Irena Popiashvili is a Dean of Visual Arts, Architecture & DesignSchool, VA[A]DS, at the Free University of Tbilisi, Georgia. She is aco-founder and director of Kunsthalle Tbilsi. Previously she co-ownedNewman Popiashvili Gallery in New York (2005-2012), served as a director of the State Academy of Arts in Tbilisi in 2012. Ms.Popiashvili has curated exhibitions in the US and Europe (i.e.Georgian Pavilion in Venice Biennale in 1999 and 2003). Most recently, she curated Gabriela von Habsburg: 20 years in Georgia atKunsthalle Tbilisi and Jeff Bliumis's exhibition at Gallery Astley,Sweden. She received a BA from Tbilisi State University andUniversity of Lodz, Poland and MA in art history from University ofGeorgia in Athens, GA (USA).