Nikoloz Kandelaki (1889-1970), founder of the Georgian school of modern monumental sculpture -130

The book-album reflects the outcome of a half-century long creative work of the greatest sculptor of his time, the People’s Artist of Georgia, the founder of Georgian modern monumental sculpture - Nikoloz Kandelaki (1889-1970). The book is especially valuable because it is the first fundamental work on the art of sculpture of Nikoloz Kandelaki published in the Georgian artistic and scientific environment, which includes both a text conveyed in a popular scientific language and abound illustrated material. Based on the art criticism and cultural analysis of N. Kandelaki’s creations, the book presents his solution of the human problem - with marvelous relationship of spiritual and corporeal, individual and ideal, national and common to all mankind, concrete and symbolic, personal-intimate and sub-lime-heroic. The work also includes the socio-cultural meaning of N. Kandelaki’s artistic-portrayal thinking as a symbol of the memory of people and their deeds. N. Kandelaki’s creative work is considered in the context of the ongoing processes in the culture of the twentieth century, which provides more extensive and comprehensive information about the creative forces of that time, Georgian contemporary fine arts and the history of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts. Thus, the book with its structure fills the lacuna that existed in modern Georgian art until now.