Zurab K. Tsereteli, a Georgian-Russian artist renowned for his monumental sculptures, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 91 at his home near Moscow. His death was confirmed by his assistant, Sergei Shagulashvili, and President Vladimir V. Putin expressed condolences, recognizing Tsereteli as a significant figure in Russian culture.
Tsereteli, an admirer of Putin, unveiled a controversial bronze statue of the president in 2004, which was largely criticized and remained in his gallery. His work came to symbolize post-Soviet Russian aesthetics, marked by flamboyant and colorful designs, positioning him as an unofficial court artist in the Kremlin during the 1990s, while he also engaged with the Georgian government in its efforts to assert independence from Moscow.
In Tbilisi, he constructed the Freedom Monument to replace a statue of Vladimir Lenin in the square, a move that attracted both support and criticism. In Russia, Tsereteli was instrumental in creating several large monuments that reflected a shift from the minimalist style of the Communist era to a more vibrant, capitalist approach, which was often met with disdain from critics in Moscow.
His work included the design of the first Western-style underground shopping mall in Moscow's Manege Square. Additionally, he received a commission to create a monument to the victims of the September 11 attacks for installation in Jersey City, New Jersey, though it faced rejection from local officials due to its perceived insensitivity and was ultimately installed in Bayonne in 2006.
Tsereteli's colossal statue of Christopher Columbus in Puerto Rico also faced backlash for its aesthetics and the historical implications of Columbus's legacy. Originally intended as a gift for the U.S. in 1992, the statue was turned down by multiple cities before its eventual installation.
His artistic contributions spanned globally, with statues erected in cities including New York, London, Rome, and Tokyo. Tsereteli's work reached a peak in 1997 with the installation of a 321-foot statue of Peter the Great in Moscow, which sparked public outrage and protests. Despite mixed reviews during his lifetime, posthumously, some critics recognized his ability to support fellow artists and acknowledged his artistic talent beyond his larger-than-life statues.
Tsereteli founded the Moscow Museum of Contemporary Art in 1999 and established a modern art museum in Tbilisi. His funeral was held in Tbilisi, with a farewell ceremony in Moscow’s Christ Our Savior Cathedral. He was buried alongside his wife and notable Georgian cultural figures in the Didube Pantheon.
Born on January 4, 1934, in Tbilisi, Tsereteli graduated from the Tbilisi Academy of Arts and later studied in Paris, where he was influenced by prominent artists such as Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso. Throughout his career, he completed many official commissions for the Soviet and Russian political elite and served as chief artist for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
Tsereteli is survived by his daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.