The National Gallery for Foreign Arts in Sofia hosted an exhibition by renowned Bulgarian painter Emil Stoychev, entitled “Fantastic.” The exhibition hosted 90 paintings, created between 1972 and 2010. Some of the works were created in Sofia and some in Paris, where the painter has been working since the beginning of the 90s. Mr. Stoichev has had a number of exhibitions in Bulgaria, France, Japan, USA, Germany, Belgium, and others. He is also a winner of numerous awards. On April 26, the painter was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the Bulgarian National Academy of Art.
 

Still life with apple

Here is what rector of the Academy, professor Svetoslav Kokalov said:
“In the beginning of the 90s, Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac invited Mr Stoichev for an exhibition in the castle of Bagatelle. Stoichev is one of the few artists from Eastern Europe who has had an exhibition there. More than 40000 people visited the exhibition in Bagatelle, while critics praised his work. Emil Stoichev expresses freely his creative genius through masterful use of colors, just like great musicians use musical tones,” Mr. Kokalov says.

"A Dance", "A Portrait of Genko Genkov"

Emil Stoychev is one of the painters, whose style is easily distinguishable. The painter himself defines his style as “fantastic realism.” “I have always been very curious and I think that was an impetus for my talent,” Emil Stoichev said at the ceremony in the Academy of Arts and added:

“For me a painting is a good one if I can hear what it says and it hears me,” the painter says. “This type of dialogue is a good practice. According to me, the artist must finish a painting when he is half-awake, as this is a moment when he is completely in the grip of his talent and no external factors can affect his work. My work is like my shadow. It constantly follows me. In order to paint well I need serious preparation. Before I start to paint I carefully consider my topic. I can do this when having a walk, in a restaurant, or in the bathroom. My imagination can cross certain borders but sometimes it is difficult to grasp some aspects of life. I do not know how I became a painter. I don’t think a muse took possession of me when I was a baby. It is the color that makes me feel as a snowman starting to melt,” painter Emil Stoichev concludes.

"The Madonna of Nogeon", "Marionettes"

Photographs: Veneta Pavlova
Eglish: Alexander Markov