Unexhibited artworks from the collection of acad. Svetlin Rusev, donated to his hometown Pleven, are displayed at the Art Galery Collection Svetlin Rusev. The show marks 38 years since the official opening of the permanent exhibition.

Acad. Svetlin Rusev is a world-renowned artist. In his lifetime he was also one of the largest art collectors in Bulgaria. And one of the most generous art donors. In 1984, Acad. Rusev donated to his native town 322 works of art - paintings and sculptures - from his personal collection. The Municipality of Pleven, in turn, has provided the most suitable premises for this donation - the unique building of the former city bath, which is an architectural monument of culture. It is of national significance and is the work of the founder of modern Bulgarian architecture Nikola Lazarov (1870-1942).

In 1999 Svetlin Rusev added 82 more graphic works to the donated collection - Bulgarian Renaissance prints, works by contemporary artists of painting and graphic arts and European, Cuban, Russian and Mexican masters from the 18-20th centuries, including Delacroix, Goya, Millet, Käthe Kollwitz, Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Picasso, Rodin, Degas, Renoir. The exhibition in Pleven today contains 415 donated works. Visitors are also impressed by the Indian Christian sculptures and African ritual figures and masks.  Since 12 July, the permanent exhibition has added works by Lyuben Zidarov, Iliya Milkov, Toma Trifonovski,  Jordan Katsamunski, Georgi Bozhilov and Emil Stoychev, which are a small part of the collection donated by Svetlin Rusev to Pleven.

Compiled by: Gergana Mancheva