This is the first exhibition of Nikolay Boyadjev’s work since his death in 1963. The works featured in the exhibition, namely 23 oil on canvas paintings and more than 40 drawings, reveal the various stages of his development as an artist. A large part of the works featured in the exhibition is the ownership of the artist’s family and private collectors. The Sofia City Art gallery exhibition aims to get the public acquainted with this relatively unknown artist. Nikolay Boyadjev is one of these Bulgarian artists, who have sank into oblivion in the course of time, for one reason or the other. The rediscovery of his art today gives rise to various questions, while also affording opportunities for future research into Bulgarian art-related issues.

Born in 1904 in the city of Svishtov, Nikolay Boyadjiev graduated from the National Academy of Arts with a major in painting in 1930, having studied in Prof. Boris Mitov’s class. He spent many years of his professional career as an art teacher at the City of Shoumen High School. He worked in the fields of portrait, landscape, and nude painting. In 1951 Nikolay Boyadjiev became a senior assistant professor at the Painting Department of the Fine Arts Faculty of the National Academy of Arts. In 1958 the artist was expelled from the Union of Bulgarian Artists, because of his refusal to work on “prescribed” themes of political character. In 1961 the artist was promoted from the position of a senior assistant professor to the position of a lecturer. In the years to follow, Nikolay Boyadjiev was denied participation in national All-Artist Exhibitions. He died on October 12, 1963.
During his teaching career at the National Academy of Arts he provided instruction to prominent artists such as: Svetlin Roussev, Christo Yavasheff, Dora Boneva, Ivan Kuanev, Nikola Ghiuzelev, Alexander Stanev, Atanas Yaranov, Georgi Bozhilov, Dimo Zaimov, Doncho Vulchev, Ivan B. Ivanov, Valentin Starchev, Gencho Denchev, Peter Chouklev, Galin Malakcheiv, Ivan Kolev and many others.

Institutions participating in the exhibition: Sofia City Art Gallery, National Academy of Arts Museum, Shoumen City Art Gallery, “Svetlin Roussev” Studio-Collection, Sofia, private collectoion.

An exhibition catalogue is available, released by the Sofia City Art Gallery with kind support from Academician Svetlin Roussev.

The Sofia City Art Gallery would like to kindly thank: Vili Boyadzjiev, Svetlin Roussev, Ivan Kanev, Ivan B. Ivanov, Ivan Parparov, Mihail Zaimov, Georgi Toromanov, Mariela Tabakova and Christina Petrova.

Exhibition curator: Milena Balcheva.
Exhibition team: Adelina Fileva, Maria Vassileva, Svetlin Roussev, Ilinka Chergarova, Stefan Stefanov, Peter Dimov, Nadezhda Oleg Lyahova.