Esma Oniani

Esma Oniani (Georgian: ესმა ონიანი) (20 July 1938 - 31 January 1999) was a Georgian poet, essayist, and painter.

Oniani, a Tbilisi native, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of her native city from 1957 until 1963;^[1] The School-Leavers, which she produced upon her graduation, was sent to a student exhibition in Moscow. She participated in numerous exhibitions during her career while working as an artistic director for the state television company.^[2] From 1968 she held a position teaching painting at her alma mater.^[3] She illustrated many books as well, such as Erlom Akhvlediani's children's work The Story of a Little Mouse. Oniani began publishing her writing in 1968; she dealt with such taboo topics as religion and erotic subjects, and soon caused a sensation with her work. Nevertheless, although several collections of her work were published, she was publicly noted more for her artistic endeavors than her writing, which circulated mostly privately; it was only after her death that her poetry began to receive wider attention.^[2]

Oniani exhibited her work both domestically and abroad during her career, receiving plaudits including a medal from an exhibition in Japan.^[1] She won a medal from the Artists' Union for her portrait of David Kakabadze in 1982. She received the posthumously in 2000. Some of her writing has been translated into German and published,^[2] and several of her paintings may be found in the collection of the Georgian Museum of Fine Arts.^[4]

Bibliography[]

List from:^[2]

• Is that me? This one too? I’m back again? Artanuji Publishing, 2015
• Souls incinerated in Fire, Saunje Publishing, 2013
• From Old Notebooks, Intelekti Publishing, 2011
• 100 Poems, Intelekti Publishing, 2010,
• What I Don’t Forget, Publishing House Merani, 1998
• White Visitors, Sov. Georgia Publishing, 1986
• Birds Soaring Quietly, Publishing House Merani, 1982
• Poems, Publishing House Merani, 1978

References[]