American Artist Causes a Stir in Georgia by Claiming Presidency

American artist David Datuna causes a stir in Georgia asking Georgian billionnaire in power to cancel the elections and appoint David President of the country

During a summer vacation in his historical homeland of Georgia, American artist David Datuna created a portrait of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, entitled "Dear Cardinal" and appealed to him on his Facebook page with a proposal to appoint himself President of the country. The ironic appeal to Ivanishvili, who is considered by many to be Georgia’s "grey cardinal", was picked up by all the leading Georgian media.

A presidential election is scheduled in Georgia on October 28, 2018. All adults in the country can vote for the candidates. The President is elected for a term of six years. However, according to the Constitution adopted in 2017, this will be Georgia’s last direct presidential election. In the next election, the President will be chosen by the 300 members of the Electoral College.

"I certainly had a presentiment that my art performance would be of great interest, but the reaction of not only the people of Georgia but also my friends around the world exceeded all my wildest expectations. Apparently, people all over the world are tired of monotonous monologues by prospective politicians. The goal of drawing attention to fake elections has been achieved, and this is another reminder that the time of real leaders is long in the past. The world is ruled by absurdity and chaos, and castrated politicians serve them. Re-run the election in the United States. The race was also stupid and false, and I have repeatedly criticized the idiocy around it", said Datuna.

The painting "Dear Cardinal" was Datuna’s second work using the effect of refraction of light through lenses. The first was a portrait of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, entitled "All-Seeing", which was sold in June this year for 400,000 euros.
"In Georgia, I formed a large support group. For the moment, I have decided not to accept the proposals to finance my presidential campaign, but I am wondering how to use potential investors to improve the political situation in the country", said Datuna with a laugh.

This is not the first statement by Datuna on politics. On the eve of the 2016 US election, the artist placed an installation entitled "Make America Stronger Together" next to Trump Tower in New York. The work consists of two American flags attached to each other and covered with a collage of newspapers, images and quotes reflecting the current political climate, and the hands of mannequins forming the words "SOS" and "One". In October of the same year, Datuna flew around the Statue of Liberty on an airplane with portraits of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on its wings – an action art performance aimed at forcing the presidential candidates to look at the inside and essence of America, which "they have forgotten".

David Datuna was born February 10, 1974 in Tbilisi in the Soviet Union. In 1998, at the age of 24, he emigrated to the United States from Georgia.

Datuna is one of the best-selling and most expensive contemporary artists. His main works are portraits of world leaders and the national flags of countries. In just a few years, he has created installations in the form of 500 flags of almost 80 countries, each with its own philosophical and historical concept. His painting depicting the flag of Georgia was presented to Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and is now kept in the Presidential Palace.

In 2013, David Datuna created the world's first art object for the Google glass headset. With this work, he became one of the first artists to be awarded a place in the national portrait gallery in Washington during his own lifetime.

Kate Brunner
david.datuna.pr@gmail.com
+79161893095
610 Waring Ave Bronx, NY 10467

This release was published on openPR.