Opening of Exhibition by Dechko Uzunov On display until 20th November

More About Dechko Uzunov:

The year 2011 makes 112 years since the birth of Dechko Uzunov, the academic who left behind a whole generation of artists influenced by his free, independent spirit and legendary talent.

He was a professor, an academic, Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts, Director of the National Art Gallery, Chairman of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, an honorary member of multiple foreign academies, Honorary Chairman of AIAP and the holder of a multitude of highly-respected national and international awards.

In 1999, UNESCO announced Dechko Uzunov to be World Personality of the Year, due to the centenary from his birth. This was a worthy way to note the standing of the Bulgarian artist and to reward his contributions to world civilisation.

“If what they say about Picasso is that he owned the last century, then for us the
same applies to Dechko Uzunov.

Born at the end of the 19th century (1899), he made his mark on Bulgaria’s artistic
life during the 20th century with his art, character and the patriarchal age to which
he lived.

He passed through all the trends in art, yet never clung to any of them; lived to see
the ageing of his own students and considered the youngest of them his; was
rewarded by fate to live through life and the bloodshed of the 20th century without
suffering personal tragedy; contributed the most to the Europeanisation of the
Bulgarian arts whilst retaining esteem and affection for his country and traditions;
rose to the highest post of UNESCO’s Association Internationale des Arts Plastiques
(AIAP); played the part of the consolidator of the intelligent from all guilds within
Bulgaria; and looked upon art as being fun and a higher form of aestheticism in the
world around us.

Dechko Uzunov held an exquisite sense of sensitivity and taste; he captured the
moments in life and nature, filling with light the different forms of existence;
preserved fully the fine erotic thrill of the nude form, dematerialised to the extent
of picturesque visions with an appearance of the unreal and beyond; of the mythical
and mystical, without fear or pain. He impressed with his aristocratic stance and
wonderful sense of humour, always keeping him above the daily trivia and leading
him to almost biblical wisdom.”

(Prof. Axinia Jurova)

This exhibition is being organised for the 1st November, the Day of Enlightenment. It is an occasion for those in London interested in culture to become more acquainted with the original talent of Dechko Uzunov, and this exhibition further confirms the achievements and standing of the Bulgarian visual arts in the international world of culture.

The exhibition has kindly been lent to us by the Municipal Cultural Institute Museum-Gallery Dechko Uzunov, which celebrates 10 years of existence this year.

The displayed 35 paintings, from the 70s and 80s and consisting of landscapes, ladies’ heads and nudes, provides the ability to be in contact with works of this great artist for the duration of a month, whereby the tenderness of his watercolours will fill us with love, pride and serenity.