing his knowledge to a new generation of artists.
Beyond the canvas and the classroom, Popiashvili made significant contributions to the performing arts. He served as the production designer for the ballet “The Nutcracker” at the Georgian Opera and Ballet Theater, bringing his visual acuity to the grand stage.
Popiashvili’s exhibition history was extensive and geographically diverse, bridging Eastern and Western art worlds. A significant highlight of his international presence was his participation in the Rooted in Culture” Exhibition Series in the USA, where he introduced the rich textures of Georgian artistic tradition to American audiences.
His work traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. Notable milestones included a personal exhibition at the Art Center in Osaka, Japan, and a cycle of exhibitions organized by Gallery “FINE ART” in the Netherlands. In Berlin, Germany, he achieved distinction by winning 1st Place at the Arts Festival of Former Soviet Countries.
His work was frequently exhibited in France, including “Christmas Exhibitions” at the Georgian House and the Caucasian House in Paris, as well as during the Days of Georgian Culture in Dijon. In the region, he participated in the “Art Ankara” group exhibition in Turkey and “From Georgia with Love” at the Art Museum in Baku, Azerbaijan.
A particularly poignant highlight of his career was the exhibition “Father and Son” in Moscow, Russia, where David exhibited alongside his father, Avtandil Popiashvili, underscoring a multi-generational artistic lineage. He was also a regular presence at the Art Salon “Manej” (2003) in Moscow.
His art was deeply shaped by his connection to church art, Iconography and Georgia. His art spoke and shared his spiritual connection thru his canvases. His style captured the freshness of vision and sincere beauty. he was know for his rich loose brushwork and thickly applied oils. incorporating gold leaf a direct homage to the Georgian icons. His canvases were a unique blend of the earthly and the divine, moving from intimate portraits, still lives to fantastical dreamscapes. A synthesis of Restoration works, Iconography and his artistic vision.
Domestically, his works were featured at consecutive exhibitions at the Art Gallery Line in Tbilisi (2003–2025) and “Corporation Kindzmarauli” in Kvareli, “Chateau Mukhrani”.
David Popiashvili leaves behind a multifaceted legacy as a guardian of the past through restoration and a creator of the present through his painting and design. His contributions to the Georgian Art and the wider cultural landscape of the region remain a testament to his talent and work ethic.
