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Velvet Armor, a solo exhibition by the Tbilisi, Georgia-born female artist Rusudan Khizanishvili (1979-). Khizanishvili, whose practice is influenced by an array of themes, including architecture, mythology, selfhood, and womanhood, explores the ways in which art connects us to the world beyond our introspective selves. As hinted by the exhibition's title, Velvet Armor — Khizanishvili's Korean debut — stands for the soft yet potent power of women. She veers away from portraying women as solely beautiful and romanticized subjects, a trope often found in pre-modern art. Instead, she vividly expresses their vibrant energy, painting them as strong, occasionally eccentric figures. This emphasis on female strength is a recurring theme in Khizanishvili's work, demonstrating her belief that "armor" is not designed to segregate us from our adversaries but rather to embrace them. Accompanying Khizanishvili's pieces, a work by Saeng Kwang Park (1904-1985) is featured in the exhibition, drawing a parallel between Georgia and Korea. Through Park's vibrant pentachromatic portrayal of Korean folklore and shamanism, Khizanishvili discerns resonances with her practice. The cross-cultural dialogue between the distinctively Korean elements in Park's work and the traditional Georgian context of Khizanishvili's pieces invites contemplation of the convergences among diverse cultures.
