BOGDAN ALEXANDROV – A Modern Bulgarian Master

Dear Friends, it has been a while… forgive my inconsistency! While the desire to write about artistic events and work that interest me is as usual boundless – time seems to be the only limitation. However – for those of you who enjoy these writings, that come from the heart of my love for Art , I am restarting my writing with this post– about a Bulgarian artist, whose work has crossed boundaries. I have always wanted to devote special posts to my Facebook ‘discoveries’. Some of these Artists  are unbelievable.  Susanne Kessler ( a sophisticated installation Artist from Germany ), Philip Geist, Ross Ashton ( brilliant Multimedia artists from Germany and Great Britain ) ,  Cliff Garten ( a California Public Artist with incredible visions) to name a few.  These artists have something in common – they are absolutely brilliant! And inspirational!

     SUSPENDED (E)MOTION

As I promised in the beginning – I only show you artists who have in some way astounded me and inspired me. That is a promise I will keep! So before I resort to presenting each an every one of them in time, allow me to present you a very talented and masterful BOGDAN ALEXANDROV, whose latest work, that was exhibited in Yuzina Gallery(2013) –  I also encountered on Facebook.  The genuineness of his vision is undisputed. His latest exhibition in Sofia  has created quite a sensation. It id here – on the West coast by means of digital  media. The large canvases  by Bogdan Alexandrov convey a certain mood, that seems to captivate the viewer and leave a lasting impression. And makes us think. Makes us relate to the people in the images. ” What are they thinking? What are they talking about…? “After these questions fade away , we discover that it does not really matter. What matters is – that these paintings have captured a moment in time – that will never happen again. The eternal ‘now” as the Zen philosophy points it. The only moment that actually exists.

Regarding his method, in Mr.Alexandrov’s own words: ” Nowadays , people document life with greater ease than ever.” Says the Artist. ” Equipped with new technology, reporters, filmmakers and artists are “capturing” images constantly. The digital medium transmits images in a format, where the image is reduced to a time code and is modified by the imperfections of he optical systems being used.” These imperfections have been superimposed and intelligently used as the foundation of his method, that is difficult to define – by creating the illusion of the movement, without the still  frames…

The Artist: “In my works I depict the characters by synthesizing multimedia images in a series of transitional transparencies. Their hands, faces, gestures and movements are in a state in which the conventional two-dimensions representational painting is replaced by the dynamic of the movement.”

The Artist Bogdan Alexandrov lives and works in Bulgaria, his website and his blog  are: http://bogdanaleksandrov.blogspot.com/

Enjoy !

Your Truly.

Tsvetana  for

TheArtChronicle

For Your Viewing Experience – Below is Bogdan Alexandrovs List of Exhibits

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Bogdan Aleksandrov, Born in 1960, Vidin, Bulgaria.

 

1989 – “St. Cyril and Methodius” University, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria,

M.A. in Fine Art Painting.Lives and works in Vidin, Bulgaria.

Solo Exhibitions:

2012 “Purgatorium”, Rayko Aleksiev gallery, Sofia, BG. Curator Desislava Moneva.

2012 “Creation from nothing”, St. st. Cyril and Methodius University Veliko Turnovo, BG. Curator Georghi Minchev.
2012 “Local cooling”, Gallery L’Union, Plovdiv, (BG), painting.

2010 “Panta rei”, painting, Novi Sad, Serbia.

2010 “Noise”, Sofia City Gallery, Sofia,(BG), painting, sound installation.

2008 “Entrebaillement” Cite International Des Arts, Paris, France,  Video projection and performance

2008  “mixed”, Art Alley Gallery, Sofia, (BG), digital print, painting, video,drawings.

2007 “Initial E”, Gallery L’Union, Plovdiv, (BG), Video installation, work on handmade Japanese paper.

2007 “Replacement” , Nikola Petrov Gallery, Vidin (BG), painting and video projection,  curator Gordon Carter

2006 “Residual image”, Narodni muzej, Zajchar, Serbia

2005 “Residual image”, Stara Capetanjia Art Gallery, Zemun, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

2003 “Anthropomorphous version”, National Art Gallery, Sofia (BG)

2002 “My Glagolitsa”, painting, Sofia Art Gallery, London (UK)

2001 “Shores”, painting, King’s Head Gallery, Presteign, Wales (UK)

1999 “Metamorphoses of the Instant”, painting and plastic arts, “Art 36” Art Gallery, Sofia (BG)

1997 “DURE” Art Gallery, Timishoara, Romania

1997 “Stalbata” Art Gallery, Sofia (BG)

1994 Painting, “Spectra” Art Gallery, Veliko Tarnovo; “Ilia Beshkov” Art Gallery, Pleven (BG)

1993 “Agora” Art Gallery, Reshitza, Romania

1993 Painting & Drawing, Art Museum, Kalafat, Romania

1992 Painting, “Nikola Petrov” Art Gallery, Vidin (BG)

1990 Painting & Drawing, Higher Institute of Architecture, Sofia (BG)

1990 “Version of Progress”, Kinetic installation, Higher Institute of Architecture, Sofia (BG)

