Dates: 5-6 June, 2027
Organized by AFA - Art Foundation ANAGI
in collaboration with art historian Dr. Mzia Chikhradze and curator/art historian Mariam Shergelashvili.
AFA - Art Foundation ANAGI is pleased to announce the international research conference Alexandre (Shura) Bandzeladze: Bridging Global Abstraction Discourses and Georgian Abstractionism, dedicated to one of the leading figures of Georgian modernist art and a pioneering force in the development of abstraction in Soviet Georgia.
The conference will take place on 5-6 June 2027 and will bring together international scholars, curators, artists, researchers, and institutional representatives to examine abstraction as a global artistic language shaped through diverse aesthetic, philosophical, and historical discourses.
Conference Focus
The conference welcomes interdisciplinary approaches and particularly invites contributions from scholars and researchers working on abstractionism, American abstraction, Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Expressionism, non-figurative painting, postwar art, experimental modernisms, and transnational histories of abstraction. Contributions from the fields of art history, visual culture, curatorial and museum studies, aesthetics, and global modernist studies are especially encouraged.
Within this framework of fostering global discussion and broader dialogue, the conference aims to position Alexandre (Shura) Bandzeladze within wider international narratives of modern and contemporary art, opening a dialogue between Georgian abstractionism and major developments in global abstraction, Abstract Expressionism, Neo-Expressionism, postwar non-figurative art, and experimental modernist practices.
The conference encourages comparative and transnational perspectives that examine abstraction through artistic, intellectual, and aesthetic exchanges across different cultural contexts.
As a central representative of the Georgian generation of the 1960s, Bandzeladze developed a radically independent visual language that challenged the conventional artistic models and state-imposed aesthetic norms of his time. His abstract practice articulated a space of artistic autonomy and intellectual freedom within the restrictive ideological framework of the Soviet period, positioning abstraction as a field of experimentation, gesture, materiality, and spirituality.
Aims and Objectives
The two-day conference aims to:
- Open new perspectives on abstraction as a universal yet culturally diverse visual language shaped by local and international histories, political contexts, and aesthetic innovation.
- Strengthen transnational art-historical narratives.
- Expand comparative frameworks for understanding postwar global abstraction.
- Situate Georgian artistic developments within a broader 20th-century modernist and postmodernist context.
- Position Bandzeladze's early abstraction in dialogue with American Abstract Expressionism and Neo-Expressionism.
- Encourage institutional collaboration through joint research initiatives, curatorial exchange, and program development.
Presentation Format for Invited Speakers
Each participant will be given a total of 30 minutes, consisting of a 20-minute presentation followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.
The presentation should introduce the speaker's research, artistic, or curatorial work in relation to the conference theme, outlining key concepts, methodologies, and case studies.
Participation & Support
AFA - Art Foundation ANAGI will invite a group of selected international scholars and institutional partners. For invited participants, the Foundation will fully cover:
- Round-trip airfare
- Accommodation
- Per diem
- Guided tours and visits outside Tbilisi, including historical sightseeing in the ancient city of Mtskheta
- Welcome and farewell dinners
Application Materials
Applicants are invited to submit:
- A presentation title
- A short abstract/proposal, 200-300 words
- A short biography, maximum 100 words
Submissions should follow the standard format for academic conference open calls.
All required materials should be sent via email:
afa.internationalconference@gmail.com
Deadline for submission: October 31, 2026.
A detailed program and logistical information will be finalized and shared with final selected participants by November 2026.
Please note that the full conference schedule, including official program, arrival and departure times, covers a total of 4 nights / 5 days: 3-7 June 2027.