Guram Tikanadze

This monumental 512-page volume is the most comprehensive collection of works by legendary Georgian photographer and mountaineer Guram Tikanadze (1932–1963). A symbol of the 1960s “Thaw” generation, Tikanadze’s photography serves as a profound visual chronicle of 20th-century Georgia, capturing a unique spirit of freedom and artistic innovation. Guram Tikanadze was the first Georgian photographer to achieve international recognition, winning a silver medal at the 1959 Vienna International Youth Festival.A Dual Legacy: Renowned both as a virtuoso photographer and an elite alpinist, he captured the Caucasus mountains from perspectives few could reach. His lens famously documented cultural icons such as George Balanchine, Thor Heyerdahl, and Marina Vlady, alongside his legendary sports photography like the iconic “Meskhi Attacks”. Inside the Book Unseen Archives: Includes rare and previously unpublished photographs preserved in the State Museum of Georgian Literature and the Tikanadze family archives. The monograph is elegantly organized into sections featuring intimate portraits, urban Tbilisi architecture, ethnographic studies of Svaneti and Abkhazia, and dramatic high-altitude mountaineering expeditions. Features profound essays and memoirs by acclaimed authors including Levan Gotua, Dato Turashvili, Gogi Gvakharia, and Murman Lebanidze. Bilingual Edition: The text is presented fully in both English and Georgian. Premium Production Quality Format: Large-scale 24×30 cm edition. Page Count: 512 pages. Paper: Printed on premium 150 gsm Matt Coated paper for depth and clarity. Section-sewn Hardcover (3.0mm) with a sophisticated Dust Jacket and matte lamination. Limited Edition: Only 1,000 copies printed. ISBN: 978-9941-8-8532-7. Why Buy This Book? This is more than a photography book; it is a collectible art object. Whether you are a dedicated collector of 20th-century photography or seeking an extraordinary gift that embodies Georgian heritage and mid-century aesthetics, this monograph is an essential addition to any private library. Guram Tikanadze Georgian alpinist and photographer Guram Tikanadze was born on September 12, 1932. He was a geologist, who eventually became a first-class boxer. He was a school-boy when he got interested in photography. Later, he participated in Soviet Union as well as international exhibitions and received numerous awards and prizes. The silver medal Guram Tikanadze received at the 1959 Youth and Students’ International Festival in Vienna became the first international award in history of Georgian photography. During the period of August-September in 1958 Guram Tikanadze, along with a group of four people, accomplished the most difficult traverse on the main chain of central Caucasus, conquering 14 out of 16 mountaintops, being awarded the silver medal of the Soviet Union. Nobody, at that time, had accomplished the same traverse in the history of the world alpinism. Guram has managed to climb up to 40 mountaintops. His first was “Spartacus” in 1952. From 1957 on was climbing the 5th grade mountaintops. First such summit was Mount Garmo in Pamir, in 1957. In August of 1963, with a sport group that he himself headed, he conquered Tetnuldi. On 21st of August, the group reached Shkhara. He tragically died on the 27th of August, while descending the mountain. Guram Tikanadze’s activities coincided with the so-called Khrushchev Thaw period, when young photographers intentionally ignored the rules of staged photography and were boldly pushing reportage photography forward. Guram Tikanadze greatly contributed to the development of Georgian photography by creating a certain cultural and genetic tradition. His works were regularly being published in various Georgian and international publications. He worked as a special photo correspondent for Polish, Czech, Slovakian, and GDR’s publications. With unexpected perspectives and an ability to discover the “unusual” in usual, Guram Tikanadze’s photographic language reminds us of the photographic language of the avant-garde of the 1920s and particularly, the aesthetics of the works by Alexander Rodchenko. In 2004, he was awarded the Alexander Roinashvili honorary prize for the outstanding merits in the development of Georgian photography by Kolga Tbilisi Photo week. In Georgia Guram Tikanadze is deservedly called a teacher of the successive generation. Guram Tikanadze would have turned 90 in 2022.