Abstracts - International Initiative for Georgian Cultural Studies

PREFACE
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The current symposium “Georgian Arts in the Context of European and Asian Cultures,” dedicated to
Georgian art and culture in general, conveys a significant strategic trend in state cultural policy. By simultaneously
observing our remote past in the light of our vast relations and historical-cultural context, it gives
us an opportunity to have a deeper and more objective comparison.
As it is well known, six international symposiums on the issues of Georgian art, held from 1977-1989
in Italy and Georgia, organized by G. Chubinashvili Institute of Georgian Art History were of special significance
for popularization of Georgian culture and science and for their promotion on an international
scale. Initiator and inspirer of the events was full member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, Prof. Dr.
Vakhtang Beridze, a prominent scholar and public man of our times. After a nearly 20 years gap, the necessity
to hold analogous symposiums has emerged.
The present collection of papers provides a good affirmation of the goal of the current symposium: To
generate the interest of an international scientific community in Georgian culture and to promote collaboration
between Georgian and foreign scholars. This collection is comprised of the best works from Georgian
and foreign scholars who have written on issues concerning Georgian art.
The symposium, which once again has widely displayed Georgian culture and its originality, is an event
of special significance in art studies and the scholarly environment of Georgia in general.
Nikoloz Vacheishvili
Minister of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport, Georgia