　

　

 

ANGEL – THE PRISONER- ARTIST

THE SAN CLEMENTE FREE SPIRIT

That January morning,  the 12th,  I accidentally caught on a TV clip about a prisoner, who  started painting in prison. San Clemente – if I am not mistaken. This man, of Mexican descent,  incarcerated for something he did in, was in  great pain and deep  remorse of his actions.  Pouring out his pain     –  and  his disappointment  from his own mistakes by drawing on the prison wall. In these brief few minutes, the presenter let him speak. He said, that when he draws and paints – he is at peace.e has time to think and look deeper in his soul. He kept drawing on the walls, with (permission of the guards) without  having any formal training. His enthusiasm was so contagious, that the other prisoners started supplying him with  whatever they can, so he can continue his work. Pencils, crayons.
It was admirable! Watching this human being, who fell  prey to circumstances and his  to  own temper perhaps, and entrapped himself – to elevate himself and rise from the ashes of self-destruction. He found a way to awaken a   talent , he did not know he had  – and found a noble  way to bypass anger and  channel  it into  a whole new level  of thinking.

Talk about the transformational quality   of Art!
It made me think  about imprisonment  of the spirit. Imprisonment of the spirit, that has nothing to do  with walls  – everything to do  with the limitations in our minds. Do we imprison our spirit when  we  surround ourselves with people, whose superficiality is  numbing ? Do we imprison our spirit when we distract ourselves with things that have no relevance to the world around us or within us? Do we imprison our minds when we squander valuable time and devote time to  exploring limiting belief systems, that impose on us ready-made values, impose on us how to think, how to react -to the point that we become a mere reflection , not a source?
Angel – the  imprisoned person with a   free spirit – made me think.
The power  of this unusual  uplifting of a human being still stays with me. The paintings were a pure expression of his pain. The mural was executed in mixed medium  – crayons, pencils and acrylics – whatever he finds.  (I presume there are no art shops in prison…. ). Not only does he lack the conventional environment of being an artist – not only is he lacking in mental stimulus of his environment  by virtue of a formal art education!  Yet the little glimmer of opportunity, time and space became his main motivator. After all – he does have the encouragement of the other prisoners and even of the prison guards, who gave him a permission to draw and paint. He needed permission to draw!!!!!

Think about it!
The sheer focus and determination he had! Many of us would try to achieve and sometimes it simply does not work. Could it be that the more freedom and  time we have – the less our desire to value it?

Could it be that the very presence of obstacles generates light and power beyond one’s expectations not only to overcome but  to excel?

Is it any wonder that some of the greatest creations of art have been created under impossible circumstances. Maybe the obstacles are simply  a spark plug that gets the desire to create in a  mode, that  overrides the trivial,  the unimportant and  the minutia?
Some of us create, because they love art and have spent time to develop their  skills and talents and want to share with the world. We simply breathe and live Art. Others create – because they have an obligation for a project or  a commission  or a gallery. Lucky ones! And then there are  many levels of creativity  between the highly skilled professional and the dilletante. But to create in the face of insurmountable obstacles  – is probably the highest form of Art.  What he lacks in  training – complements in inner desire to express  and  reflect the life-changing experience  his life.

Angel – the prisoner – artist , whose spirit  is anything but imprisoned. I was hoping I could find some  photograph of his work – but none was accessible. What I saw – was a complex composition, a large mural, depicting the events of his life, that lead him to this corner. So, I have no pictures  of Angel nor of his murals.  Just a deep impression from an accidental TV show about a prison and an incredible human being. And a deep admiration of the human spirit  and the  transformational power  of Art.

Stay inspired, my friends! Stay inspired, despite all odds! Stay inspired – no matter what!

Yours truly,

Tsvetana for TheArtChronicle

PS.The photo inset above is by Gerhard Richter.

And the Signature Image below is a Painting by this Author..

Good Bye ART WORLD Magazine !

Art World Magazine is out of business for no good reason!

Is Art World Magazine the latest casualty of the financial crisis after just over two years on the racks?  According to the rumour mill it is. An email circulated by the magazine’s editorial team did not, however, provide a specific reason for the disappearance of the fine art world equivalent of Vogue magazine. According to the email, “Due to personal family reasons Steve Bush – the publisher and owner of B5 Media – is stepping back from the business and the next issue of Art World is on indefinite hold while we explore future options.” Part of the reason for the magazine’s closure may be the demise of his marriage but it would quite plausible that the financial crisis is at least partly to blame. With two separate editions, one published in the UK and the other in Australia, the closure of the magazine will have an impact on many people who will. . . .___________READ ON.