My Robert Frost - artist Olesia Tavadze dedicates her work to iconic American poet
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Monday, April 4
Georgia’s Crafts’ Museum has hosted an original and emotional art exhibition dedicated to the iconic American poet Robert Frost, created by a Georgian artist, Olesia Tavadze.
The opening day of the event, March 26, was matched with the 142th anniversary of the birth of the world famous poet.
The artist, who was acknowledged by local and international influential institutions for her excellent art, dedicated 35 graphic works to the well-known American poet.
“Meeting with Frost himself was like unexpected love at first sight. All idols suddenly moved back and Frost took their place. My admiration transformed into thought: what magic powers made his, at one glance simple poetry such a huge impact? Then I remembered similar astonishing impressions from visual line-Chinese art. That did not need any transition, but, still, there was so much in common,” the Artist told the audience.
It was many years of admiration and study of Frost's poetry that finally encouraged the series of pictures unveiling the artist’s personal attitude to the poet and his works.
For me, as one of the viewers of the exhibition, the pictures reflected the mysterious nature of the poet, his special attitude towards nature, as well as his depth and tragic personality.
Who was Frost – the winner of the Pulitzer Price for four times? Why his poetry was so special and deep, and the same time quite simple?
Frost’s work often uses settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century to touch upon complex social and philosophical themes.
Despite the fact his work was mainly related to life and the landscape of New England—and though he was a poet of traditional verse forms and metrics, he remained detached from the poetic movements and fashions of his time—Frost is anything but merely a regional poet, he is a poet whose works are very deep and will remain relevant for the future.
The author of searching and often dark meditations on universal themes, he is a modern poet in his attitude to language as his language is simple and clear, in the psychological complexity of his portraits, and in the degree to which his work is infused with layers of ambiguity and irony.
“I have been caught by his poetry for so many years,” the artist told me in a private conversation, emphasising that Frost had always been a poet with his special nature, but his occasional public appearances with politicians - US President John Kennedy among them – were simply part of an artificial process from her point of view.
When working on her paintings, the artist used the Georgian translations of Frost made by Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Giorgi Nishnianidze, Karda Karduki (Pridon Kardava) and Otar Tsiskadze.
Now the museum and the artist wish to produce a catalogue of the pictures, and the project needs donations. Some friends and art lovers have already provided financial support, but contact can be made by donors at abzianidze@hotmail.com.
