Meir Pichhadze
Born in 1955 in Kutaisi, Georgia.
where he began studying art as a child with the famous Georgian sculptor Razu Ramishvili. He moved with his family to Israel in 1973. There, his work revealed influences of the primitive style of Georgian painter Niko Pirosmanashvili.
In 1983, Pichhadze began studying at the Kalisher College of Art in Tel Aviv. His first exhibition was at the school's newly opened gallery. He was known for his unusual style, most notably for painting on a black canvas instead of the traditional white canvas. Pichhadze held many solo- exhibitions in Israel and participated in many more group exhibitions world wide. In 1990 he won the first prize at the Biennale in Ankara, Turkey. In 2003 He held a solo exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum.
In 2010 Pichhadze lost his six-month battle with cancer at the age of 54.