Levan Chaganava

Tbilisi, Georgia

Calligrapher, miniaturist, icon painter, font designer, graphic and web designer, Chairman of the Painter-Calligrapher's Union of Georgia

Biography

He was born on December 26, 1966 in Tbilisi (Georgia).

Throughout 1990 and 1991 he worked for the Georgian Patriarchate on a handwritten book of Gospels presently kept in the St. Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.

In the meantime he created several handwritten books and started to promote the calligraphic works with capital letters and ornamentation in accordance with the methods of the traditional ancient school of Georgian book art.

Since 2000 aiming at popularization of calligraphy and book art he has created and promoted hybrid works combining the original handwriting and computer graphics in the form of ornamentation décor. Due to his efforts the forgotten art of calligraphy is again recognizable by many people in Georgia. Moreover, bookstore sales statistics show the calligraphy is gaining popularity in the country.

Since 2009 he has received numerous extraordinary commissions to create calligraphy artworks as well as expensive handwritten books which has encouraged the approaching renaissance of calligraphy in Georgia.

Since 2010 he has been the Founder and Chairman of the Painter-Calligrapher's Union of Georgia.