Jemal Gugunava

Spreading his time between UK, Prague, and Georgia, Jemal paints everything that catches his eye and imagination: landscapes, places, streets, still life, people, and female forms. Trained as a painter, Jemal's work comprises a wide range of techniques from the Venetian method, used by Titian, to contemporary impasto technique that gives a 3D appearance to his work.

Although Jemal's philosophy of life is harmony, purity, deep reflection, beauty, contemplation, reserve, and simplicity of existence, he tends to dramatize rather than simply describe. He forces a viewer to concentrate his or her attention on the main object, not being distracted by many small details.

The style that the artist uses in his still lifes, he calls "Minimalism in Realism". Objects in his simple still lifes always have a symbolic meaning, carry a certain message, and make the viewer think about the meaning of life.

All the works that the artist creates are interconnected, although at first glance this is not the case. How can a still life be like a landscape or a portrait? The point is that in Jemal's portraits, the same questions are asked: "Who am I?", "Why are we here?", "Where are we going?", "What is the purpose of existence?"

Jemal received his BA and Master of Fine Arts degree (MFA) from The State Academy of Arts in Tbilisi (Georgia).

2021 - In the Shadow of the Great Impressionists. Albina Gorbina Gallery, Prague
2018 - Unity in Diversity. Bristol & Tbilisi: 1988-2018. Tbilisi History Museum - Karvasla, Tbilisi, Georgia and The Vestibules, Bristol, UK
2017 - Pre-selected for the 165 Annual Open Exhibition, The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2017 - The Other Art Fair, Bristol; Parallax Art Fair, London
2016 - Portraits in The Brick Lane Gallery, London (14 - 24th April)
2015 - Pre-selected for The Royal Society of Portrait Painters Open Exhibition, Mall Gallery, London
2014 - "Figuratively Speaking", The Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol, UK
2012 - Pre-selected for the BP Portrait Award 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
2012 - 2012 Holburne Portrait Prize, Bath, UK
2011 - "The Bridge", Centrespace Gallery, Bristol
2004 - Clifton Gallery, Bristol, UK
2001 - Solo exhibition, Gallery Nora, Prague, Czech Republic