It is a magical experience to touch the written word, but it is even more exciting to complement it with drawings. In the art of illustration, text and image go hand in hand, enclosed between the covers of the book.
Ivan Kyosev (1933-1994) is among the emblematic artists who have dedicated their creative energy and talent to illustration, book layout and type. Born in Burgas, he graduated from the Academy of Arts in Sofia with a degree in Illustration in 1957 under Prof. Iliya Beshkov. Ivan Kyosev created a number of memorable images that have remained imprinted in the minds of readers of different ages. His illustrations show exceptional precision of execution, affinity for detail, attention to the text and rich imagination.
In some of his drawings, the artist very often fits the entire literary text into the small compositional field. In a very delicate and artful way, he intertwines iconographic patterns, details that draw us into the era described in the text, or catchy attributes characteristic of the time in which the illustrations were created. All this diversity is presented to the inquisitive reader in color or in black and white in a way that allows him to feel the pleasure of the illustrator in creating his works.
Seen from the distance of time, Ivan Kyosev's illustrations are still relevant today, bringing a fond memory of a bygone era and a delight from our contact with literary works.
Dr. Tanya Staneva
Curator of the exhibition
Opening: September 20, 2023
Location: Square 500, St. Alexander Nevski Square, 19th February Street, 4th floor – new wing of the building
Closing: December 31, 2023
Source: National Gallery of Art
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