 He also published a number of poems, stories and articles in the Russian-language newspapers "Severny Kavkaz" (edited by himself, 1893–1902), and "Kazbek".His paintings also gained in notable popularity, one of them depicting Saint Nino, a 4th-century Christian baptizer of the Georgians, was particularly welcomed by the Georgian society.Due to his criticism of the Imperial Russian government he was twice exiled from his motherland from 1891 to 1896 and again from 1899 to 1902.