Born in 1971 in Tbilissi (Georgia), lives and works in Luxembourg.
The works presented fall under the harmonic concept of “Minimal-Complexity”, invented by the artist Irina Gabiani, who operates a merger where minimalism and complexity are not in opposition, but complement each other. Minimal art, with its essence of simplicity and its rejection of superfluous ornamentation, offers a sharp contrast to works that delight in the richness of detail and the complexity of compositions. However, Gabiani’s works show how these two approaches can coexist in a harmonious and intriguing way.
Each of the works features a repetitive and detailed background pattern, interweaving painting and paper cutouts, which combines harmoniously with an empty, monochrome space.This monochrome space is like an empty stage, a visual silence that draws attention not only to what is presented, but also to what is omitted, silently, forgotten. A backdrop that highlights the surrounding complexity. The patterns that border with this unoccupied space are abundant and detailed, inviting the eye to wander through their complexities. These defined spaces are populated with figures, objects and shapes that seem both random and carefully chosen, like actors in a play where the monochromatic space serves as the stage for a performance that has not yet begun or which has just ended. Bright colours – pink, blue, green, purple and yellow – envelop each work, bringing distinctive individuality. Each colour provokes its own set of emotions and associations. The objects and figures in each painting share the dominant colour, creating unity while adding visual complexity.
1994-1997 Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Art, Amsterdam
1990-1994 Academy of Art of Tbilisi
1986-1990 School of Art of Tbilisi
Irina Gabiani has participated in 2011 at the 54-th Venice Biennale.
2024 Irina Gabiani: Minimal – Complexity, Galerie PJ, Metz, France
2022 Irina Gabiani: 10 videos, The Caucasians 2 – solo feature from Georgia, Peace Letters to Ukraine 11, The New Museum of Networked Art, Online Show
Irina Gabiani and Katarzyna Kot-Bach: Circular, Fellner Contemporary, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2021 Irina Gabiani: Théâtre Intérieur, Galerie PJ, Metz, France
2020 New works – online exhibition, Centre de Création Chorégraphique Luxembourgeois – Banannefabrik, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2019 Irina Gabiani: Game without rules, Gian Marco Casini Gallery, Livorno, Italy
Irina Gabiani: Across the Universe, Raffaella De Chirico Arte Contemporanea, Torino, Italy
2018 The end is your choice, (with M.P. Feiereisen, P. Lamesch), Nosbaum Reding Gallery, Luxembourg
2017 Sinestesia Universale, Irina Gabiani – videos and Ruggero Laganà – music, Conservatorio di Milano, Milano, Italy
Irina Gabiani: Unrolling the human body, Centre de Création Chorégraphique Luxembourgeois – Banannefabrik, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2016 Irina Gabiani: Unrolling the Universe, Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia
Take off your veil and Slave of your own system – live performances, within Time is Love.9, Plateau Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2015 Irina Gabiani: Recent videos, Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia
Irina Gabiani: Micro e Macro cosmi, Galleria Giampiero Biasutti, Torino, Italy
Take off your veil and Slave of your own system – live performances, within Time is Love.8, Galerie Sobering, Paris, France
Irina Gabiani: New videos and works, Centre de Création Choregraphique Luxembourgeois – Banannefabrik, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2014 Irina Gabiani: Sélection d’oeuvres – Dessin et Video, Centre de Création Chorégraphique Luxembourgeois – Banannefabrik, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2012 Irina Gabiani: Unknown world – Videos and works, Georgian National Museum – Amiranashvili Museum of Art, Tbilisi, Georgia
Irina Gabiani: Videos and works, Design City Luxembourg 2012 – Luxembourg Design Biennale, Lago, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2011 54a Biennale di Venezia, Padiglione Italia, Lussemburgo, Irina Gabiani e Sonia Sion, curated by the Italian Institute of Culture, Cour de Justice Européenne, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
