site.btaArtist Ivan Gazdov to Celebrate Name Day with Sofia Exhibition

Painter Ivan Gazdov will mark his name day with an exhibition titled “Rain 2”, opening on January 7 at the Arte Gallery in Sofia. The show will run until January 23, the artist announced.

Philosophy professor Georgi Kapriev says of Gazdov’s works presented in the exhibition that they are not graphic designs, posters or collages. "These are different, global graphics - a powerful synthesis. Gazdov shares his personal spiritual eruptions through the medium he masters best: images. They are executed with complete aesthetic and intellectual discipline, free of any distractions. His images are ‘pressed’ to a dry substance, with meticulous attention to every detail. Each centimeter is in harmony, a chord in tune with the overall balance, non-aggressive and delicate," said Kapriev.

According to Kapriev, the structure of Gazdov’s work functions like a network of vibrating energies emitted by all things - animate or seemingly inanimate - interacting with one another. "This is why rain fascinates Gazdov: it unites earth, water, sky, life, and humanity into one. This may seem odd, given his complete indifference to nature. Gazdov paints solely from imagination, yet his naïve creative impulse is rigorously disciplined to crystallize simplicity and beauty. Against the complex phenomena of the cult of ugliness and sorrow stand humor and the simple longing for joy and happiness. The air in the gallery becomes easier to breathe, filling viewers with light."

Gazdov calls his humor "coquettish", distinguishing it from vulgarity, mockery, cynicism, or malice. "His rainy faces radiate kindness and tenderness; they are charged with humanity. Though imbued with emotional and intellectual bitterness, they serve as a masterclass in compassion. He makes people aware of what they can and should be. Gazdov is truly an advocate of creation and a defender of the creator," Kapriev added.

The exhibition will feature guest artist Nikolay Karamanov.

Ivan Gazdov was born on November 2, 1945 in the southern city of Yambol. He graduated from the National Art Academy in 1970 and also studied at Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam in 1978. He is a professor at the Sofia Art Academy and served as its rector from 1999 to 2003. In 2023, he was awarded the Academy's highest title of honorary doctor. Gazdov has held numerous exhibitions, including a 2017 retrospective across seven halls of the National Gallery in Sofia. In 1996, he participated in the First International Poster Salon at the Grand Palais, Paris, and subsequent exhibitions across five continents. He has received 34 awards in fine arts, including 20 national and 14 international prizes, such as the Alexander Zhendov Grand Prize from the Union of Bulgarian Artists (1989), a Moscow competition prize marking the 40th anniversary of the victory over fascism (1985), the Hidezo Kondo Special Prize in Tokyo (1986), and the Golden Age State Prize from the Ministry of Culture (2015).