Tblisi - 5 December 2012
1. Various of enamelled details on Khakhuli triptych dating back to 8th Century on display at the Georgian National Museum
2. People looking at Khakhuli triptych
3. Enamelled cross in foreground and triptych in background
4. Various of enamel showing St George from 15th Century
5. Various of medieval enamels
6. Various of artists looking at pieces of enamel at Pokany art studio
7. Wide of artists working
8. Various of artists working on enamels
9. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) David Kakabadze, Enamel artist:
Making enamel icons has its rules. They are made of traditional local colours and the techniques used are equal to the ones used in the enamels stored in the museum. We try not to change anything. The oldest enamel in the Georgian museum dates back to 8th Century and the newest one is St. George which dates back to 15th Century. After that the enamel tradition was lost in Georgia. Only now we are witnessing a revival of this tradition.
10. Painters working on enamels
11. Various of colours being put on enamel icon of St. Nino
12. Various of enamel being put into oven for firing
13. Close up of fired enamel figures
14. Enamel being taken from oven
15. Various of enamel icon cooling
16. Painters looking at pieces of enamel icons
17. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) David Kakabadze, Artist:
The main aim for us is to revive the tradition of enamels and Georgian ornaments, which date back centuries. Enamel in Georgian art was mainly used to make ornaments and also, very rarely, small medallions were made from enamel which adorned the space around the central icon. But during the years in our studio the technique has been so improved that we have even made icons only using enamel technique.
18. Various exteriors of Pokany retail shop
19. Women looking at enamels
20. Close up of enamel work
21. Women in the shop
22. Enamel products in shop, tilt down
23. Replica of 15th Century cross featuring enamel of St. George
24. Women browsing in shop
25. Enamel showing Tbilisi landscape
26. Mid of icons
27. People looking at enamels
28. Close up of enamelled ring
29. Mid of Pokany shop
30. Mid of mini icons
31. Various of enamel products on display
32. Wide of Pokany shop window
33. Mid of enamelled cross on display
LEADIN
The ancient craft of enamelling is being revived in Georgia thanks to a dedicated group of artists in the country's capital Tbilisi.
The enamel work draws upon traditional religious art dating back to the eighth century.
STORYLINE
Are you still looking for the perfect Christmas gift ?
Perhaps a piece of enamelware from Georgia would be suitable.
But not this one.
This is a prized piece of Georgia's history and is carefully stored in the Georgian National Museum
Dating back to the 8th Century, it is known as the Khakhuli triptych. It is the oldest enamel stored in the museum.
Then there is this, an enamel featuring of one of the patron saints of Georgia, St George, which dates back to the 15th Century.
Enamelware was enormously popular in Georgia but the craft was lost around the 15th Century. It is not known why.
A group of artists at the Pokany workshop studios in Tbilisi is working hard to revive the ancient art form and give Georgian enamelware a new lease of life.
David Kakabadze is one of those artists.
He says modern enamelling follows ancient guidelines.
The artists are using these traditional techniques to create modern enamel landscape pictures, jewellery and religious icons, like this one of St Nino.
Enamel is made by applying layers of coloured finely powdered glass to an object which is often made of metal.
It is then is fired at very high temperatures before being allowed to cool.
Kakabadze says he hopes enamelling will become popular again.
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