Lia Shvelidze (born in 1957) is an outstanding figure of 20^th century Georgian art: she is almost the only woman artist in the predominantly male world of Georgian painting. No wonder that a recurring theme of her art is femininity. In her case, this includes the portrayal of the female body, often with a depiction of the artist herself, through a self-reflexive and quite often conceptual approach.

The painting entitled "Dora Maar", selected for this month's Work of Art in Focus, also features a female figure lying prone with her naked upper body. On her back is a painting by Picasso, which subtly contextualises female sexuality and evokes painter Shvelidze's recurring themes.

Lia Shvelidze – Dora Maar 2007

Dora Maar was one of Picasso's partners and a recurring lover of his, whom – just like the case was with so many other women – Picasso treated in a cruel and selfish way. In fact, the great artist exercised many forms of physical and mental tyranny. Nevertheless, Dora Maar was a recurring figure in his paintings and an important muse in his lifework (see "The Weeping Woman", "Portrait of Dora Maar"). Over the many years of their long relationship, the painter and his muse impacted each other through a number of works: it was, for example, Dora Maar who documented the making of Guernica.

Lia Shvelidze's painting entitled "Dora Maar", featuring a smiling woman lying on her stomach and a framed portrait heavily weighing on her, creates an unusual composition and thematic arrangement. The top two thirds of the painting is occupied by Picasso's oblique portrait, which indicates the painter's wilful and continued repression of Dora Maar. The female figure is lying under the trauma of both the painting and Picasso, but her mouth is smiling, which can be interpreted as a liberating gesture on the woman's part. The naked figure is capable of floating in the air despite her portrayal as a weeping woman.

The opening ceremony held on 29^th May was attended by the painter, Lia Shvelidze herself.

The artwork of the month will be on display until 30^th June in the exhibition Women Artists - Faces of the Era on the 6^th floor of the Pesti Vigadó.