*Black Spot
Biography
Mishiko Sulakauri (b. 1996, Tbilisi)
Mikheil (Mishiko) Sulakauri’s practice considers societal transformation through observed changes in heritage sites, shared spaces, and rural and urban environments. The act of seeing is integral to his process. Absurdist, chaotic sights stemming from uncanny placements and additions to spaces and contexts around him fuel his work. Sulakauri captures instances of simultaneity and juxtaposition in his surroundings and riffs on these momentary aberrations. He creates a personal semiotic language combining pre- Christian markings, contemporary technological and construction signs, and multinational corporation logos. These symbols and references weave together narratives of uncertainty, anxiety, sanctioned and unsanctioned change, absurdity, luck, resilience, and survival. Sulakauri’s practice highlights the interplay between past and present, tradition and innovation, and individual and collective memory. His use of materials is guided by his process, which often leads him to experimentation.
Sulakauri started out as a graffiti artist in his adolescence, developing a signature style under the moniker “LAMB”, which has graced Tbilisi streets for over a decade.He is a co- founder of a graffiti collective “ცრუ“ (false), established in 2017.
Artist Statement
I was born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia, and my ancestry hails from the mountainous region of Tusheti, which is rich with mythology and paganistic rites practiced to this day. My work emerges from a deep connection to the urban environment and local history, bringing the two together through visual storytelling. Manmade changes, additions, and omissions form the surroundings that inform and fuel my creative process. My practice is based on seeing, analysing, and contextualising scenes that unfold around me.
I experiment with materials and mediums to achieve visual expressions that best convey my thoughts and ideas, often utilizing found and fabricated objects in my work. In selecting materials to work with, I think about the processes that lead to their creation and their primary purpose. The use of salvaged items loaded with multi-layered histories and origins is a collaboration with the world around me.
I deal with hyper-local and universal themes in crafting composite forms and visual cues to create metaphors that reflect on social dynamics, the passage of time, cultural transformation, and stagnation. My work asks the viewer to consider their place within the ever-evolving ecosystems they shape and inhabit.