54a Biennale di Venezia, Padiglione Italia, Lussemburgo, Irina Gabiani e Sonia Sion, curated by the Italian Institute of Culture, Université du Luxembourg, Luxembourg
CologneOFF 2011 – Beirut, Solo Artist Irina Gabiani, Shams – The Sunflower Theater, Beirut, Lebanon
CologneOFF 2011 – Riga, Solo Artist Irina Gabiani, Waterpieces International Contemporary Art Festival, Noass Arts Centre, Riga, Latvia
CologneOFF 2011 – Le Musée di-visioniste, Cologne OFF & Video Channel
2010 Irina Gabiani: Reflections, Video Performances & Video Art, The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
2009 Unknown reality, Fest i nova, International Festival of Contemporary Art, Art Villa Garikula, Akhalkalaki, Georgia
2007 Video Dia Loghi 2007, Videoinstallazioni: I. Gabiani / G. Cugno, Unione Culturale Franco Antonicelli, Torino, Italy
Irina Gabiani: Looking at the world vice versa, Rustaveli Georgian National Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
Samaia or Triamazikamno, live performance, Rustaveli Georgian National Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
Samaia or Triamazikamno, live performance, Georgian State Pantomime Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
2006 When I look at myself, Art Gallery at the Leonidze State Museum of Georgian Literature, Tbilisi, Georgia
The Slaves of the system, live performance, Art Gallery at the Leonidze State Museum of Georgian Literature, Tbilisi, Georgia
The Slaves of the system, live performance, Georgian State Pantomime Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
2024 Qui non c’è niente da leggere, Museo d`Arte Contemporanea di Villa Croce, Genova, Italy
2023 Bienal Madatac 12, Art for Freedom, Sala Berlanga, Madrid, Spain
2022 Rhizome DC, Washington DC, USA
2021 My mother, my father and I, Muratcentoventidue Artecontemporanea, Bari, Italy
2019 Angeli e Artisti , Santa Maria della Scala, Siena, Italy
2018 Declinando il libro d’artista , Unimediamodern, Genova, Italy
2017 Musée d’Art Contemporain de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
2016 Luxembourg City Film Festival, Open Screen, Headquarters Magic Mirrors, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2015 Letters from the sky, La Générale, Paris, France
2014 Transborda / Owerflow, International expanded cinema and Video Art screening, Alcobaca Historic Center, Alcobaca, Portugal
2012 Video Dia Loghi 2012, Velan Centre for Contemporary Art, Torino, Italy
2011 Biennale di Venezia – 54th International Art Exhibition, Padiglione Italia, Arsenale, Venezia, Italy
2009 Video Dia Loghi 2009, The Vitruvian Woman Video-installation
2008 Minividfest 2, Total Kunst Gallery, Edinburgh, United Kingdon
2007 Not closed, Galerie Beaumontpublic, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
2003 Collettiva, Galleria Giancarlo Salzano, Torino, Italy
2000 Group Exhibition, National Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia
1999 157a Esposizione Arti Figurative, Società Promotrice Belle Arti, Torino, Italy
1997 Rietveld Academy Jewellery Department in Porvoo, Porvoon Taidetehdas Konstfabriken, Porvoo, Finland
1996 Schuttingtaal, Open air exhibition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2020 NewMediaFest2020 ‘9 – The 365 Days Diary, Launch of Corona! Shut Down? – Corona Film Collection, online show
2013 Fonlad 2013 – Mostra Internacional de Video Arte, Espaço Artes, Multimédia e Performance, Coimbra, Portugal
2010 Art Beijing 2010, Contemporary Art Fair, Artist Cinema, Beijing, China
Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro, Milano, Italy
Georgian State Museum of Theatre, Music, Cinema and Choreography, Tbilisi, Georgia
Rustaveli Georgian National Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgian State Pantomime Theatre, Tbilisi, Georgia
La Iglesia de los Angeles, El Milagro, Argentina
The National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgian National Museum – Amiranashvili Museum of Art Tbilisi Georgia
Georgian Embassy, Berlin, Germany
Museum of Contemporary Art of Villa Croce, Genova, Italy
2008 Third International Art Prize Arte Laguna, Sculpture, Best foreign artist
2008 Third International Art Prize Arte Laguna, Sculpture, Virtual Jury Prize
2008 8° Premio Nazionale d’Arte Città di Novara, Video, III prize
2011 International Video Festival “Letters from the sky”, Video, Top 10 Award Winner
2011 International Video Festival “Letters from the sky”, Video, Judges’ Prize Winner
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