Hyperrealism (syn.: photorealism, superrealism) is an artistic style
characterized by highly realistic representation.
Abstract Art (syn.: non-figurative art) refers to art works that do not represent aspects of the visible world, but rather rely on the use of forms and colours existing for the sake of their own expressiveness.

Curator Maria Vassileva has chosen a nontrivial approach to this new exhibition of works from the Sofia City Art Gallery collection, bringing together two seemingly contrasting styles. One is hyperrealism with its insistence on objectivity, the other being abstraction with its extreme detachment from objects and subjects in the visible world.

The simultaneous tracing of the development of two contracting styles allows viewers to clearly see the differences between them. Exhibited opposite one another, so as to face each other, these works clearly reveal two directions in thought. One is dedicated to objectifying reality, closely studying people and objects that seem to be detached from a specific place and time in history. The other one severs relations with what is known to build a parallel reality.

The two contrasting styles, though, exhibit certain similarities. Most abstract artists use their knowledge of a given object in the world surrounding us as the basis for developing their art in the direction of an independent aesthetical entity of their own. Hyperrealists are capable of creating strange energy, as the attention to detail in their works creates, paradoxically so, an intense sense of irreality. Therefore the two styles create an atmosphere for illusory travels to a different world.

The exhibition features works by artists belonging to different generations, namely Nikola Avramov, Ivan Georgiev-Rembrandt, Nikola Daskalov, Petar Dochev, Hristo Simeonov,Yordan Kisiov, Ivan Kirkov, Dimitur Bouyouliiski, Stefan Rodev, Luchezar Kasabov, Hristina Petrova, Dimitar Traychev, Rossen Raychev, Mihail Stoyanov, Milko Pavlov, Milko Bozhkov, Milena Yoich, Nikolay Karadzhov, Volodya Kenarev, Stefan Yanev, Nikolay Nikov, Boris Kolev etc.