The exhibition, featuring more than 80 paintings by 46 Bulgarian artists, is a showcase of the Sofia City Art Gallery collection. Works included in the exhibition date from the mid-20th century through the beginning of the 21st century. They give an idea of the spirit of the time they were created in, as well as of the artistic trends and changes in Bulgarian art.

The exhibition features the works of prominent artists such as Ivan Nenov, Dechko Ouzounov, Vera Nedkova, Vasil Barakov, Stoyan Sotirov, Kiril Petrov, who studied in Munich, Paris, Vienna and whose artistic career started before World War II to be continued after the war ended. Their works, as well as those of applied artists having worked in the 1920’s, 1930’s and the early 1940’s provided the basis and inspiration for the generation of artists whose career started in the 1960’s, namely Svetlin Rousev, Ivan Kirkov, Yoan Leviev, Dimitur Kirov, Georgi Bozhilov, Genko Genkov, Georgi Baev, Alexander Petrov, Magda Abazova, Peter Dochev, Ivan Voukadinov, Lika Yanko. The latter generation brought painting back to prominence in the Bulgarian art scene leading the way for many decades through its works and truly distinctive artistic approaches.

The trends set by the generations to follow are presented in the works of Nikolay Masterov, Ivan Dimov, Dimitur Bouyokliiski, Toma Trifonovski, Hristo Simeonov, Dimitur Kazakov-Nero, Yordan Katsamounski, Dinko Stoev, Sasho Stoitsov, Milko Bozhkov, Andrei Daniel, Svilen Blazhev, Ivaylo MIrchev, as well as in the early 21st century works of the youngest generation of artists represented by Mihaela Vlaseva, Ivan Kostolov, etc.

Earlier this year, namely in April, 2009, the exhibition was presented in the Russian Academy of Arts, Moscow as part of the “Sofia Days in Moscow” initiative.

NIKOLAI DIULGEROV Multiple Artistic Identity. Roma - Torino - Sofia, 20082009

08 July 2009 - 30 September 2009

Nikolay Diulgerov /1901- 1982/ is among the representatives of Italian futurism. An architect, an artist, a designer and an urban ad designer, he was declared honorary citizen of the city of Turin, where he spent most of his artistic career.

The „Nikolay Diulgerov. Multiple Artistic Identity” Exhibition was to take place in 2001 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth, while its present opening is meant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Futurist Manifesto published in Paris by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti. Curator: Irina Genova, design of the exhibition and the catalogue: Nadezhda Oleg Lyahova.

Following the successful presentation of the „Nikolay Diulgerov. Multiple Artistic Identity” Exhibition in Rome in November and December, 2008 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, National Academy of St Cecilia, as well as in Turin in May and June, 2009 at Castello del Valentino, today the central building of the Architecture faculty of the Politecnico di Torino, the exhibition has arrived in Sofia.

The exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of Nikolay Diulgerov's birth is a follow-up to the „Nikolay Diulgerov. Works from Collections in Bulgaria” Exbition presented at the Sofia City Art Gallery in 2000 in cooperation with the National Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of the city of Kiustendil in relation to the lectures delivered by Giorgio di Genova following an invitation of the New Bulgarian University.

The exhibition is presented in Sofia with kind support from the Sofia City Municipality. An exhibition catalogue is available.
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The presentation of the „Nikolay Diulgerov. Multiple Artistic Identity” Exhibition in Rome and Turin and the designing of the exhibition's catalogue were made under the Communication Stratey Project of the Repuiblic of Bulgaria for the EU. Bulgarian partners having contributed to the exhibition's organization are as follows: the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Italy, the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Rome and the New Bulgarian University.