75 години от рождението на художника
There are artists whose presence endures long after their physical absence - artists who have left behind not merely paintings, but a world of their own: one that is instantly recognizable and rich in symbols, colors, and imagery. Gancho Karabadzhakov is one such artist.
Marking five years since his passing and the 75th anniversary of his birth, this exhibition offers an opportunity to revisit his body of work. The eighteen pieces on display—drawn from the collection of Gallery 33 in Varna—map out a portion of the vast landscape of his artistic language and remind us of the power of an artist who knew how to transform the visible world into metaphor.
He created a rich body of work inspired by tradition, mythology, and contemporary life. Pieces such as "Samodiva", "Bolyarka", "August", "Zadyavka", and "Na Pasha" (Out to Pasture) transport the viewer into a realm of merriment, profound symbolism, and fairytale wonder. His color palette is radiant, warm, and inviting.
His characters and compositions seem to emerge from a reality that is simultaneously close at hand and worlds away. They evoke a sense of the fairytale, yet beneath that surface, one often glimpses the human drama—loneliness, longing, irony, anxiety, and hope.
Karabadzhakov’s work embodies a deep sense of Bulgarian cultural memory. Encountering his paintings today is more than just an act of remembrance. It offers an opportunity to see how time alters our perspective on art, while simultaneously revealing how true art endures beyond the passage of time.
The paintings presented at Gallery 33 do not claim to encompass the entirety of Gancho Karabadzhakov’s body of work. Instead, they offer a fragment, a unique window into his artistic world. Perhaps the fragment is, in fact, the most fitting form of remembrance: it does not confine the image but leaves space for it to unfold further.
Seventy-five years after his birth and five years after his passing, Gancho Karabadzhakov remains a presence in Bulgarian art through his distinctive style—colorful, symbolic, ironic, poetic, and deeply human.
This exhibition is a tribute to the artist, as well as an invitation to the viewer to step into his world and rediscover it through their own eyes.
Exhibition dates: October 6 – October 29, 2026
Location: Varna, 2A Gabrovo St.
Admission: Free