Exhibition

Exhibition
Atanas Parushev – Shoka, Bozhidar Bonchev and Gredi Assa 

10 – 31 December 2024

 

For the December exhibition, Rakursi Gallery has invited three famous Bulgarian artists whose work is associated with freedom of expression, sincerity and dedication – Atanas Parushev – Shoka, Bozhidar Bonchev and Gredi Assa. Each of them, through their artistic means, makes their own original path in art.
Atanas Parushev – Shoka presents an abstract painting. The author explores color and its potential for expression. His works are minimalistic and exciting through their inner energy, color and brushwork. They predispose to contemplation and connecting with one’s inner world. The presented paintings were created in the last year.
Bozhidar Bonchev develops the tradition of ceramics, elevating it above the concrete and utility. His work reflects his inner contemplations and personal insights. The abstract-figurative objects and sculptures contain a hidden meaning and are between the real and the fantastic. They are characterized by free plasticity and they naturally and easily combine disparate motifs, shapes and materials. His works make an impression with the expressive volumes, the colors, picturesque improvisations, the exquisite ceramic surface. The present exhibition includes works from various cycles of the author from recent years.
Gredi Assa presents large-format canvases from the “Travels: Islands, Seas” series. The works, which are between the abstract and the figurative, impress with freedom, lightness of the drawing and harmony in colors. The island is a subject that attracts Grady Assa’ attention and he says about it: “The island is a longing, an illusion, a fiction, an idea, a mirage, the blindness of the imagination. It is the most beautiful piece of land. Separated from the whole, but representing the whole itself – a magnet for the senses and a charm for the mind’. Paintings were created in the last year and are being shown for the first time in Sofia.
Rumyana Yoneva

Atanas Parushev-Shoka was born on April 7, 1958. From 1972 to 1977 he studied at the Art High School in Kazanlak, 1985 – he graduated in painting at the Art Academy under prof. Ivan Kirkov. Atanas Parushev made his first attempts in the field of abstract art as a student, followed by long-term creative research in the area of non-figurative painting and abstract art. There are numerous solo exhibitions and participations in collective exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad. Lives and works in Sliven.
In February 2022 Atanas Parushev win the award for painting “Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master”. He is the winner of the “Sirak Skitnik” (2000 and 2002) and “Dobri Chintulov” (2007) awards.
His works are owned by the National Art Gallery, the Sofia City Art Gallery, the “Dimitar Dobrovich” Art Gallery in Sliven, the Art Gallery “Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master”, private collections.
Bozhidar Bonchev was born in 1956 in Kotel. He graduated from the School of Ceramics and Glass in Sofia and the Academy of Arts, majoring in “Ceramics”, under prof. Venko Kolev.
Since 2003 is a professor in the “Ceramics” department of the Academy of Arts.
There are numerous solo exhibitions and participations in collective exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad. Winner of the “Golden Century” of the Ministry of Culture for overall contribution to Bulgarian art, 2010; The award of the Union of Bulgarian Artists for overall presentation – 1997, etc.

Gredi Assa was born in 1954 in Pleven. Graduated “Monumental Decorative Painting” at Veliko Tarnovo University “St. St. Cyril and Methodius” in 1981.
Participant, together with Andrey Daniel, Bozhidar Boyadzhiev, Vihroni Popnedelev, Nedko Solakov and Philip Zidarov in the informal group “The City”, created in 1985.
Since 2003 Professor in the “Fashion” department at the National Academy of Arts.
Vice-rector of the National Academy of Sciences, responsible for international activities, in the period 2000-2004.
Head of the “Fashion” department at the Academy of Arts and Sciences since 1999.
In 2011, he participated in the Venice Biennale.
He specialized in the International Studio Program, New York, 1999; Lannan Foundation, New York, 1998; Cite des’Arts, Paris, 1996.
He has over 80 solo exhibitions in Bulgaria, New York, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Seoul, Ljubljana, Beijing, Geneva.
More important permanent collections featuring his works:
National Art Gallery, Sofia; Sofia City Gallery; Dr. Peter Ludwig Museum, Cologne, Germany; Museum of European Art, Clarence, New York/USA; Studio 9 Corporate Collection, London, UK; Museum of Contemporary Art, Nis, Yugoslavia; Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, USA; Corporate Collection “Frank Pages” – Baden-Baden, Germany; Museum of Jewish Art – Vienna, Austria; Friedrich Naumann Foundation – Bonn, Germany; “John Burns” Collection at Boston College – Boston, USA; Collection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sofia.
Awarded the 2023 “Zachary Zograf” National Painting Award.

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