Konstantine (Kote) KUBANEISHVILI (born 1951, Tbilisi) is a freelance professional poet and writer; translator of Russian writers, among them Maiakowski and Mandelshtam; and host of a radio program in Tbilisi, "Darchi Norchi" (Stay Young). He is also a playwright at the State Rustaveli Theatre and Youth Theatre. Among his publications are Damoukidebloba (Independence) with A. Darchashvili, 1999; poems in XX Century (the Georgian literary journal), 1998; German folk ballad translations, 1997; and a selection of English sonnet translations, 1997. Mr. Kubaneishvili has been the most active and outspoken player in the changing world of Georgian poetry in the past decade. He appeared on the literary scene in 1990 with his book Reaktiuli Klubi (The Reactive Club), which is a collection of poems and radio plays. His poetry touches upon general issues of mankind, as well as describing everyday routine. Also reflected in his poetry are the tensions in the political and public life of Georgia. With the release of his book came T-shirts with logos and slogans distributed widely among young people and the general public. Mr. Kubaneishvili also translates the works of international writers and poets, and through poetry and performance uses his fluency in English, Russian, and German-as well as in Georgian-to make provocative statements about humanity and world civilization at the dawn of the new millennium. Mr. Kubaneishvili is the IWP's first representative from the Republic of Georgia. He is attending the IWP through a grant from the US Information Agency.

Countries
Georgia
Languages
Russian
Session
1999