Zurab Tsereteli, sculptor. Biography

Zurab Tsereteli was born on January 4, 1934 in Tbilisi, Georgia, into the family of Konstantin Tsereteli, a civil engineer, and Tamara Nizharadze, a representative of a noble Georgian family that supported the entire household. The sculptor was greatly influenced by his mother's brother, the painter Georgy Nizharadze. Famous Georgian artists often visited his house. They became the first teachers of a young man who showed great abilities in painting.

Tsereteli studied at the city Art School, and then entered the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts (now the Apollon Kutateladze Tbilisi State Academy of Arts), majoring in muralist. After graduating from the Academy, he got a job at the Institute of History and Ethnography of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, where he prepared illustrations for scientific research based on the results of archaeological and ethnographic expeditions.

In his youth, while studying at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, Tsereteli met his future wife Inessa Andronikashvili, who comes from an aristocratic family. The couple have been married for more than 45 years. In 1998, after her death, the artist organized his first solo exhibition in Moscow, named in her honor. In the marriage, the couple had a daughter, Elena. Later, she, as well as her children Vasily, Victoria and Zurab devoted themselves to art.

In 1964, the 30-year-old Tsereteli went to study in France. There he met the famous artists Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall, who had a significant influence on his work. Subsequently awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor of France, Tsereteli created a Monument to John Paul II, which adorns the square near Notre Dame Cathedral. And in 2007, the sculptor was awarded the Picasso Gold Medal, UNESCO's highest award for outstanding achievements in art.

After his return, Tsereteli began to work actively in the field of monumentalism. Tsereteli also established mass production of smalt for mosaic works, which was then used by artists all over the country. In the late 60s, he became the main artist of the resorts of Georgia. He designed resort complexes in Gagra, Sukhumi, Borjomi, and Pitsunda.

In 1980, Tsereteli was appointed chief artist of the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow. Prior to that, for almost ten years he worked as the chief artist of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 1997, Tsereteli has been the President of the Russian Academy of Arts (RAH). He held this position for about 30 years until his death.

During his long-term creative career, Zurab Tsereteli created more than 5,000 paintings and sculptures. Among his most popular works are the monument to Peter I and the Victory Monument on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow. He also worked on the design of the New stage of the Bolshoi Theater and the reconstruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the capital. There are monuments created by Tsereteli in France, Spain, Great Britain, Japan and other countries of the world. Several monuments created by the sculptor have been installed in the USA — the Tear of Sorrow monument in New Jersey and Good Conquers Evil in front of the UN building in New York.

Monument of the epoch: Zurab Tsereteli died

The President of the Russian Academy of Arts considered both Russia and Georgia to be his homeland.

Recent works include a bust to Alexander Nevsky in St. Petersburg (2021) and a monument to composer Tikhon Khrennikov in Yelets, Lipetsk region (2023). It is worth noting that Tsereteli's work has been criticized more than once. He was accused of monopolizing monumental projects in Moscow and violating the stylistic unity of the capital.

Despite the mixed assessment, the sculptor is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including international ones. He is a full holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, has been awarded two Orders of Friendship of Peoples and a certificate of honor from the President of Russia. In 1994, Tsereteli was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation. And in 2003, he was granted Russian citizenship for his special services.

In 2024, the 90th anniversary of the sculptor was widely celebrated in the capital. The main events were held at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA) on Petrovka, founded and directed by Zurab Tsereteli.

A year after the anniversary, the news came that the sculptor's heart had stopped. According to Sergei Shagulashvili, assistant to the President of the Russian Academy of Arts, he died in his studio at home on the night of April 22.

At the request of Tsereteli himself, he will be buried in Tbilisi in the pantheon next to his wife. The funeral will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2025.