The exhibition – curated by Eva Brioschi and Julia Marchand – aims to introduce the work of Ilia Zdanevich – ILIAZD (Tbilisi 1894 – Paris 1975), a poet, writer, designer, scholar, and admirer of Byzantine and Georgian sacred architecture. A radical publisher and maitre du livre d’artiste, Iliazd explored diverse creative approaches.

Starting with his contribution to the Boîte en Valise series C (commissioned by Marcel Duchamp between 1954 and 1958), the exhibition traces the evolution of his artistic methods, culminating in his innovative bookmaking. ILIAZD conceived the book as an art object—a construction based on the mutual interplay between text and image, an intellectual and spatial architecture, both system and form.

The exhibition will feature drawings of architectural reliefs, design projects in the realm of fashion—where Iliazd collaborated with Sonia Delaunay and Coco Chanel—alongside archival materials from his publishing career and notable artist’s books. Another section will explore ILIAZD’s connection with Duchamp, showcasing previously unseen materials from the Boîte en Valise, highlighting their professional bond built on mutual admiration.
Additionally, a young French artist, Chloé Vanderstraeten, will contribute a work created in response to these two masters, engaging in a contemporary dialogue with their legacy.

With Club Iliazd and Cabinet Institute