At the start of this year, La Verrière, Fondation d'entreprise Hermès, is dedicating its space to the paintings of Georgian artist Elene Shatberashvili for her solo exhibition, "Four." Curated by Joël Riff—his tenth exhibition for the Brussels gallery—this new offering is a sensitive reflection on the world as seen through the artist's eyes, shaping a narrative constructed from her perspective. The exhibition brings together some twenty canvases spanning a decade of her work, displayed alongside pieces by eight other artists featured at La Verrière.
Originally from Tbilisi, Georgia, Elene Shatberashvili moved to Paris in 2011 to pursue her studies at the Beaux-Arts, in Tim Eitel's studio. Eitel's focus on observing everyday situations and figures seems to have profoundly influenced the artist's painting practice. This sensitivity to detail and careful observation of gestures is reflected in the creation of "Four," which Shatberashvili describes as an evolving process. "I think it was obvious to include the self-portrait on the objects we installed. We probably started by putting Johan Viladrich's shelf on the wall and everything gradually built from there."
This construction logic extends to the exhibition's scenography. Arranged like compasses, the four seats designed by Rooms Studio guide the visitor's gaze and structure their journey. Four, like the exhibition's title; four, like the number of Elene Shatberashvili's solo exhibitions, lending the installation a symbolic dimension. “As I was saying, my work is primarily experimental, and I believe this approach is also reflected in the installation, which plays with the space of La Verrière. This was important, almost essential. Different perspectives are present, as is often the case in an installation that is still being developed.”, continues the artist.
Within this framework, various acts take shape before the visitors' eyes, where self-portraits, still lifes, and scenes of daily life intertwine. The furniture designed by Johan Viladrich reinforces this impression of reality, giving the viewer the feeling of being immersed in a pictorial space that has become tangible. The exhibition also places the work of Elene Shatberashvili in dialogue with that of three other former students of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—Nathanaëlle Herbelin, Miranda Webster, and Jean Claracq—as well as Vera Pagava, a leading figure in abstract art.
Elene Shatberashvili conceives of her paintings as deities, objects of devotion with which she maintains an intimate relationship. This spiritual dimension is particularly evident in her use of egg tempera, a traditional technique she experiments with to create icons. For the artist, iconography is both a means of creation and a cultural heritage: the fixed images, whether Egyptian or from other traditions, convey the essence of the civilizations they represent. Line plays a fundamental role, giving each gesture a ritualistic character, as in Self portrait (Where does the light come from) (2025-2026).
“Four” then reveals itself as an intimate confession of the artist’s life, highlighting his daily life and his view of the world.
"Four"
La Verrière, Hermès Corporate Foundation
50 Boulevard de Waterloo, Brussels (Belgium)
From January 15rd to April 11rd, 2026
fondationdentreprisehermes.org
