site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian Artist Encho Pironkov Passes Away

Bulgarian artist Encho Pironkov has passed away at the age of 92, the artist's family said on Thursday.

The Culture Ministry expressed its condolences to the artist's family, relatives and admirers. "The team of the Culture Ministry expresses sincere condolences to his family, relatives and admirers. We bow to his extraordinary creative path and immortal contribution to the national fine arts. Encho Pironkov will forever remain in the cultural memory of Bulgaria," the ministry stated.

President Rumen Radev too expressed condolences to the family and friends of Pironkov. "Encho Pironkov's extraordinary gift, the impact of his paintings, monumental frescoes, mosaics and sculptures deservedly made him one of the brightest representatives of the emblematic Plovdiv school,” the head of State said in his letter of condolences, his press secretariat reported. Radev also noted that Pironkov's creative path made him a true phenomenon in Bulgarian culture, and the richness of his creative universe, the colours of his visions and searches, will remain ever so necessary and will continue to illuminate the spiritual life of Bulgarians in an inimitable way.

Pironkov was born on November 9, 1932, in the Plovdiv village of Rozovets. He worked in the field of applied monumental art, including mosaics, frescoes, stained glass, wooden and metal sculptures, as well as stage decoration. His is a representative of the so-called Plovdiv School of the 1960s. He has been awarded by the Union of Bulgarian Artists, as well as with the Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Stara Planina Order, First Degree, for his exceptional merits in the field of culture and art.