'Love Loves to Love Love' - James Joyce
An exploration of love as a universal language expressed through colour, symbolism, and human connection
Elena Tsomaia was delighted to present Keti Davlianidze’s exhibition for the first time in Ireland. The exhibition was an ode to peace and love, using art as a powerful medium to reflect on these universal themes. As visitors moved through the gallery, they encountered a world of colour, symbolism, and emotion through the works of the Georgian artist.
Keti Davlianidze’s oeuvre reflects our shared humanity and the beauty of human relationships while celebrating cultural identity and the enduring hope for peace. Nature plays a central role in the exhibition, particularly the motif of the dandelion, symbolising renewal, fruitfulness, and hope. Two dancing dandelions appear as a poetic representation of connection, while abstract forms evoke the presence of two souls united through love.
‘Love is the energy of light. And a painting can shine as bright as the sun’ - Keti!
Tbilisi-based Keti Davlianidze is an acclaimed Georgian artist whose work is held in private collections across the United States, China, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, and Georgia, including the permanent collection of the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts.
“Love Loves to Love Love” is Keti’s solo exhibition travelling from Tbilisi to Stockholm and Dublin. Her artistic language is distinguished by delicate compositions and expressive subjects that explore the complexity of human emotion.
A central figure in the exhibition is Noah — an athletic male figure pursuing hearts, symbolising compassion and salvation through love. In Keti’s interpretation, Noah represents the idea that humanity finds its salvation in compassion and connection. The key to living, therefore, lies in preserving kindness and empathy toward others.
When exploring love, one must also acknowledge the presence of fear, pain, and disappointment. Keti’s work therefore reflects not only the joys of life but also the struggles that shape human experience.
The distinctive power of her paintings lies in the emotional energy they transmit to the viewer. Regardless of the theme, her works remain light and delicate, suggesting that love ultimately endures through all circumstances.
Irreducible conceptual synthesis
Love carries many meanings and manifests itself in many forms. The title “Love Loves to Love Love” ultimately suggests that love itself is enduring. Through the quotation from James Joyce, the exhibition establishes a conceptual dialogue between literary and visual art.
The connection between Joyce and Keti’s work lies in their shared exploration of the human condition — compassion, sacrifice, freedom, and love. Both artistic voices reflect cultural identity while expressing universal emotional experiences that resonate across time and place.
