Exhibition marking 90th anniversary of the birth of renowned Bulgarian artist Yoan Leviev opened in Plovdiv

An exhibition of works by famous artist Yoan Leviev opened at Plovdiv City Art Gallery, featuring some of the most vivid images and themes in the artist's work.

The exhibition marks 90 years since the artist's birth, who died in 1994 at the age of 59. The exhibition can be viewed until November 3.

Canvases from the painting cycles "Royal Times" and "Achilles" are displayed in Exhibition Hall 2019 of the art gallery.

Portraits are also an important genre for the artist - he has painted his parents, as well as famous Bulgarian and world artists.

Krasimir Linkov, Director of the City Art Gallery - Plovdiv: "I really wanted to show the most significant, the most representative of the art works, what we see is relevant in our time. Yoan Leviev was one of the few socially engaged artists and this is evident in this exhibition."

Yoan Leviev's voice was also heard at the opening of the exhibition.

Yoan Leviev, artist (voice recording from the archive): 'Fame is first of all transitory. And if a person counts only on it and not on the pleasure of creating paintings and doing what he is called to do, I think he is fooling himself very badly."

Joana Levieva-Sawyer, daughter of Yoan Leviev: "These house-museums in the Old Town (in Plovdiv) are actually cultural centers where other events take place as well and people visit them all the time. It would be wonderful if there was such a house where the public could meet my father’s art works more often."

Images by BTA

Most of the works in the exhibition are from the collection of the Plovdiv City Art Gallery, but 17 other institutions, private collections and the artist's family are included to fully represent the series.