The sudden premature passing of the great Bulgarian artist Kolio Karamfilov prompted us to organize an exhibition in his memory, and thus recall the power of his art.

The exhibition features artworks belonging to various genres and periods of his career as an artist, which allow just a glimpse at his endless talent.

Kolio Karamfilov (1963-2014) was born in the city of Plovdiv, where he studied scenography at the School for Theater Design, from which he graduated in 1982. Starting in 1983, he participated in numerous general and group exhibitions. He co-created the “Modern Classic” tandem together with Dimitar Mitovski, coming up with several actions and exhibitions over the period 1989-92. He was a co-founding member of the “Rab” (“Edge”) avant-garde group, having participated in all events organized by the latter in the period 1990-1993. In 1995 he also became a co-founding member of the “Disco’95“ group. He worked in the fields of graphic arts, illustration, painting, sculpture and scenography. He won numerous awards.

Kolio Karamfilov is a universe which had to offer way more than one or more artworks. He was present in our lives through his many talents – the ability to paint, to play the guitar and sing along, to speak in an inimitably enchanting manner.

Yet his approach to art is minimalist at best. He attempted to create a visual language based on easily recognizable and readable codes. He relied on the recurrent use of some of his favorite signs, namely the house, the hand, the wing, the heart, the head, lending the wisdom of lessons learned to all of them.

This exhibition would not have been possible without the support of Kolio’s family, friends and collectors, namely Rosen Karamfilov, Ina Damyanova, Stefan Bozhkov, Radost Kotseva (U.P.A.R.K. gallery), Pavlina Marinova and Emil Pungerov (L’Union gallery), Rositsa Ivanova, Nikolay Nedelchev, Elena Yoncheva and Plamen Todorov, Emil Ivanov, Simeon Djurov, Dimitar Todoranov, Dimitar Rusev, Atanas Hranov, the Popnedelev family – Adelina and Vihroni, Krassimir Dobrev.

Curators: Maria Vassileva, Stanislava Nikolova, Stefan Bojkov.