Mako Birkeli

Mako Birkeli is the artist name of Maiko Birkadze, a Georgian painter born in 1959 in the village of Tskhamukha. She grew up in Samtredia and lives and works in Tbilisi.

She is self-taught and never attended an art academy. Painting became the centre of her life in 2014, when she realised it was worth giving everything else up for. In her words: "Painting is my driving force."

Her paintings draw on Georgian tradition and storytelling: pomegranates, the Georgian symbol of plenty; little guardian angels; peacocks, birds, leopards, bulls and horses; women with animals; and quiet still lifes of pears, teapots and flowers. She works mainly in oil on canvas and board, in a richly patterned, decorative style with deep blues, warm reds and gold.

She has had several solo exhibitions and has taken part in many group shows. Her paintings appear in catalogues from several publishers, her work is held by the Natela Iankoshvili Museum, and many of her paintings are in private collections in Europe and America.

Self-taught painter, painting since 2014.
Agricultural Institute, Georgia.

2024 Mzekabani (solo exhibition), Shalva Dzneladze Museum, Digomi, Tbilisi, Georgia, 5–9 October 2024
Several earlier solo exhibitions and many group exhibitions.

Collections
Natela Iankoshvili Museum, Georgia
Private collections in Europe and America