Uta Bekaia is a Georgian-born multimedia artist currently residing and working in Brooklyn and Tbilisi. His work is a speculative recreation of his ancestral rituals restaged for Queer utopian future. With the fascination with traditional crafts, Bekaia creates richly adorned wearable sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, and objects, bringing them together as immersive installations, films, and live performances. Bekaia studied Industrial Design at Tbilisi Mtsire Academy. He has been awarded the residences at ART OMI, Museum of Art and Design MAD, NY; Garikula, Georgia; His work has been shown at Window Project, Tbilisi; SchauFenster, Berlin; Museum of Modern Art, Tbilisi; Kyiv Biennial in Istanbul and Kyiv; ERTI Gallery, Tbilisi; Silk Museum, Tbilisi; The Lodge Gallery, NY; Center for Contemporary Art, Batumi; among others. He has staged parades for the Tbilisi City Hall Tbilisoba Festival, Book Capital of the World Opening Ceremony, TurnPark, and ArtPark, among others. Bekaia is a founding member of the Tbilisi-based queer creative collective Fungus.
RESIDENCIES
Art OMI residency, NY 2019
MAD Museum NY 2017
Garikula ART, Georgia 2013 – 2014
“The Fungus Project”. 2020 co- created 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐫–𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐬.
EXHIBITIONS
2022
“Wonderland “ group show at Kimball Art Center, Park city, Utah
“My fragile little rabbit” solo . Marisa Newman project, NYC
“Sea, Sea, Swallow me” solo. Window project, Tbilisi
“BajBajas” NFT colaborative. Art Dubai
2021
“Anti-Fashion” Project Fungus group show, Kykilovska club, Kyiv, Ukraine.
“The Longest Day “ Turn park art space.
“Purification “ Moma, Tbilisi.
2020
“The Longest Day” expo at Turn park art space. MA
Life N Style Print Festival, Film by Uta Bekaia, curator Nana Kirmelashvili, MOMA Z.Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art, Tbilisi, Georgia
“Night Whisper” group show curated by Alexander Blanar, Window Project, Cube.Moscow
Cosmoscow Art Fair, Window Project
“Know Thy Neighbor” OXIGEN, group show curated by Irine Popiashvili
“In Search of the Miraculous” Group Show, MOMA Z.Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art, Tbilisi, Georgia.
2019
IN SEARCH OF THE MIRACULOUS curated by Dr. Heike Fuhlbrügge.
Group show art Schau Fenster, Berlin
The Present, SuperHumans trilogy. Solo show at ERTI Gallery Tbilisi, curated by Dr. Heike Fuhlbrugge
Here- far . instalation at Triumf Gallery, Moscow
2018
“Inhabitants of childhood” instillation at Turn Park Art compound, NY.
“Inhabitants of childhood” show with ERTI gallery at FAT Tbilisi and Vienna contemporary
The Past, SuperHumans trilogy Solo show at ERTI gallery Tbilisi, curated by Levan Mindiashvili
2016
“Precarious Constructs,” Venus Knitting Art Space, Brooklyn, NY;
“NewTiflis” commissioned by Tbilisi City Hall in occasion of Annual City
“Night Intervention” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, State Silk Museum,
Tbilisi, Georgia;
“Unintended Archeology” Uta Bekaia + Levan Mindiashvili, The Lodge Gallery, New York City;
2015
“Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Center for Contemporary Art, Batumi, Georgia;
2017
“Kinto Dreams” solo show at ARTAREA Tbilisi
“Vestiphobia” workshop and exhibition at Par Gorria Gallery , Havana Cuba
Art Isterium – International Forum for Contemporary Art, Tbilisi Historical Museum, Georgia; “The School of Kiyv,” 2nd Kiyv Biennial, Ukraine;
“Manifest Through Form – A Route of Evanescence,” Kuad Gallery, Istanbul 14th Biennial parallel project part of Kiyv Biennial, Turkey;
“The Seventh Sky,” Solo Exhibition, The Vazquez Building, Brooklyn; “Heritage,” Rich Mix Art Center, London, UK;
2014
“Crossing The Boundaries.03,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 2013 “Heritage,” Georgian National Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia;
“Pheromone,” Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami, FL;
“Spotlights on Georgian Contemporary Art,” Dhadamus Contemporary, Brussels, Belgium;“A Map of My Heart,” Popiashvili Gvaberidze Window Project, Tbilisi, Georgia;“Morphing,” Berliner Liste13, Dhadamus Contemporary, Berlin, Germany;
“Crossing The Boundaries.02,” AT388, Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
PERFORMANCES
2022
“Seven vivid pictures from Geo literature” Expo Dubai
2021
“Fairies in woods” performance at Art Park , NY
“The Longest Day” performance based on summer solstice rituals. Turn park art space. MA
“The lovers Rituals” performance at A. Chavchavdze museum, Tsinandali estate Georgia
2020
“Songs and Dances” collaboration with Georgian Sinfonietta, baroque festival, National Opera House, Tbilisi
“Purification” Curator Nana Kirmelashvili, Producer Sophiko Vasadze, director of photography David Koridze,
2019
The reminiscence Parajanov. performance at close up cinema, London
2017
“Steam City” Tbilisi city parade, commissioned by Tbilisi City hall.
“Matchless and Almighty” performance at Batumi cultural center and Artisterium festival Tbilisi
“the scarlet shadows” performance at Mercedes benz Fashion week Tbilisi“Paradise lost” performance at Mercedes benz Fashion week Tbilisi
“Vestiphobia” Performance at Fabrica del Arte Cubano, Havana, Cuba2016
“Uta Bauhaus UTA,” ODETTA, Brooklyn, NY;
“DaDa Ball,” homage to Iliad Zdanevich, Garikula Residency, Georgia;
“Night Intervention,“ State Silk Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia;
“Vestiphobia,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City;
“Unintended Archeology,” The Lodge Gallery, New York City;
“The Fairy Night,” Art Park Residency, New York City;
“Elements,” FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands;
2015
“Berikaoba,” Tbilisi City Parade, Georgia;
“Fuasia Tatasia,” Movement Theater, Tbilisi, Georgia;
2014
“Duality,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada;
Art a Porter, Bryant Park, New York City;
“Fuasia Tatasia,” Peras de Olmo – Ars Continua, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
2013
“Purple Jester,” FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada; FashionClash, Maastricht, Netherlands; Brighton Fashion Week, UK; La Guillotine, Paris, France;
“Sweatshop Boogie,” Williamsburg Fashion Week, Brooklyn, NY;
2012
“Wedding,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia;
“Days of a Dandy,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City; “TRANSpolation,”
FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada;
2011
“Pheromone,” Laguanacazul Art Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina; “Uta Levan,” Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia;
2010
“Saint Hollywood,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City; Tbilisi Fashion Week, Georgia; FAT Toronto Fashion and Arts Festival, Canada; “Icons,” Ideal Glass Gallery, New York City;
Uta P. Bekaia 