Media Arts

It all started in 1997, in a tiny room that was given to three enthusiastic persons, Nino Darakhvelidze, Nana Iashvili, and Nino Karbelashvili, by the administration of the Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. By that time, it was already considered that drawing and setting personal ideas on paper by making sketches and roughs was insufficient. There had emerged an urgent need for specialists with fundamental skills in computer program- ming and a capability to create  realistic three-dimensional models, to apply sound and animation and, consequently, to create a computer (or virtual) world, the so-called third reality, and also to conduct  business, production, organi- zation and presentation of the final idea.

“The Law of Georgia on Higher Education” comprised complete readjustment of the study programs in academic direction and administrational one, as well. One of the major priorities of reformation turned to be consolidation of the faculties and fields. At the crucial moment, the Tbilisi State Academy of arts, the Rector Gia Bughadze, and Nana Iashvili, professor at the Chair of Computer Arts and Geometric Modelling prepared the project with strong argumentation, concerning establishment of a new faculty. This step was accomplished successfully and was followed by opening the new page in the history of the traditional, just about 100 years old higher art institution. In March, 2005, the Faculty of Computer Art, Graphic Design and Visual Communication was established (Graphic Design and visual communication was established in 1970 as the Chair of Industrial Design.) Since March, 2006, the Caucasian Institute of Photography and New Media has been integrated into the Faculty and was renamed the Faculty of Media Arts.

In 2007, a new animation studio was opened. At present, 29 short animated films are kept in the studio’s film collection, 16 of which have been awarded prizes and diplomas at various international student festivals.

Students are acquiring various techniques of animation film creation by applying contemporary computer programs (classical animation, puppet animation, sand animation and stop motion).