President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli became the author of the cup for indie game developers

Despite the many works that have gained worldwide fame, People’s Artist of the USSR and the Russian Federation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli continues to seek new forms of self-expression. “A real artist must be a seeker,” he is sure and is not afraid to dive into new spheres for himself. Even if it is a high-tech and creative field of game development.

On April 6, 2021, the results of the largest indie games competition in Eastern Europe, the Indie Cup, were summed up. One of the nominations in this competition is called "Mountain Goat". The goat symbol was born from the name of the nomination as an abbreviation of the first letters of the phrase "Greatest of All Time", translated as "Greatest of All Time", GOAT. It is intended for those developers whose project was the most daring, went beyond any stereotypes and surpassed all expectations. The organizer of the nomination is the international publisher of mobile games and applications Green Gray.

The award also matched the project: the winners received an unusual cup, which was created personally by Zurab Tsereteli. There has never been such a collaboration in the world of game development!

Gamers and game developers visited the Zurab Konstantinovich Museum-Workshop in Peredelkino, where the master lives and creates. The artist personally led the children around the museum and exhibition complex and told about his new works. And the guys, in turn, immersed the maestro in the virtual world with the help of VR-glasses and a game, where with the help of an invisible sword Zurab Konstantinovich fought smartly with flying objects flying at him to dynamic music.

Zurab Konstantinovich spoke in an interview about how the concept of the cup for indie game developers was created.

- Zurab Konstantinovich, you are now working on creating a statuette for the winner of the Mountain Goat nomination in the indie games competition. Why does the statuette look like this? What inspired you while working on it?

Zurab Tsereteli: First of all, the Caucasian traditions of hospitality. It is believed that friends must have a drink together when they meet. Therefore, the statuette is quite functional. Outside - an ornament imitating motherboards. But the figurine can also be used for its intended purpose - pouring and drinking from it (laughs). The one who takes the first place can do it as a sign of victory!

- Our prize is for those who came up with the most interesting and creative game. What helps you to be creative?

Zurab Tsereteli: You know, I sometimes look at my work and wonder: did I really do it all? The most important thing for an artist is to think and feel. Much comes from childhood, the traditions that have developed in the family, what my mother and grandmother passed on, strongly influence. There must also be good teachers. I was very lucky - the right teachers were in Georgia! For example, the artist Vasily Shukhaev, who has become an example for me in many ways.

Artists who have received the right school know that art should be for art. It is a value in itself. There are unique talented generations in Russia and they must create museum values for their country. Oil, aluminum, and other natural resources are available today, but not tomorrow. But art is an eternal value. This is true patriotism.

- Do you have students?

Zurab Tsereteli: A lot. I am not hiding anything - who wants to learn from me, for God’s sake. I give paints, brushes, canvases - and work! What’s interesting: many children are best at drawing not when I give a master class, but when I myself work - and they just watch me.

- They say that technology and artificial intelligence can replace even creative people. Do you agree with this? Can a machine create at the same level as a human?

Zurab Tsereteli: No, an artist must create masterpieces with his own hands. Each person thinks in his own way and this is reflected in his work. Remember Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo - they created museum values for the state with their own hands. Now their work is highly regarded.

- Do you have a favorite work among those that you have created?

Zurab Tsereteli: It’s hard to say. I believe that a true artist must be a seeker for the rest of his life. The era is changing, tastes are changing. Therefore, you need to constantly look for something new.

Dima Morozov, founder and CEO of Green Gray publisher: How did we come up with the Mountain Goat? We just appreciate the flight of thought, we understand how important it is to go beyond. It is important for us to support not only commercial games, but also those who are one step away from a breakthrough, but no one gives them this chance, since everything is put on stream and creativity is relegated to the background ",

We wanted the statuette to be more than just a piece of plastic or glass on the winners’ shelf. We also didn’t want it to be momentary value in the form of money. I wanted something for centuries! Our "Mountain goat" was created by the famous master - Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli. We learned from Tsereteli one important rule - art for art’s sake. The Mountain Goat nomination is a game for the sake of play. And we think that thanks to Zurab Konstantinovich, we succeeded.

The winners of the Mountain Goat nomination were the 5WORD TEAM with the game DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES AWAY FROM THE RED FRIDGE from Novosibirsk. This is the first prize, the first cup and the first winners. Creativity should have the right to insanity, to the breadth of expression, to infinity. We will carry this idea further, support the most non-standard and brilliant minds. This is just the beginning. GOAT!

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GREEN GRAY is an international developer and publisher of games and applications. A creative team of professionals with colossal experience at the intersection of advertising, marketing, technology, investment and games. The goal of GREEN GRAY is to support and develop game studios and technology startups in Russia and the CIS through investments and many years of experience in creating and promoting products. GREEN GRAY - art on a digital scale. greengreystudio.com

The Mountain Goat nomination is the award for the most unusual and insane game project, developed in 2021 by the international publisher of mobile games and applications GREEN GRAY. The prize is a valuable historical prize and a sum of $ 10,000 for the development of the project. The first statuette in the framework of the nomination was created by Zurab Tsereteli. First Mountain Goat nomination launched as part of the Indie Cup, indiecup.net