site.btaNational Gallery Presents Christo Simeonov

THE NATIONAL GALLERY

presents

CHRISTO SIMEONOV (1935–2020)

BETWEEN MATTER AND ANTIMATTER

28 October–31 December 2026

Opening: Wednesday, 28 October, 6 p.m.

Kvadrat 500

1, 19th February St., St Alexander Nevsky Sq., Sofia

Christo Simeonov (1935–2020) belonged to the generation of artists whose creative searches unfolded amidst the evolving visual language of the second half of the 20th century. Within the context of Bulgarian art, this painter stood out for his idiosyncratic creative system—the result of long-standing research in physics, astrology, and cosmology—that existed at the intersection of painting, philosophy, science, and imagination.

The exhibition, ‘Between Matter and Antimatter’, features a selection of more than 60 works produced over a span of five decades. These range from still lifes, interiors, portraits, and landscapes—through which the artist maintained his connection to reality—to his magnum opus: Pariorealism.

In his earlier works, objects, light and space are rendered with precision, while the ordinary is transformed into an avenue for exploring the relationship between man and the surrounding world. The landscapes he produced throughout his life, reveal both nature and the urban environment as constant sources of inspiration. Seeking a novel artistic direction in the late 1970s, the artist formulated the concept of Pariorealism. Utilising the airbrush, employing unconventional spatial compositions, and engaging with ideas regarding rhythm, matter, and the Universe, he constructed images that transcended the established laws of physical reality. 

In the history of Bulgarian art, Christo Simeonov’s figure is closely linked to sci-fi artists such as Stefan Lefterov, Vasil Ivanov, Tekla Aleksieva, and Dimitar Yankov.

Media partners: BTA / Bulgarian News Agency; Bulgarian National Television; ELLE magazine, and rozali.com.

For further information:

Maria Kodinova, National Gallery
+359 899 940 091