Kon Tiki Gallery in Tbilisi: Cubism, Naive Art and Portraits
📋 What you will learn in five minutes
🍂 Who is Temuri Kuliani and how did the “Kuliani style” come about?
🍂 What awaits inside: portraits “like Modigliani”, a cocktail of cubism and naive
🍂 How to get there and how much time to allocate for a visit
🍂 Where to drink coffee and buy an author's print nearby
🍂 Where to spend the night nearby: from budget guest houses to boutique hotels
🍂 Frequently asked questions and life hacks from gallery guests
⚡️ Practical squeeze
| 📍 Coordinates | 41.695714 N, 44.806119 E |
| 🏛 Address | ul. Chakhrukhradze 16 (2 min from Liberty Square) |
| 🕙 Hours | daily 10:00 – 19:00 (check by phone) |
| 🎟 Entrance | free, postcards and prints from 15 GEL |
| ☎️ Contacts | +995 558 75 29 61 | [email protected] |
| 📲 Social Networks | Instagram | Facebook |
| 🖌 On site | live workshop, portrait in 30 min, souvenirs from 15 GEL |
🏛️ Kon Tiki - art island in old Tbilisi
Since 2012, the artist has been receiving guests in two rooms of an old house next to the Anchiskhati church. It is a shop, an exhibition and a workshop at the same time. The paintings change depending on the author's mood: yesterday, "Jazz Quartet" was hanging, today, the "French Coffee Houses" series is on the wall. You can watch the artist finish painting a portrait and immediately discuss ordering a new one.
What to see
- Modigliani-style portraits — recognizable oval faces and elongated necks.
- Urban sketches: Norwegian fjords and Tbilisi balconies on one canvas.
- Experimental cubes: a mix of naive, cubism and signature linear perspective.
- Mini-postcards for 15 GEL: a budget souvenir that fits in your carry-on luggage.
🖌️ Here you can easily order an express portrait in 30 minutes, choose a postcard from 15 GEL or discuss the plot of a future canvas over a cup of coffee from the neighboring "Linville". Entrance is free, and buying a small souvenir helps maintain the creative space.
🚶♂️ The gallery is only two minutes from Freedom Square, but "Kon Tiki" shares the atmosphere more generously than some large museums: the author is friendly, willingly tells the stories of the paintings and allows you to take pictures with new works.
🎨 Artist with camera and brush
Temuri Kuliani is a director by education and a painter by vocation. After studying at VGIK and shooting short films, he moved to Norway, where he combined naive, postimpressionism and cubism, creating his own "Kuliani style" with recognizable elongated faces and warm ochre. In 2012, he returned to Tbilisi and opened the "Kon Tiki" gallery, where he personally paints and receives guests.
1959 📍
Birth in Tbilisi. Children's performances and first sketches in the gallery opposite the house.
1980s 🎬
Study at VGIK, shooting two short films. Light and frame of the future artist.
1994 🇳🇴
Moving to Norway. Naive + Cubism inspire the creation of his own style.
2012 🏛️
Returning to Tbilisi and opening the gallery "Kon Tiki" near Anchiskhati.
💬 What Visitors Say
A tiny studio in the narrow streets of Tbilisi: we dropped in by chance and stayed for a long time. The owner is friendly, told the story of each painting, and the postcard fit into my travel bag like a talisman.
It's nice to see a place where an artist paints right in front of visitors. I left with a mini-print and a feeling that I had met the Georgian Modigliani of the 21st century.
I recommend stopping by if you are walking near the Clock Tower. The paintings are warm, talking to the artist is a special pleasure, and the prices for souvenirs are friendly.
I was going for coffee and found a gallery. Pure naivety mixed with cubism - an interesting mix. The artist willingly posed for a photo and signed my portrait in half an hour.
🗺️ How to get there and how much time to allow
🚶♂️ On foot. From Liberty Square, turn onto Chakhrukhradze Street — just ≈ 220 meters away, and the bright “Kon Tiki” sign with brushes and cubes will be right above the entrance.
🚇 Metro. Liberty Square station, exit #2 (to the escalator towards the Old Town). Go up, turn left and walk for two minutes along the tram tracks to the intersection — the gallery will be opposite a cozy coffee shop.
🚖 Taxi or car sharing. From anywhere in the center, the trip will cost 4–6 ₾; ask the driver to stop at the Public Service Hall, from there the gallery is less than three minutes’ walk away.
🚗 By car. Park your car in the municipal parking lot near the Public Service Hall (often free during the day) or in the paid parking lot near the Theatre Museum. Avoid the narrow alleys of Chakhrukhradze: there is little space, and the patrol often issues fines.
🕒 How much time to allocate. 20-30 minutes will be enough for a leisurely tour of the exhibition. Are you planning to talk to the artist, order a portrait or choose a canvas? Feel free to add another half hour.
☕️ Coffee and a quick snack
A chain of cozy coffee shops stretches around the gallery: from mini-bars with strong espresso "on the run" to halls with designer latte art.
- Do you like sweets? Stop where the display case is strewn with eclairs and smells of cinnamon.
- Do you value peace? Look for establishments with soft sofas in courtyards where gravel crunches.
🍽️ Where to eat a hearty meal
Narrow streets hide family-run eateries with homemade khinkali and elegant bistros with signature cuisine.
- Need a quick lunch without spending too much? Choose places where the menu is handwritten and the oven is visible.
- Want an evening with candles and wine tasting? Look where the sign shows a bunch of grapes and live music is playing.
🏨 Where to spend the night
In the neighboring neighborhoods, it's easy to find accommodation for any budget: 🛏️ budget hostels with shared rooms and free breakfast, 🏠 apartments with their own kitchen for independent travelers, and 🌟 boutique hotels with a panoramic view of the Old Town. And if you need minimal expenses, catch promotions in guest houses; value comfort and service - choose rooms with a SPA and a rooftop terrace.
Tip: Book in advance during high season - popular options near Freedom Square are the first to be taken.
✅ Why is it worth visiting today?
Kon Tiki is not just an exhibition, but a live meeting with an artist-director who paints pictures right before your eyes. Admission is free, the visit takes half an hour, and in exchange you get a boost of inspiration, the opportunity to take home an author's souvenir and a shot of old Tbilisi that you won't find in any museum.
Find yourself near Freedom Square? Take a few steps along Chakhrukhradze Street and see how naive and cubism coexist under one vault. Discover a living example of contemporary Georgian art!
💌 Share your impressions
Saw a work that caught your attention? Tell us what exactly touched you — the color, the plot, or the mood? ✍️ Leave a few lines in the comments under the article 👇
Share your emotions and inspire each other!
ℹ️ Information on opening hours and prices was verified in July 2025. Before visiting, please check details by phone or on social media.
❓ Frequently asked questions
No, the gallery works in an "open door" format. For groups of 10+, it is better to warn the artist by phone - they will prepare the space in advance.
Yes. An express acrylic portrait costs ≈ 120 GEL and is completed in 30 minutes while you talk to the artist.
Yes, but without a flash. Tag @kulianiart on Instagram - the artist is pleased to see his work in your feed.
Free parking at the Public Service Hall (3 min walk). Paid indoor parking is located near the Theater Museum.
Postcards and prints from 15 GEL, canvases up to 50 × 70 cm - they will pack them so that they fit in hand luggage.
Paintings are paid for in cash or by bank transfer; postcards and prints — Visa / Mastercard.
Georgian, Russian, English and a little Norwegian — a conversation will definitely take place.
The entrance is at sidewalk level, without steps; there is enough space inside for a wheelchair.
Small dogs on a leash are welcome, as long as they do not disturb other visitors.
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