In Partnership with Piano Craft Gallery, 2023
Banner Art detail: Pitanius, "You May Never Come Home"
Image Gallery
What's going on? It's a fundamental question in the past and especially in these days. This artwork represents my feelings, pain, anger, and personal experience about the subject. I wanted to express my emotions through the child, this innocent little girl who's standing in the middle of the street and understands that besides being a child, she's supposed to be also someone who can show her actual emotions like an adult and knows that she won't have time to experience childhood at this time and have to be strong and furious. The balloons she’s holding represent the continents, which is the message to the world that we are still united besides everything. All tragedy happening these days makes us more aware of how we should feel. This little girl is angry and intense and knows she must be there and keep fighting, as shown by standing on the Soviet Union flag. This child represents all of us- people who've experienced similar emotions, people who understand how it must feel because there is this CHILD in all of us! The most painful thing is the knowledge that after so many years and centuries, we're facing this problem when some people still have to fight for freedom, free speech, feelings, land, and their home. And I named this artwork ‘’You May Never come Home.’’
Artist Statement
I create my work using a combination of Japanese ink and a fountain pen. I love that I can control the thickness of each line I draw to achieve my vision. Depending on the piece, I sometimes incorporate using and mixing different media, like gouache, acrylic, tempera, charcoal, pastel, and oils. The material varies, ranging from chalk paper, canvas, wooden panel, or metal. My work is based on my visions, dreams, and reality; as I perceive it, I never know what any artwork holds after it is finished, as they flow together with my emotions, feelings, and character through the different periods of my life. Most artworks represent certain emotions in a specific moment when everyone around you wants to see you just positively when reality doesn't give you that emotion but makes you a terrific actor to hide real feelings and be acceptable by society.
Artist Bio
Sofie Butskhrikidze (PITANIUS) was born in 1986 in Tbilisi, Georgia. She currently resides in New York City. She has been drawing and painting since she can remember, and she always knew she wanted to become a professional artist.
In 2003 she enrolled in the Fashion Design and Fine Arts faculty of the State Academy of Arts in Tbilisi, Georgia. At the same time, she also taught art to kids at a local art studio. In 2006, she took one year off studying and moved to London, creating handmade accessories based on her inspirations. Upon returning home, she continued her studies, and at the same time, she began working as a set designer and makeup artist at a theatre. In 2008, she graduated from the Academy of Arts. Her final dissertation, "Immortal Mohegan," was inspired by her lifelong admiration for Native American Indians. It was a great success, and the exhibition had a lot of publicity and media coverage. Towards the end of 2008, she traveled to Marrakech, Morocco, for pottery training, learning the native clay techniques, and having a small exhibition. In 2009, she went to Amsterdam and started working at an art gallery. For the next five months, she prepared artworks for the exhibition "Dionaea Muscipula," working in oil and acrylic on cardboard.
After returning to Tbilisi a couple of months later, she realized something had changed. She realized that she could not work with colors anymore, and this is how her journey with ink art started. In 2012, she participated in the group exhibition "Dual Verse', at the national parliamentary library of Georgia. It was a two-person exhibition that included paintings and drawings. The idea was to show that different techniques and styles could express similar thoughts, feelings, and visions. In 2015 she moved to New York permanently.
She participated in several exhibitions and most recently at the London Art Biennale 2021 in July, where she presented her artwork "MIDNIGHT DREAM," also in October at the group exhibition in London" UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE IV" where she presented her artwork "MIDNIGHT DREAM" and two prints" SMILE" and "MAGICAL REALISM," In December 2021, RED DOT MIAMI art week where she presented her artworks "BIOLOGICAL WAR" and "SILK." In September 2022, SUPERFINE ART FAIR in New York.
Artist Contact Info
Email: info@pitaniusart.com
Phone: 347-430-7828
Website: https://www.pitaniusart.com
Instagram: @pitaniusart